Do I Have the Right Drivers on My Team?
Peak season has passed, and we’re slowly transitioning into spring, which is the perfect time to evaluate your logistics business. Identify opportunities for improvement, make necessary changes, and ensure high levels of performance throughout the summer and the rest of the year. Peak season will be back before we know it, after all.
One of the most valuable assets you have as a contractor is your team. Your drivers interact with your customers, ensure your business runs smoothly, and protect your vehicles from unnecessary wear and tear.
As contractors, at the end of the day, our business objective is pretty clear: delivering packages as reliably, efficiently, and cost-effectively as possible. And your drivers are a critical part of achieving that goal. So: do you have the right drivers on your team? How do you retain the best drivers? Read on to learn more.
Who Are My Top Drivers?
Drivers can be organized into three groups: your A, B, and C teams. Here’s a sample structure for how to evaluate which drivers fall into which category:
A-Team Drivers: These are the drivers you don’t have to worry about. They represent your business well, and their routes have packages delivered reliably, efficiently, and cost-effectively. A-Team drivers treat your trucks, deliveries, and customers well. They’ve got a big-picture perspective, and care for the reputation of your company.
B-Team Drivers: B-Team drivers are pretty solid, but with some room for improvement. They may require more attention and oversight than your A-Team, but they generally have good route knowledge and are team players. They’re attentive to attendance, safety, and service.
C-Team Drivers: The remainder of your workforce falls into your C-Team. This group tends to have high turnover, and lower levels of experience and reliability. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” and that’s true here as well: these drivers take up a disproportionate amount of your time and attention.
Moreover, it’s important to have replacement drivers in the pipeline at all times to ensure packages get delivered daily, because as a contractor, you’re obligated to meet your contract regardless of staffing or turnover issues.
Who Treats My Trucks Well?
A key indicator for whether your drivers fall into your A, B, or C team is how they treat your trucks. This can have material effects on the profitability of your business, as well as your safety score. Consider the following criteria:
Do your drivers perform their pre- and post-trip inspections every day?
Are damage and maintenance issues reported in a timely manner?
Do your drivers leave trash in your trucks?
How many miles per gallon is each driver getting? (This can be heavily dependent on the driver’s vehicle operating style, such as harsh acceleration or leaving trucks idling at stops.)
Evaluate Your Team
Consider your roster now, outside the chaos of peak season. How many drivers do you have on your A, B, and C teams? Did you cut the right team members after last peak, or are you having second thoughts about your drivers?
It’s important to note that while more experienced drivers are more likely to meet your A-Team and B-Team criteria, newer drivers can also exceed expectations, particularly when they are careful with your vehicles and hungry to learn and improve. A teachable and careful driver with some room for improvement might benefit your organization more than an inflexible driver with more experience.
Prioritize the characteristics that best serve your business: safety, service, teamwork, etc. Evaluate your team now, so you can continue to build your business throughout the year and surpass your goals for 2025.
Retain Top Talent
Once you’ve identified your top drivers, how do you keep them on your team?
We touch on this in a couple of our most popular blog articles, Solutions to Common Pain Points for FedEx Contractors and Fuel Up Your Fleet Strategy. An easy way to keep drivers happy - and to save money at the same time - is to seat them in new, safe, reliable vehicles.
Your team’s office for the day, every day, is your fleet: you want to make sure your drivers are satisfied and comfortable there. It benefits your business - reduced turnover means more money towards your bottom line. Training costs and operational interruptions add up in expenses. Plus, having someone no-show, suddenly quit, or perform poorly affects operations at the business level.
Driver turnover remains a major challenge for contractors. There are numerous ways to tackle this challenge, but one of the most impactful is actually a two-for-one benefit: correctly managing your fleet assets will help you retain happier, longer-tenured drivers with better performance.
We know that’s easier said than done. Upgrading older fleet vehicles or regularly refreshing a fleet can represent a significant cash flow challenge for small businesses - and that’s why Hello Truck Lease exists.
It’s our commitment at Hello Truck Lease to provide solutions for contractors that address your most pressing pain points in a financially sustainable way, and that starts with our industry-leading lease program. Enjoy a $0 down payment per lease, reduced first-year lease payments, and all* repair and maintenance expenses included in your weekly payment.
Interested in learning more about how Hello Truck Lease partners with vendors and contractors to offer collaborative, cost-efficient fleet solutions? Schedule a quick call with us or fill out our Learn More form.
*excluding glass, tires, and physical damage
