Campaign Seeks New Hires for Minnesota Trucking Industry
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To attract potential job seekers, the Minnesota Trucking Association Foundation has launched a new website and social media campaign showcasing many types of rewarding state trucking industry careers.
The campaign is called “Drive the Difference: Trucking Careers, Powered by People” and features the faces of people working in the industry with “how to” information to help those interested know what is required, about how much they can earn, what career paths exist and where they can go for next steps.
The new website (DrivetheDifferenceMN.com) states, “From driving for a company or yourself to maintaining trucks and implementing today’s latest tech (plus operations, IT and office support opportunities), careers in trucking are where it’s at.”
With Minnesota facing a shortage of some 8,000 truck drivers, the MTA Foundation embarked on the project in response to MTA members identifying shortages of drivers and technicians among their top challenges.
“The goal of the Drive the Difference campaign is pretty simple,” said MTA Foundation Chairman Brent Bois of Calhoun Truck Lines. “We want to attract men and women to the site, connect them with training providers and deploy them into essential, high-paying truck driving and truck technician jobs.”
MTA’s Board of Directors donated $110,000 to the foundation to launch the multiyear campaign. MTA, founded in 1932, represents over 500 trucking companies and allied firms from across the state. Its mission is to promote the state trucking industry through advocacy, education and focused initiatives.
Hausladen
“The board was unanimous that there is no greater need and no better use for these member resources. We are excited to see how this effort brings talented men and women into our industry,” said John Hausladen, MTA president. He noted that MTA “has been fortunate to accumulate resources to fund special projects of great industry need.”
The website works alongside a coordinated social media campaign to drive young people and their parents, midcareer changers, women and underrepresented groups of people to consider becoming part of the Minnesota trucking industry, which offers many potential lucrative career paths.
The Drive the Difference website includes descriptions of various trucking jobs, with links to schools and videos featuring real MTA member companies. Included also are testimonials from their drivers, technicians and behind-the-scenes employees. MTA’s membership reflects the diversity of the Minnesota trucking industry, including less-than-truckload, truckload, bulk, agricultural, heavy specialized and private trucking operations.
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A recurring theme of the outreach campaign is to let potential job applicants understand how their work in the trucking industry will “Make a Difference Every Day” to people’s lives.
The social media campaign will utilize Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube as well as ads on Pandora and Spotify to help attract interest to the website.
“We believe this is a best-in-class workforce hub and campaign, utilizing cutting-edge tools and unique Minnesota content,” said Hausladen. “Like trucking, we are in this campaign for the long haul with a multiyear strategy.”
