The Changing Face of Trucking: Welcoming Gen Z to the Industry

In honor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week — celebrated this year Sept. 15-21, 2024 — we’re exploring the future of the American trucking industry and the potential contained in the next generation of drivers, Gen Z. Gen Z typically refers to people born between 1997 and 2012, after Millennials and before Generation Alpha.

The trucking industry is undergoing a significant transformation as Gen Z begins to take the wheel, bringing a fresh perspective and a unique set of expectations. From their tech-savvy nature to their emphasis on job satisfaction and work-life balance, Gen Z is changing the face of trucking. Understanding their interests and motivations is key in ensuring fleets have plenty of new drivers in their cabs for decades to come.

Gen Z’s Interest in Technology 

Gen Z has grown up in a digital world, making them inherently tech-savvy. They’re used to having information at their fingertips and are comfortable using even advanced technology daily. Their inclination toward technology extends to their professional lives, where they expect their workplaces to be equipped with the latest technology. 

Gen Z drivers are more likely to embrace in-cab technologies, software, and even truck cameras as they have grown up in a culture where cameras are pervasive. Gen Z drivers may very well be observing potential employers’ approach to technology, preferring companies with an eye to the future that are prepared to evolve and embrace new digital tools. 

Additionally, Gen Z drivers tend to adapt quickly to new technological advancements, making them valuable assets in an industry that increasingly relies on tech solutions. Whether they are helping train other drivers or giving feedback on potential new fleet tools, their openness to explore new technologies and their ability to flatten the learning curve can be an important benefit to their employers. 

Why Gen Z is a Good Match for Trucking 

Trucking can hold significant appeal for many Gen Z individuals, meeting many of their “careabouts”, such as:

Financial Stability 

Trucking offers competitive salaries and benefits, which is attractive to a generation concerned about financial security and student loan debt. With the cost of living higher than ever in their lifetimes, they are seeking a career that offers high earning potential.

No Time-Intensive Degree Required

Many members of the Gen Z generation have soured on the idea of a four-year commitment to a college degree that may saddle them with debt. Completing a CDL training program within months that enables them to start making money quickly can be highly appealing. 

Adventure and Independence

Many Gen Z’ers are drawn to the open road, the sense of adventure, and the independence that comes with a trucking career. Flexible work schedules or the possibility of shorter hauls is attractive to Gen Z drivers who value the ability to manage their time effectively.

Job Security

With the ever-growing demand for freight transportation, trucking provides a level of job security that many other industries can’t match. Many members of Gen Z have witnessed or experienced significant corporate layoffs and are looking for a role that will always be in demand.

Meaningful Work

According to recent studies, Gen Z highly values the idea that their work has a purpose. The fact that truckers play a critical role in keeping the economy moving and delivering goods to those who need them resonates with this desire.

Career Development

Opportunities for professional development are crucial to Gen Z, and the trucking industry offers numerous paths for advancement, such as moving on to more specialized routes, trailers, and loads or becoming supervisors/trainers and possibly eventually owner operators. Gen Z members are seeking employers who invest in their growth through training, career progression, and mentor relationships.

Work-Life Balance

Gen Z places a high value on work-life balance, perhaps more than any previous generation. They are keen on careers that allow them to maintain a healthy equilibrium between their professional and personal lives, and trucking offers them more options and say in the routes they want to run and the type of work they enjoy.

8 Ways to Adapt to the Next Generation 

With this understanding of key interests and values for Gen Z, fleets can craft recruiting and retaining efforts to be most attractive to the future generation of drivers, helping ensure stability in the workforce. Some simple ways to do so include:

1. Investing in technology: Younger drivers not only appreciate technology and tools that make their jobs easier and more efficient, they look for companies that show they are future-focused and willing to engage with emerging technologies. Whether it is ruggedized tablets for easier inspections or high-tech cabs with improved communications and sensors, Gen Z is comfortable with technology and expects it in employers.
2. Emphasizing career growth: Ensure that a career path for drivers not only exists but are communicated and understood from the time of recruitment/training and beyond.
3. Building company culture: Small but thoughtful gestures can go a long way for Gen Z, including highlighting employees' successes and life events and looking for ways to build a positive team culture.
4. Boosting benefits: Look for ways to support a healthy work-life balance, including flexible scheduling options, robust benefits for drivers and their families, and an open-door policy for feedback across the company.
5. Facilitating mentorship: Gen Z drivers care about building a community and finding meaning in their work. Making connections between older drivers can help new drivers envision their future with the company, handle rough times, and see their role's impact on society. 
6. Pursuing diversity: Consider ways to reach out to groups that have not traditionally been in the driver’s seat to develop a more diverse team of employees. For example, women represent 46 percent of the overall U.S. labor force but still only make up 7.8 percent of truck drivers, meaning there’s an untapped potential for women drivers.
7. Making training more engaging: Think outside of the box when it comes to continuing education, including making it more flexible and fun with gamified learning and modules available to complete during rest stops and downtime. Encourage your drivers to compete in safety and logistics competitions or other fun opportunities.
8. Supporting physical and mental health: Employers prioritizing employee health and providing resources for stress management and overall wellbeing will stand out to Gen Z job seekers. Look into offering mental telehealth solutions and chat-based support services for Gen Z drivers out on the road. Encourage drivers to use their stops to stretch their legs and get some exercise; consider planning routes to include truck stops with gyms or near greenbelts for healthier rest stops. Health monitors can help track sleep and heart rate. Fleets can also look into obtaining a corporate discount for nationwide gym chains to help drivers stay healthy even when out of town.

Future-proof Your Workforce

By better understanding younger drivers like those in Gen Z, fleets can begin to build and develop the framework and cultures that are most attractive to our industry’s upcoming drivers. With helpful benefits, flexibility, and a real impact on the economy, trucking checks many of the boxes in the Gen Z list. By highlighting these features and increasing proactive communication, fleets can ensure their driver pool will be high-quality and extensive for decades to come.

‍Learn more about the newest fleet technologies and how to future-proof your operations at platformscience.com.