“Military veterans are trained to do the right thing, even when no one is looking. Truck drivers need those same qualities." –Ryan Robida, military and veteran recruiting manager, TMC
company is proud to have a VA-approved apprenticeship program that allows veterans to train for their driver certi cation and receive compensation from both TMC and through the U.S. military’s GI bill while they complete their training. The company also maintains exible schedules for veteran employees who are part of the Army Reserves and need time off for missions or other commitments. TMC’s focus on hiring military veterans—as well as its performance- and percentage-based pay structure and generous bene ts—plays a huge role in the company’s stellar retention rates. “The national turnover average for truck drivers has historically been as high as 91%,” Robida notes. “In 2022, TMC’s turnover rate was half the national average.” SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS Training programs developed via partnerships between industry, military, government, and union organizations that help veterans upskill or reskill for jobs in transportation are particularly effective. Through the Teamsters Military Assistance Program, ArcBest’s ABF Freight carrier works with the military to run driver training schools for veterans nearing the end of their service at Fort Riley, Kansas and Fort Carson,
of veteran employee candidates. A 20-year military veteran who retired in 2017 as a master sergeant and worked as a recruiter within the Army, Robida notes that TMC, an employee-owned atbed carrier in Iowa, counts nearly 40% of its drivers as veterans. “Military veterans have integrity like no one else,” Robida says. “You are trained in the military to do the right thing, even when no one is looking—and truck drivers need those same qualities. “In transportation, it’s just you, your truck, and the open road,” he adds. “There’s nobody sitting next to you monitoring your performance.” Veterans also tend to stick around, even when times are tough as they are used to honoring their commitments as part of their military service. In return, TMC shows strong support for its military veteran employees. The
Employees with these skills are sought after by companies like XPO because they “demonstrate a level of resiliency and adaptability that enables us to adjust to unpredictable situations so we can stay agile and responsive to our customers’ rapidly changing needs,” Graham says. Trucking, in particular, holds a strong lure for veterans. At least one in 10 truckers are veterans, double the rate of workers in general, according to 2019 Census data. Drivers who are military vets also display superior safety records behind the wheel and show impressive company loyalty: veteran drivers had 42% fewer accidents, drove 98% more miles, and had 68% fewer involuntary terminations than non-veterans, notes a 2016 study. Getting more military veterans into truck-driving jobs is a priority for many companies given the strong workforce demands for transportation positions. The American Trucking Associations estimates the trucking industry is currently facing a shortage of more than 78,000 truck drivers coupled with a need to hire 1.2 million new drivers over the next decade to meet increasing freight demands.
RECRUITING AND RETAINING VETS
Many transportation companies are focused on recruiting and retaining military veterans as a key part of their labor strategy. Ryan Robida, military and veteran recruiting manager for TMC, logs nearly as many miles as the company’s drivers when he attends job fairs at military installations across the country in search
After 26 years in the Navy, Travis Wagner transitioned to logistics. In addition to his role as senior manager, customer operations, for ArcBest, he serves as president of the company's veteran employee resource group.
126 Inbound Logistics • July 2023
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