<article class="article"> <!-- Header --> <header class="article-header"> <div class="article-meta"> <span class="article-category">Tips</span> <span class="article-meta-dot">&bull;</span> <span class="article-read-time">6 min</span> </div> <h1 class="article-title">Finding staff: 5 tips to attract drivers</h1> <p class="article-intro">Nearly half of all moving companies name staff shortages as their biggest problem. Yet some companies still find good people. Here is how they do it.</p> </header> <!-- Hero Image --> <img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/webflow-prod-assets/671a2b3d0c3830f284c6ac20/6983dde804301d829857a77a_chauffeurs-werven-verhuisbedrijf-blog.jpg" alt="Mover behind the wheel of a moving truck with colleague loading boxes - illustration about recruiting drivers" class="article-hero"> <!-- Content --> <div class="article-content"> <p class="lead-text">You have three moves scheduled for next week. Two experienced drivers. And a problem. Because who is driving that third truck?</p> <p>You are not the only one with this problem. The driver shortage in the moving industry is no longer a temporary dip. It is structural. And it is only getting worse.</p> <p>The numbers do not lie. At the end of 2024 there were nearly 7,000 open vacancies for truck drivers in the Netherlands. At the same time, the number of active drivers has been declining for eight consecutive quarters. More people are leaving than entering.</p> <div class="big-number"> <div class="big-number-value">44%</div> <div class="big-number-label">Of all transport companies name staff shortages as their biggest problem</div> </div> <p>The average driver is over 45 years old. Many experienced workers will retire in the coming years. Retirement outflow increased by nearly 4% in 2024. And young talent? There is hardly any.</p> <h2>Why is recruiting drivers so difficult?</h2> <p>The moving industry has an image problem. Many young people see the work as heavy and outdated. They do not know that modern moving companies use apps, that trucks keep improving, and that being a driver is a varied job.</p> <p>On top of that, competition is fierce. Not just with other moving companies, but with the entire transport sector. Distribution centres, parcel services, construction companies - everyone is looking for drivers.</p> <div class="info-cards"> <div class="info-card"> <div class="info-card-value">6,850</div> <div class="info-card-label">Open driver vacancies</div> </div> <div class="info-card"> <div class="info-card-value">-1.8%</div> <div class="info-card-label">Fewer active drivers</div> </div> <div class="info-card"> <div class="info-card-value">45+</div> <div class="info-card-label">Average age</div> </div> </div> <p>Yet some moving companies do find staff and recruit drivers. What do they do differently?</p> <h2>Tip 1: Use your own team to recruit drivers</h2> <p>The best drivers come through your own people. This is the most effective way to recruit staff for your moving company. They know the work. They know who is suitable. And more importantly: they can honestly tell people what it is like to work for you.</p> <p>Set up a referral programme. Give your employees a bonus when they bring someone who stays for at least six months. Not a small token, but a serious reward. Five hundred euros is not excessive when you consider what a failed hire costs you.</p> <div class="highlight-box"> <p>"Your current team is your best recruitment channel. They speak the right language and reach people you will never find through job boards."</p> </div> <p>The advantage? Your employees only refer people they want to work with themselves. That saves you a lot of bad hires.</p> <h2>Tip 2: Solve the staff shortage with career changers</h2> <p>Do not wait for people who already have a C or CE licence. They are scarce and expensive. A smart strategy for recruiting drivers is to look at career changers: people from other sectors who want a new direction.</p> <p>Through STL, the sector institute for transport and logistics, you can get subsidies for training new drivers. Up to EUR 1,239 for a C licence, up to EUR 1,289 for CE. The candidate pays a maximum of EUR 750.</p> <p><strong>What do you need to offer?</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>At least a one-year contract</strong> of 32 hours per week</li> <li><strong>Or a two-year contract</strong> of 24 hours per week</li> <li><strong>Guaranteed job</strong> after completing the training</li> </ul> <p>The training takes five to six months. So you need patience. But the result is a driver you shaped yourself, who is loyal, and who fits your moving company. This is how you solve the staff shortage structurally.</p> <h2>Tip 3: Be more than just an employer</h2> <p>Drivers have options. They could start somewhere else tomorrow. Why would they stay at your moving company?