Leonard’s Express returns to ‘Best Fleets’ Top 20

Refrigerated carrier Leonard’s Express is one of North America’s Top 20 Best Fleets to Drive For for the fourth consecutive year.

“Every year there are very clear differences between the fleets who make the Top 20 and those who don’t,” Mark Murrell, president of program sponsor CarriersEdge, said in a news release. “If you’re serious about improving workplace culture in your fleet, this is the place to be.”

To be considered for the 2025 Best Fleets program, for-hire carriers operating 10 tractor-trailers or more were nominated by a company driver or owner-operator currently working with them. CarriersEdge then evaluated each nominated fleet across a range of categories, including compensation and benefits, HR strategies, operations, professional development, and work/life balance.

“This year, the Best Fleets continued to invest in new and creative programs to enhance the workplace experience for drivers,” said Jane Jazrawy, CarriersEdge CEO. “Despite what’s been a tough economy the past couple of years for fleets, the Best Fleets Top 20 and Hall of Fame members have continued to show that the well-being of their drivers remains a top priority.”

Leonard’s Express has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to drivers by adopting new technologies, including Optimal Dynamics, an AI-based load acceptance and dispatch optimization software, to make better routing decisions. The software helps drivers improve route efficiency by spending less time on the road and more time at home.

“This was an interesting year,” Murrell explained. “Fleets were still struggling with the lingering downturn, but innovation and creativity remained high, with lots of great things happening. Making it into the Top 20 or Hall of Fame continues to get harder every year, and all of those who made it have much to be proud of.”

Leonard’s Express purchases new trucks every four years, refrigerated trailers every seven years, and vans every 10 years. “While other fleets have aged, we continue providing new and reliable equipment and technology to our drivers,” Leonard’s Express CEO Kyle Johnson said.

CarriersEdge will honor the Top 20 fleets and reveal the overall winners at the Best Fleets Education and Awards Conference, which is set for March 3-4 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.

2025 Top 20 Best Fleets to Drive For: