Con-way Inc. announced Monday, May 5, that it has launched a new driver career choice program that creates the opportunity for drivers at full-truckload carrier Con-way Truckload and less-than-truckload carrier Con-way Freight to formally consider new-hire driving positions at their respective sister companies.
The program is said to represent a first for the industry, providing a career path for truckload drivers interested in moving to an LTL environment, while enabling LTL drivers to consider a different driving experience and lifestyle change as a longhaul over-the-road truckload driver. The program emerged from discussions between the two companies identifying synergy and competitive leverage opportunities following Con-way’s acquisition of Contract Freighters Inc. last year, which recently was renamed Con-way Truckload.
“This program provides a great path for Con-way Truckload drivers who work well with us over a period of years to increase their earning power and move into a driving job that consistently allows them to be home every day,” says Herb Schmidt, president of Joplin, Mo.-based Con-way Truckload.
Con-way says the organization benefits through increased retention and reduced recruiting and hiring costs, enabling its existing pool of professional drivers to be considered as a first alternative for new-hire positions before they are shared with the open market.
“This program gives Con-way Freight more flexibility to address its new-hire needs through ready access to an experienced driver work force that already shares the Con-way culture and values,” says John G. Labrie, president of Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Con-way Freight. “It’s a cost-effective recruiting platform, and for Con-way Freight driver sales representatives, it provides the opportunity, if they choose, to investigate a different career experience on the open road without having to leave the familiarity of the larger Con-way enterprise.”
Under the program, interested drivers have access to information about open driving positions at their respective sister company before they are advertised in the market. Candidates who wish to pursue an opportunity with a sister company would have to meet certain eligibility standards. Once eligibility is confirmed, candidates would complete the standard application and hiring process to be considered for employment at the respective hiring company.
“When we announced the acquisition of CFI last year, we were confident that there were unique areas of synergy we could capture that would provide competitive advantage and benefit our companies, our customers and our employees,” says Douglas W. Stotlar, president and chief executive officer of San Mateo, Calif.-based Con-way Inc. “We’re now starting to see these come to fruition, and I expect we will see additional success stories as the year continues.”
