Alberta keen to attract new drivers amid shortage challenge

The biggest challenge that the Alberta trucking industry is facing is a shortage of drivers.

The province is short 4,000 professional drivers and the number is rising, warned Doug Paisley, chairman of Alberta Motor Transport Association’s (AMTA) board of directors.

“My company, Lethbridge Truck Terminals, has 53 drivers and the average age is 56 years old. There’s no young guys coming in,” he told TruckNews.com during AMTA’s leadership conference and annual general meeting in Edmonton.

The AMTA is lobbying for trade credentials and professional designations for transport drivers.

“We need that National Occupational Standard to be established. We need to build criteria-based training. Mandatory Entry Level Training [MELT] gets you a licence but it doesn’t mean you can drive. Training must take place after they get their licence. It’s expensive and it takes time,” Paisley said.

Michelle Spacil, AMTA manager — member services, said the association is working to change the industry’s culture and image. When the public thinks of a driving job, they think of longhaul trucking. Spacil said awareness is being spread about other options like driving in industrial, oil and gas, forestry, and other sectors.

“It plants the seed of a trucking career.”

Michelle Spacil, manager member services AMTA

She said social media also plays a big role in targeting audiences. AMTA organizes career fairs at high schools with Road Knights – professional professional transport drivers with first-class driving records – who raise awareness about industry careers and how to safely share the road with a truck.

“We have a simulator where young people can test drive a truck. It plants the seed of a trucking career,” Spacil said. The program was on hold during the pandemic but is being restarted.

Diversity is also important and the association works with Edmonton non-profit Women Building Futures to draw more women into the industry, she added.

Building brands

Small- and medium-sized carriers must build their brands to attract jobseekers, Rob Dombowsky, AMTA’s industry advisor — human resources and labor, told attendees during the event.

It’s why he warned carriers against posting controversial things on their social media accounts.

The company’s culture must resonate online, he said. “Review your website to stand out from competitors. Make sure it is modern, interactive, error-free and easy to navigate.”

Manage reviews

It is also important to professional manage Google reviews. Negative comments without rebuttals reflect badly on a carrier, he warned, adding that potential job seekers will steer clear of companies with a poor reputation.

Dombowsky urged companies to set funds aside for an advertising budget specifically to recruit new drivers. Advertising in the language of target populations can also cast a wider net.

When targeting newcomers, carriers should look for advertising opportunities that align with ethnic, immigrant, and community associations, he advised.