</p> <p>The answer is not just about salary. Of course you need to pay market rate, according to the <a href="/blog/cao-2026-verhuizers">Professional Freight Transport CBA</a>. But on top of that, people look for appreciation, flexibility and a good atmosphere.</p> <p><strong>What makes the difference?</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Good equipment</strong> - nobody wants to drive a worn-out van</li> <li><strong>Clear planning</strong> - drivers want to know where they stand. With a <a href="/oplossing/planning">good planning board</a> you prevent misunderstandings</li> <li><strong>Flexibility</strong> - part-time work is becoming increasingly popular (already 13%)</li> <li><strong>Appreciation</strong> - a simple thank-you works wonders</li> </ul> <p>Ask your team: what would you change if you were the boss? The answers are often surprisingly practical. And cheap to fix.</p> <h2>Tip 4: Make onboarding new drivers efficient</h2> <p>You have finally found staff for your moving company. And then what? The first weeks determine whether someone stays or leaves again.</p> <p>Many moving companies throw new people in at the deep end. Shadow an experienced colleague, figure out how it works, hope for the best. That no longer works.</p> <p>Create an onboarding programme. Not complicated, but structured. Who is the mentor? What should someone be able to do after week one? After week four? When can someone drive independently?</p> <div class="highlight-box"> <p>"The first month determines whether someone stays five years or leaves after three months. Invest in a good start."</p> </div> <p>Digital tools make this easier. New employees see their schedule in an app, know exactly which address to go to, and can ask questions via chat. With the <a href="/oplossing/uitvoering">Bas employee app</a> everyone has instant access to all job information. No hassle with paperwork, no ambiguity.</p> <h2>Tip 5: Broaden your target audience when recruiting drivers</h2> <p>The classic driver is a middle-aged man. But why should that remain the case? Smart recruitment means also looking at new target groups.</p> <p>The percentage of women in the transport sector is slowly but surely rising. In 2017, 3% of truck drivers were women. Now it is 5%. Still low, but the trend is positive.</p> <p>Flexible workers are also a growing group. Over 21% of employees in the sector now have a flexible contract. Not everyone wants to work full-time as an employee. Some prefer to combine multiple jobs or work as a freelancer.</p> <p><strong>Look more broadly:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Returners</strong> - people who want to work again after a break</li> <li><strong>Career switchers</strong> - from sectors where jobs are disappearing</li> <li><strong>Young people without a licence</strong> - but with the motivation to get one</li> <li><strong>Part-timers</strong> - who want to work three or four days</li> </ul> <h2>Why is retention just as important as recruiting?</h2> <p>Every driver who leaves costs you money. Recruitment costs, onboarding costs, lost productivity. Add it all up and you quickly reach thousands of euros. Solving the staff shortage therefore starts with retention.</p> <p>That is why retention is at least as important as recruiting new staff. Make sure your people are satisfied. Regularly ask how things are going. Solve problems before they escalate.</p> <p>Having an overview helps. When you know who works when, which jobs are heavy, and who is due for a holiday, you can better respond to what your team needs.</p> <div class="summary-box"> <h3>5 tips summarised</h3> <ul class="summary-list"> <li><span class="label">1. Referral programme</span><span class="value">Reward your team for referrals</span></li> <li><span class="label">2. Train career changers</span><span class="value">Subsidies up to EUR 1,289</span></li> <li><span class="label">3. Be more than an employer</span><span class="value">Flexibility and appreciation</span></li> <li><span class="label">4. Efficient onboarding</span><span class="value">Structured programme</span></li> <li><span class="label">5. New target groups</span><span class="value">Women, part-timers, returners</span></li> </ul> </div> <!-- CTA --> <div class="cta-section"> <h2>Keep track of your team with Bas</h2> <p>Schedule your employees efficiently, track leave and availability, and make sure everyone knows where to be.<br>In 30 minutes you will know how Bas can help your moving company.</p> <a href="https://bas.software/demo" class="cta-button">Book your demo now</a> </div> <!-- Sources --> <div class="sources"> <strong>Sources:</strong> STL Sector Monitor Q4 2025, STL career changer programme, TLN labour market figures, Professional Freight Transport CBA. </div> </div> </article>