The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) recently offered insight into the redi mix truck driver industry with the release of the organization’s 2018 Mixer Driver Recruitment and Retention Survey. Now in its fourth year, the annual report evaluated the industry between January and December of 2017, taking into account everything from retention rates to the average age of redi mix truck drivers, to internal mobility and turnover. Here are some of the report’s highlights:
Regarding Redi Mix Truck Driver Populations:
- Results indicated a 3% decrease in the ready mix truck driver population.
- Of ready mix concrete producers surveyed, 48% noted they lost business because they did not have enough drivers. That’s a 12% increase over 2017’s report.
- The average redi mix truck driver is 46.4 years old.
Regarding Turnover:
- Although the redi mix truck driver pool remained consistent at approximately 75,000, the turnover rate rose to 29.1%, versus 2016’s 25.8%.
- About 9%, or 6,600 drivers total, left the same year they were hired. That’s an increase from 2016’s 4,800 drivers.
- Mentorship for new redi mix truck drivers decreased to 74% of producers, down from 2016’s 85%. Many companies also decreased mentorship from one to three months, to less than a month.
Other Findings of Note:
- Ready mix concrete producers’ biggest hiring challenge is (and consistently has been) finding experienced drivers. Of producers who responded, 76% do not hire commercially-licensed drivers or those younger than 25.
- The top three issues which led redi mix truck drivers to quit by their third year were pay, inconsistent schedules and lack of steady, 12-month work.
Want to read the full NRMCA press release? You can find it online, at nrmca.org. General Chipping also carried out our own “state of the industry” survey, which evaluated what our friends, clients and colleagues experienced in 2017. You can find those results and other important information on our blog. Have questions? Just want to learn more? We’d love to hear from you. You are always welcome to contact our team.
