Nurturing company champions: The long-term value of experienced drivers
September 30, 2025
September 30, 2025
By Adam Lang, Director of Customer Advisory Services at Netradyne
Motor carriers across the country have shown remarkable creativity in attracting new talent to the trucking industry. From launching in-house training programs and partnering with trade schools and colleges, to offering tuition reimbursement, sign-on bonuses, and wellness incentives, fleets are investing heavily in recruitment.
But what happens when a driver wants to step out of the cab?
Every fleet manager has seen it happen: a driver who’s logged millions of safe miles, trained rookies just by example, and built rapport with customers suddenly turns in their keys. On paper, you lose one team member. In reality, you lose priceless institutional knowledge, instincts about safety, unspoken trust with dispatchers, and hard-earned credibility.
Instead of watching that wisdom walk away, forward-thinking fleets are asking a new question: What if retirement from the road wasn’t the end of a career, but the start of a new chapter?
The American Trucking Association paints a stark picture. The U.S. is already short more than 78,000 drivers as of mid-2025, and that gap could widen to over 100,000 by 2028. The workforce is aging—the average truck driver is 49, with nearly 35% approaching retirement. And even as new drivers enter the field, they often don’t stay. Turnover in long-haul fleets exceeds 90% annually, according to the ATA.
These numbers represent an accelerating loss of people whose experience keeps operations safe, efficient, and reliable.
Not long ago, “experienced” meant at least two years behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer. As hiring became more challenging, that bar dropped to one year, then six months. But years in the job alone don’t define expertise.
Different loads require different skills. A driver hauling soda faces different demands than one hauling hazardous fuel, liquid methane, or pharmaceuticals. Hazmat drivers operate under stricter safety rules, physical requirements, and compliance monitoring.
Experience also shapes risk awareness. New drivers may clip a mirror or scrape a bumper in a lot, but the more severe, costly crashes often appear later—after five or more years—when complacency can creep in. It’s a reminder that even seasoned drivers need support and engagement. Without it, experience alone doesn’t guarantee long-term success.
Driving has never been just about steering a truck down the highway. It’s a demanding job that requires constant planning, patience, and resilience. Parking shortages, hours-of-service restrictions, and long stretches away from home create daily stress. Crowded highways and risky motorists also chip away at morale. The litigious nature of many motorists can also repel drivers. One accident, regardless of fault, can turn a driver away from this career forever.
For many, higher pay or benefits isn’t enough anymore. Often, what really matters is respect, dignity, and feeling heard. When those needs aren’t met—whether about bathroom access at customer sites or the grind of route planning—drivers look elsewhere. Some move to private or regional fleets with steadier schedules. Others leave the industry altogether.
Replacing a driver is neither simple nor cheap. Recruiting campaigns, advertising, background checks, drug testing, orientation, and travel all add up. Recent research found that losing a single driver can cost between $10,000 and $20,000.
When drivers leave, fleets don’t just lose headcount. Dispatchers lose the driver who would cover a hot load at the last minute, customers lose a familiar and trusted face, and new drivers lose the role model who set the tone for professionalism.
Turnover also increases risk. Under pressure to fill seats, companies may relax hiring standards. A poorly vetted hire can create liability that’s both financially and reputationally devastating.
There’s a better way forward for both drivers and fleets. Instead of treating departures from the road as endings, fleets can create paths for their most experienced and trusted drivers to keep knowledge alive inside the company. Here are roles where experienced drivers thrive:
Recruiters with real talk
No one can explain the realities of life on the road better than someone who’s lived it. Veteran drivers can authentically answer questions about things like time away from home, equipment cycles, expectations, and company culture. They won’t sugarcoat it. Their honesty builds trust with recruits who are wary of overpromises, and helps ensure new drivers are a cultural fit, which increases the chances that they’ll stick around.
Trainers who teach the “why”
New drivers may learn the mechanics of backing or hours-of-service rules, but veterans can explain why specific rules exist. With personal stories, they bring lessons to life, showing how rules and procedures benefit drivers and the company. This context helps new drivers internalize safety practices rather than memorize them, leading to better long-term compliance.
Mentors who understand the journey
Experienced drivers can provide the kind of ongoing support rookie drivers need most. For example, rookie drivers often face their biggest challenges at 3 a.m. on a lonely stretch of road. Having a mentor — someone who has been there — on the other end of the phone can mean the difference between panic and problem-solving. Veterans also pass along route tips, customer expectations, and tricks of the trade that no manual covers.
Safety champions who know the stakes
Experienced drivers understand the heightened responsibility of hauling goods. They can help safety teams distinguish between theoretical risks and the real hazards drivers face every day, strengthening compliance and culture. For groups, peer-to-peer safety coaching is often more effective than top-down mandates.
Veteran drivers embody a company’s standards, safety culture, and its relationships. Offering a path forward sends a powerful message to all drivers: your experience matters here.
That message resonates across generations. Younger drivers see a future beyond the cab, managers gain a bridge between the office and the road, and the company preserves the wisdom of those who helped build it.
The trucking industry will always need new drivers, but the fleets that thrive won’t just be the ones who recruit well. They’ll be the ones who create opportunities to keep seasoned professionals engaged in meaningful roles.
The goal isn’t to pull people off the road prematurely. Instead, find ways to recognize when a driver may be considering stepping away—whether due to changing family needs, health concerns, or other life transitions or issues—and show them your company offers opportunities beyond driving.
Also, when a driver raises concerns with HR, Safety, Dispatch, or other departments, treat the conversation as a “stay interview” instead of an exit interview. Listen, act on what you hear, and make it clear that the company is serious about retaining them.
By investing in loyal, high-performing drivers, fleets protect not only their bottom line but also the spirit of the road that built their businesses.
* Individual results and conditions may vary.
** Based on customer data.
† Netradyne must receive written approval to share client data.
Images may be for illustrative purposes only and may not be an exact representation of a product.
