“Turnover can cost drivers as much as it costs trucking companies,” says JLE Industries CEO Evan Pohaski. Reasons for driver dissatisfaction, burnout, and subsequent turnover include excess working hours, challenges on the road (e.g., parking, bathrooms), lack of route & load control, and isolation.

Fleet Snapshot

• Who: JLE Industries
• Where: Dunbar, Pennsylvania
• Fleet: 350 trucks, 275 full-time drivers
• Operations: OTR Flatbed
• Fun Fact: JLE’s office is in Fayette County, home of the Big Mac
• Challenge: Recruiting new drivers
• Strategy: Invest in tech to provide a better driver experience & create a positive work environment
• Result: Company-wide, the short-term retention rate of less than 50%

JLE’s custom-built algorithms provide drivers with load selection options to optimize their weekly pay, home time expectations, and miles driven, creating a line of communication and visibility with fleet managers. To reduce turnover, JLE has implemented a data science department, a retention model tool, and load and breakdown surveys to gather feedback from drivers. Additionally, a tech-enabled recruitment process ensures both JLE and the driver are the right fit.

“This process builds driver trust,” says Pohaski. “JLE shows they care about driver success, cementing them as a potential long-term partner, not just a transactional company. All carriers should strive to positively impact the industry as it adapts to technology and new work culture.”

https://www.truckinginfo.com/10191368/how-one-flatbed-carrier-empowers-truck-drivers-to-stick-around