When hiring truck drivers, what qualities do you look for that make a good CDL driver? Are you just looking at skill and qualifications, or is there something else of value that you look for? While certifications are important and necessary in trucking, we can help you identify those soft skills that make a quality driver. 

Awareness and stress-management

These traits may seem obvious, but these qualities are invaluable for CDL drivers. Stress management can directly affect awareness and prevent distractions. In accidents, drivers are not always at fault. There are times when they may find themselves having to make decisions in a split second in order to avoid an accident. Without awareness of these situations, drivers are much more likely to make mistakes or act too slowly. It is also important in situations where a truck needs maintenance and the only way to know is to notice that it’s driving differently. 

Self-sufficient

Self-sufficient drivers are those that can find solutions to their problems on their own most of the time. While there will always be things that they don’t know, having the expertise to be more independent makes drivers more efficient while your company runs smoothly. This trait also gives drivers a boost of confidence by knowing they can handle what situations they find themselves in. 

Communication skills

While it is important to have drivers that have to know how to figure out their issues on their own, it is just as important to have that who can admit when they don’t know what to do. Communication skills are not only important for issues that may arise on the road but also for relationships with coworkers, clients, and family while on the road. 

Loyalty and reliability

Loyal and reliable drivers make your life easier by ensuring you don’t need to keep finding people to hire. Finding drivers with these qualities can be difficult as these traits aren’t easy to test in the short term. 

If you’re struggling to find drivers that meet all of these criteria, we can help with that. Visit https://www.spectra360.com/drivers/ to learn more about our database of screened, tested, and vetted drivers.