Why Transportation Has a Trust Problem, Not a Driver Shortage

Background checks are a starting point. What they cannot tell you is whether a candidate trusts the company calling them enough to show up on day one. In an industry where the so-called driver shortage is really a retention and reputation problem, that gap is where carriers are losing. In this episode of Don't Get Played, Carlo Solórzano sits down with Tommy Valenzuela, Director of Recruiting at Hansen & Adkins Auto Transport, to make the case that process discipline and candidate respect are what actually fill seats. The only question is whether recruiting teams are willing to hold the standard when the pressure is highest. The conversation covers what a process built on accountability looks like, where carriers tend to cut corners, and why the human element in driver recruiting is irreplaceable: - Leaders who optimize for numbers instead of trust have a process that's broken before it starts. - A candidate sitting in review for two or three days is not waiting. They are moving on. - Technology makes recruiting faster and more efficient. It does not make the decision. The drivers are already out there. The question is whether your process is worth their trust.