From truck driver to director of a recruitment agency for truck drivers

29 January 2024

1. Which experience as a driver has had the greatest impact on your career in the transport industry?

Adam Kruszecki: When I talk to drivers and customers, I know exactly what they are talking about. I understand their challenges and problems because I have had exactly the same experiences when I was a driver. This enables us to have meaningful conversations and build confidence in each other. The corollary, of course, is to know the regulations that apply to the industry and to work out solutions that do not conflict with Polish or European regulations.

Apart from that, time is key in the transport industry - time rules every aspect of this job, and good time management skills are one of the skills I particularly value today.

2. What challenges did you face when trying to find a job as a driver in the Netherlands without any knowledge of Dutch?

Adam Kruszecki: In 2013, not many transport companies wanted to work with drivers who did not speak Dutch, so it was a difficult time to get started. Today, this situation is completely different. At the time, I was working in various places, mainly in warehouses, and after working hours, I would go to transport companies to leave my CV and show that I was willing to work. Unfortunately, this didn't yield very good results. Not knowing the language, being a 'man on the street', a foreigner, my confidence was very low, unfortunately.

3. What made you turn to 1ToDrive, and what benefits did this decision bring you?

Adam Kruszecki: I heard about 1ToDrive (now 24/7 drive) by accident from drivers who were coming to the warehouse where I was working at the time. It turned out that they were hiring foreigners who didn't speak Dutch, but speaking English was sufficient. By then, 24/7 drive was already working hard with clients and was probably the only company to take on the challenge of educating transport companies about hiring foreigners in the industry. That's how I ended up at this company, with another CV in hand, but with a completely different outcome. Looking back on it, that moment changed my life profoundly (laughs).

I got through the first stage of recruitment and then an interview with the client I was going to work for. This was an opportunity I had never been given before. This is how I started working as a C+E driver in supermarket distribution for one of the leading transport companies in the Netherlands. Of course, I was in constant contact with 24/7 drive all the time - they basically helped me with all the problems, questions, and doubts I had.

That's how I met Michel van Bekkum, with whom we opened our first office in Poland a few years later. Today, we are a company that employs 2,000 drivers throughout Europe, all with different backgrounds.

4. What challenges does the transport industry face in hiring drivers, especially in the context of different nationalities and language barriers?

Adam Kruszecki: This is a very broad question. First of all, in 2021, there was a shortage of 400,000 drivers in Europe; in Poland, this shortage was estimated at 80,000. In 2023, these estimates looked different, with a shortage of around 47,000 in Poland alone and 220,000 drivers in Europe. The pandemic has shown everyone, especially those who don’t think about this on a daily basis, how important continuity of supply and transport is.

Besides, in 2026, around 30% of drivers will be aged 55+, so this demand will increase again. Already, transport companies are increasingly looking for employees in markets in the Middle or Far East (India, Philippines, Vietnam). Large companies that understand these risks are already employing freight forwarders who communicate with drivers in their native language, removing barriers to cooperation.

It is difficult to predict today what will happen in the next five years - all that is certain is that drivers will be needed, and their shortage will become increasingly apparent.

5. What are the key qualities that make 24/7 drive stand out as an expert in hiring drivers compared to other companies in this industry?

Adam Kruszecki: We know the industry inside out and, more importantly, what customers need. This allows us to recruit and select staff that will meet the customer's needs.

In addition, we build up our candidate pool all the time, trying to match the driver and client needs as precisely as possible, so we are able to fill vacancies more quickly than if a transport company tried to do it on its own.

We fully support our clients in terms of contracts, payment of wages, and permits for foreigners - they don't have to worry about that; their most important goal is that the driver can drive. And we are really experienced in this. We employ drivers in 3 countries: Poland, the Netherlands and Belgium.

6. What are the main goals and strategies for the development of 24/7 drive under your leadership?

Adam Kruszecki: We are continuing to grow in terms of recruiting employees to other countries. We see great potential in connecting great customers with qualified, work-ready drivers.

We are directing more and more attention towards the Polish market, where we want to support our home companies even more strongly in the whole process of recruiting, hiring, and posting drivers to companies. Many of the solutions that have been working in the West for a long time are only just making their way to Poland. However, more and more companies are becoming convinced that it is worth having a partner who can take care of vacancies and driver rotation in a professional manner.

7. What is your vision for the development of the transport industry, and what changes do you see on the horizon?

Adam Kruszecki: Technology will play an increasingly important role in all of transport.

Automation and optimisation are buzzwords we already hear everywhere and it will be no different in transport. I don't know how far we are from autonomous vehicles, but in the first instance, it will be for support in warehouses and loading and unloading systems. The issue of time as the most important resource comes up again - optimising that time with the support of technology is key.

Another development in our industry is supply chain optimisation through systems that manage demand forecasting, route selection, and supply chain management. All of this will contribute to reducing costs and increasing operational efficiency.

Electrification of the vehicle fleet will certainly also be another important development. This will, of course, require transport companies and drivers to skilfully navigate this changing reality. From our perspective, it will be even more important for good cooperation between the driver and the transport company - understanding and providing for the needs of both parties.

8. What innovations or new approaches is 24/7 drive introducing to better meet the demands of the changing world of transport?

Adam Kruszecki: We already use very modern recruitment systems and processes that allow us to anticipate needs and match drivers to jobs as much as possible.

This, again, cuts down on valuable recruitment time and builds resilience in our clients when it comes to staff turnover. Nevertheless, technology, while so important, is not everything. We believe in a personal approach for both the client and the employee - it's the only way we can be sure that these two parties feel respected and can achieve their goals. We are strongly supported by technology, but at the centre, however, is still the human being. 

If you are interested in working with 24/7 drive, please contact our team:

Make an appointment for a free consultation: +31 88 52 25 240
Or send an email to: info@247drive.com.