{"id":30234,"date":"2021-09-30T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-30T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/2021\/09\/30\/six-tips-for-cultivating-a-strong-pool-of-hot-shot-freight-drivers\/"},"modified":"2026-01-29T07:42:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T07:42:27","slug":"six-tips-for-cultivating-a-strong-pool-of-hot-shot-freight-drivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/2021\/09\/30\/six-tips-for-cultivating-a-strong-pool-of-hot-shot-freight-drivers\/","title":{"rendered":"Six Tips for Cultivating a Strong Pool of Hot Shot Freight Drivers"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 fusion-flex-container nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1248px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:0px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\" style=\"--awb-text-transform:none;\"><p>Hot shot trucking is a valuable part of the freight industry. It provides LTL service and rapid-response transport for sensitive freight. Relying on the spot market for this type of haulage can get expensive fast, which is why it\u2019s in the best interest of shippers to maintain a vetted and well-cultivated pool of hot shot truck drivers.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-30895\" src=\"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/shutterstock_381830977.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"440\" \/><\/p>\n<p>But this might be easier said than done \u2014 particularly in industries with stringent transportation demands. Still, there are several ways to find, retain, and capitalize on reliable hot shot drivers. Hot tips for recruiting reliable hot shots include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 1em;\"><strong>Searching within your niche.<\/strong> It doesn\u2019t matter if you ship cold or skew to a specific freight class \u2014 it\u2019s vital to cultivate a pool of drivers who feel comfortable hauling whatever you\u2019re shipping. Your hot shot strategy is first and foremost about cultivating the right pool of capabilities. You need drivers who know what they\u2019re doing when it comes to your specific freight.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 1em;\"><strong>Asking partners for referrals.<\/strong> One of the best ways to vet hot shots \u2014 without extensive background checks \u2014 is to let someone else do it for you! Query your vendors and partners to see who\u2019s in their hot shot pool, and explore opportunities for referrals. Good drivers will set themselves apart, and trusted partners will be glad to recommend them.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 1em;\"><strong>Casting a wide net, then narrowing it.<\/strong> If you\u2019re building your hot shot pool from scratch, take a top-down approach. Throw out a bid request, and see what you get back. Give qualified, competitive drivers a trial run. You\u2019ll find the pool thins out quickly, and you\u2019ll be left with reliable hot shots with proven results.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 1em;\"><strong>Using a TMS to keep track of drivers.<\/strong> You\u2019re already using a TMS for freight operations. Use it to manage your hot shot pool as well. For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/corporate.nvisionglobal.com\/transportation-management\/impact-tms\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Impact TMS from nVision Global<\/a> offers comprehensive profiling for freight partners, including hot shot drivers. It\u2019s a simple way to tie your hot shots into everyday operations and leverage quick, reliable solutions.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 1em;\"><strong>Being specific in your search. <\/strong>When looking for hot shots, save time by being specific. If you need reefer capabilities, say so! Whether your routes are local, regional, or city-to-city, make it known. Be as specific as possible to establish strong expectations and attract drivers capable of meeting your freight demands.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Continuing to work with proven drivers.<\/strong> Chances are you\u2019re already working with <a href=\"https:\/\/greatcdltraining.com\/what-is-ltl-job\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LTL drivers<\/a>. Review your current driver roster and actively build or strengthen partnerships with the best drivers. Open a line of communication beyond fielding bids and make an effort to cultivate them as a go-to source when you need LTL.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Following these tips results in mutually beneficial relationships for shippers and hot shot drivers. Shippers get the reliability and familiarity they need from vetted freight partners. Truckers get consistent work and freight with which they\u2019re familiar and comfortable. It\u2019s a win-win scenario, but it takes work to maintain these relationships. Make a good start by following the above advice.<\/p>\n<div class=\"cta\" style=\"background-color: #eaeaea; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 5px solid #1B4381; clear: both; padding: 1em; margin: 1em 0 1em 0;\">Managing LTL \u2014 and finding the best hot shot driver for the job \u2014 requires complex coordination. Rely on <a href=\"https:\/\/corporate.nvisionglobal.com\/transportation-management\/impact-tms\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Impact TMS from nVision Global<\/a> to drive expedience and keep costs as low as possible. Visit <a href=\"\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">nvisionglobal.com<\/a> to learn more about what a transportation management system (TMS) can do to help you manage contracts and keep track of proven drivers.<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30895,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-freight-costs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30234","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30234"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30234\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30895"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30234"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30234"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/test.tranistics.com\/nvision\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}