Leonard’s Express is celebrating its third consecutive selection as one of North America’s Top 20 Best Fleets to Drive For.
The program, sponsored by CarriersEdge and the Truckload Carriers Association, pays tribute to for-hire carriers that operate 10 or more tractor-trailers and were nominated for the honor by a current company driver or owner-operator. Nominated fleets are evaluated across a range of categories, including compensation and benefits, human resources strategies, operations, professional development, and work/life balance.
“Leonard’s Express earned its spot in the Top 20 for the third consecutive year because of its multitude of programs,” Trish Bethell, Best Fleets program manager, said in a news release. “Leonard’s Express focuses on continual improvement by implementing the latest technology to keep drivers safe and improve their efficiency, encouraging their drivers to join associations, planning for natural disasters, and developing their management team.”
Over the past year, Leonard’s Express “redoubled” its commitment to delivering a great employee experience, refurbishing all its terminals and repair shops, and improving communication with drivers, the company said. Leaders asked drivers for input before selecting Isaac Instruments as the electronic logging device (ELD) solution for Leonard’s Express. They also implemented “driver engagement calls” to provide a direct line of communication with owners about the challenges drivers face. And the company now offers training for driver advocates on effective communication, de-escalation, and how to have difficult conversations.
“Understanding the needs and challenges of our drivers helps us get better every day,” Leonard’s Express CEO Kyle Johnson maintained. “We learn a lot from our driver advisory board and our new initiatives are designed to promote continuous improvement. We don’t hesitate to make changes if we can improve our drivers’ lives out on the road.
“The Best Fleets to Drive For award is validation that our efforts are paying off.”
CarriersEdge will honor the top 20 fleets at the Best Fleets Education and Awards Conference April 9 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.
