Keeping pace with technology and preventing driver burnout
In the midst of the longstanding driver shortage, it’s more critical than ever that fleet managers utilize all resources to help drivers seamlessly transition to work alongside technology and maintain safety on the road. Drivers also need to be prepared to adapt to changes well into the future. Here’s how to keep pace.
It’s time to think of suspensions as driver retention equipment
The suspension plays a major role in the truck’s ride quality. When your drivers are spending eight, 10 or 12 hours a day in your cabs, an improved ride can add up, reducing the pain and strain that are inherent parts of prolonged driving, and helping the drivers feel better when they exit the cab at the end of a long day.
At Prime Inc., success is driven by dedication to supporting drivers
It shouldn’t be surprising that Prime Inc. has always been a driver-focused trucking company. Robert Low started the operation in 1970 with a single truck, with the then-19-year old behind the wheel as the company’s first driver. Today, he’s still at the helm as the carrier‘s president.
Using the latest cab and sleeper enhancements to support truck driver retention
As the driver shortage and turnover rates remain significant challenges, the investment in premium equipment and comfort and convenience amenities can be offset by lower costs for recruiting, hiring and training. This has led many fleets focus on specifying equipment that can help attract and retain drivers. While it is hard to pinpoint a specific
‘Automatic’ retention: Equipment that makes drivers productive and fleets profitable
As automated manual transmissions (AMTs) rose through the build ranks of the OEMs, you often heard a similar refrain: “Once you get a driver behind the wheel of an AMT, they will not want to go back to a manual.” Today, truck OEMs report that AMTs make up the majority of builds in on-highway applications.
Purposeful innovation: Peterbilt’s Model 579 UltraLoft integral sleeper addresses driver demands, offers efficiency solutions
If you look closely at the newly unveiled Peterbilt Model 579 UltraLoft sleeper, you may see the fingerprints of the 400 drivers who shared opinions, the more than 100 drivers who were brought in for prototype feedback and the countless fleet customers who informed the integral sleeper design. You’d also notice the signatures of Peterbilt’s
Attracting, retaining truck drivers with satellite TV, health and wellness options
The ongoing need to recruit and retain drivers remains both a management challenge and costly exercise for motor carriers. Trucking companies that are having success in lowering their turnover rates are finding that a mix of benefits and amenities is the best solution. In particular, a growing number of carriers are realizing lower recruiting costs
Trucking’s future foundation: What new technology means for your drivers
The future (of trucking) is not what we think it will be… but it’s pretty close. Consider science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov’s seminal Foundation. In the early 1950s, Asimov envisioned a world in which human behavior was mathematically deconstructed and a printed encyclopedia contained all of humanity’s knowledge. Today, we can draw parallels within our trucking
The driving factor: Kenworth stays focused on driver-centric features
Standing in the center of Kenworth’s massive booth at the equally massive Mid-America Trucking Show, it wasn’t hard to pick out the OEM’s primary focus: the driver. You know there is a driver shortage threatening the industry, so we won’t rehash the numbers. The OEMs are also all too well aware of the impact.
Prioritizing luxury: Today’s cabs are built with driver retention in mind
In a recent Fleet Equipment fleet survey, we found that 75% of fleet managers are spec’ing in-cab amenities and creature comforts as part of a driver retention program. That should come as no surprise, as the latest driver shortage numbers from the American Trucking Associations are still concerning, with 83% turnover for larger fleets and
