Photo: Girteka press materials

Girteka “sparing no effort” to recruit more Asian drivers

Girteka has reiterated its determination to recruit even more drivers from Asian nations such as India and the Philippines. In an update on its website, the Lithuanian transport giant said no “effort is spared" in its attempts to attract drivers from the continent of Asia.

You can read this article in 5 minutes

The admission from Girteka came in a blog post on its website titled “Drivers First!” – How we Prepare our drivers for work at Girteka.

In the article, the Lithuanian road transport company claims that hauliers across Europe are looking for new “recruitment possibilities in every market available”.

“The situation in Europe and problems with drivers’ availability translate into the need for hiring qualified drivers from outside the EU. Even more proactively than before, road transportation companies are constantly looking for new drivers’ recruitment possibilities in every market available, as they help to keep supply chains undisrupted and logistics companies going. Poland and Lithuania are the two EU countries employing the highest number of non-EU drivers,” argues Girteka.

As regards its own activities, Girteka has reiterated its efforts to tap into the Asian driver market:

“Among such employers is Girteka, whose success proves that non-EU drivers are an asset. However, there are bureaucratic barriers standing in the way as well. For instance, with the ongoing geopolitical tensions, EU countries severely restricted processes related to the working visa application for citizens of CIS countries. Girteka is therefore widening its drivers’ recruitment geography with the expansion further into Asia and such countries as India or the Philippines. We maintain that drivers from non-EU countries are just as valuable as those coming from Europe, hence, no effort is spared in attracting them,” reads Girteka’s blog post.

In addition to the above, Girteka’s blog post provided an interesting insight into the company’s onboarding process.

In that section of the blog post, Girteka also admits that its drivers are not required to speak its own official company language:

“To be able to sit behind the wheel of a truck of Girteka, a candidate must first meet certain criteria. Experience of similar work, good recommendations from former employees and knowledge of foreign languages are all considered as advantages. Although English is the official language of Girteka, it is not mandatory as the company embraces multiculturalism and an international environment. The new drivers are approved after screening of provided documents and candidate evaluation,” the company explains.

According to Girteka, drivers are allocated roles as follows:

“Planning and control of recruitment process is secured at all stages. Before the driver takes off on a certain route, he is provided with instructions and internal training courses, including courses of Code 95 obtaining a certificate. Upon receipt of the driver’s license and passing all the necessary procedures, personnel manager starts scheduling the date of driver route with the transport manager. Candidates are then directed to work in a single or double crew, depending on their previous work experience. For instance, an inexperienced candidate may be approved as an apprentice driver to work in a double crew with an experienced driver. A two-driver crew of experienced drivers is one of the measures offered by Girteka for increased safety of cargo on a given route.”

Moreover, Girteka’s blog post explained how its new staff begin life working for the company:

“All newcomers joining Girteka for the first time obtain a bank account and are offered medical insurance and a paid two-night hotel stay to alleviate the financial burden upon their arrival. When it comes to the trucks themselves, Girteka ensures that the cabins come in at least medium or large capacity with mid-height roof so that drivers have enough space to perform their duties and rest. In addition, in 2021, Girteka acquired a new 22,000 m2 facility in Sady, near Poznan, Poland, which is now one of the main places for drivers training, focused on improving drivers’ working conditions and time spent on trucks’ maintenance. Here, drivers will find showers, laundry services, a medical office, and accommodation services (by cooperation with our local partners).”

The blog entry from Girteka then goes to emphasise the company’s driver training among other things, including its new AI tool that “secures the driver from getting lost”.