The Recruiting vs. Safety Divide: How Misalignment is Killing Driver Retention

Kameel Gaines
6 days ago
5 min read

There’s a silent battle happening in trucking companies across the country. A recruiter hustles to bring in a qualified driver. Everything looks good. The interview goes well. Orientation is scheduled. And then bam safety shuts it down. Or worse, safety gives the green light on a driver that recruiting had major concerns about.

The result? Confusion. Finger-pointing. Tension. And the driver? Caught in the crossfire. Again.

As someone who has sat on both sides of this conversation, I can tell you that this isn’t just an internal issue; it’s a retention problem.

🎧 Prefer to listen instead?

Catch the full episode of The Rig on Wheels Show below: In this episode of Rig on Wheels Show, we break down the Recruiting vs. Safety divide. Let’s break down why.

The Root of the Problem: Misalignment

This all starts with misalignment. Recruiting is under pressure to fill trucks. They have job boards to manage, drivers ghosting, managers watching KPIs like hawks, and ads running on a clock. So when they get a “maybe” that looks promising, they want to move quickly.

Meanwhile, safety is moving with a different lens. They’re asking:

Does this person meet our risk tolerance?
Will this trigger a DOT audit?
Are we hiring a claim or a contributor?

So now you’ve got two teams working in opposite directions, with zero shared rhythm.

The Conveyor Belt vs. Quality Control

Recruiting operates like a conveyor belt. Speed matters. Every empty truck equals lost revenue. The longer it takes to fill that seat, the more money the company bleeds.

Safety, on the other hand, is the quality control checkpoint. They’re not worried about speed; they’re worried about long-term liability.

So while recruiting says: "We need someone in orientation next Monday!" Safety says: "Hold on did you miss this failed drug test from 2022? Did anyone check SAP status?"

One's pushing volume. The other is guarding against risk. And the driver? They're watching your team fall apart before they even haul their first load.

Where It Gets Ugly: Conflicting Job Criteria + Bad Handoffs

I’ve seen fleets where recruiting says, “We need 3 months of experience,” and safety says, “Minimum is 12.” I’ve seen recruiters send through self-reported histories that look clean, only for safety to find missing verifications or suspended licenses. Even worse? No system at all. Recruiters scribbling notes in a notebook. Safety reviewing incomplete files. No checklist. No shared system. No alignment.

That’s why I recommend one simple fix: Shared Candidate Intake Checklist.

This is your playbook. One that both departments co-sign. It includes:

Non-negotiables like experience, MVR status, SAP status
What gets verified and when
Who signs off before orientation is confirmed
Red flags that are an automatic stop

It’s not about slowing down recruiting. It’s about stopping the misfires before they become culture killers.

If you want done-for-you scripts, hiring checklists, and job post captions that attract real drivers, the $47 Driver Magnet Kit™ was built for this exact reason. It’s plug-and-play, no fluff, just strategy that works.

Drivers Feel the Disconnect

Let’s fast-forward. The driver makes it past the internal drama. They're in orientation. Excited. Hopeful.

Then… the cracks show.

They were told they'd be home every weekend, but dispatch has them gone for 12 days. They were told their truck would be ready, but it turns out it’s in the shop. They were told they’d make $1,800/week; payroll said $1,400 base, maybe with bonuses.

That driver sits in the hotel room, duffel bag at their feet, and starts thinking: "Did I make a mistake?"

And before the ink dries on their file, they ghost.

The Fix: 30-Day Retention Huddle

Retention isn’t about gift cards and pizza parties. It starts with clarity and collaboration in your process.

That’s why I push fleets to launch a 30-Day Retention Huddle.

Here’s how it works:

Meet weekly with recruiting, safety, ops, and dispatch (if possible)
Review every driver hired in the last 30 days.
Ask:
- Are they thriving or struggling?
- What red flags were missed?
- Did onboarding match the ad?
- What feedback have they given?

This isn’t a “call-out” meeting; it’s a growth meeting. You catch missteps. You correct misinformation. You build a system that retains, not just recruits.

And if your team isn’t ready to build this system in-house, email Rig on Wheels and let’s build it together. We’ve helped companies go from revolving doors to full fleets.

Safety Isn’t the Enemy; They’re the Reality Check

Now let’s flip the perspective. Safety departments often feel like the villains of the story. The ones saying “no.” But let’s be real, they’re the ones protecting your company from lawsuits, fines, and tragic headlines.

Recruiting is pushing numbers. Safety is pushing compliance. But what if… they pushed together?

What if instead of operating from two different metrics, they both tracked one unified score?

That’s where the Driver Quality Index (DQI) comes in.

Introducing the Driver Quality Index (DQI)

DQI is a shared, score-based system that grades candidates based on long-term success, not just eligibility.

What goes into it?

Clean MVR
Verified work history
Orientation engagement
On-time dispatch performance
Training completion
Culture fit and communication style

Each driver gets a score. And both recruiting and safety are held accountable to maintaining that standard.

Now your hires aren’t just “cleared”; they’re aligned with your fleet’s goals.

Pair that with monthly DQI reviews, and you’ve got a real system for sustainable success.

I share many of these strategies (and more) in my book, Competing with Giants, written specifically for small and mid-sized fleets that want big-fleet recruiting results.

Stop Building Silos—Start Building Systems

I once saw a recruiter cry because safety blocked her best candidate again. Not because she was soft. But because she truly believed in that driver, no one listened.

These breakdowns aren’t about people being bad at their jobs. They’re about systems that don’t communicate.

And when your systems are broken, your trust breaks down. Drivers see it. Dispatch sees it. And your brand takes the hit.

We need to stop making departments compete and start designing systems that work together.

Final Word: If You Want Loyalty, Look Like Loyalty

If you want drivers to trust you, your appearance and actions must convey trustworthiness. And that starts inside the building.

Recruiting and safety should be teammates, not opponents. Your messaging needs to be consistent—from job ad to dispatch. Your processes need to be unified. And your team needs to share the same mission: Find, protect, and keep good drivers.

Because the most dangerous thing in your company? It’s not a bad hire. It’s a good driver stuck in a bad system.

Build Bridges Not Walls

One of the reasons I’m proud to serve on the planning committee for the Broker-Carrier Summit is because events like these are where honest conversations happen. Not just about freight and contracts, but about the people behind the wheel. The recruiters. The safety managers. The dispatchers. They are the ones who have the power to either build or break trust.

Whether you’re attending BCS Orlando or BCS Monterrey, I’d love to connect with you in person. And if you’re serious about aligning your teams and building a driver-focused culture, let’s talk strategy while we’re there.

🎟️ Don’t forget: Use code RIGONWHEELS for 5% off registration.