Thrive in 2025: Tips for Establishing Your A-Team During Peak
It’s hard to focus on anything that feels extraneous during peak season. It’s definitely overwhelming enough concentrating on simply navigating peak season package volume. Planning for next year? That can feel like something beyond your capacity (pun intended).
We know your singular focus during peak season is, well, peak season. It’s delivering packages as reliably, efficiently, and cost-effectively as possible.
The good news is: as you maintain that critical focus on your operations, you’ll be able to simultaneously identify your top drivers - your A-Team - so you know who to keep on your team when you pare back payroll at the top of the new year.
Identify Your 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 Your 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
After peak season, you’ll be faced with decisions about which drivers to retain, and which to let go. As you consider your roster, categorize drivers into A, B, and C-Teams.
It’s important to note that while more experienced drivers are more likely to meet your A-Team and B-Team criteria, younger and 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 poor performance markers 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 during peak season, so when it’s time to trim down your roster at the top of the year, you know exactly who you want on your team so that you and your business can thrive in 2025.
Drowning in peak stress? Call us. We’ve got your back, and we’re happy to apply our expertise to your operations, to advise on best practices and on navigating peak season and team management.
