How Fleet Management Software Helps You Retain Your Best Drivers

It’s no secret that the trucking industry faces a tight labor market. While 90% turnover rates are often misinterpreted as dissatisfaction by those outside the industry, today’s drivers are actually in high demand. In fact, high turnover rates represent the churn of drivers who frequently change companies for better pay, benefits, or routes. 

Many trucking companies are also struggling to bounce back from the pandemic and its subsequent shipping issues. While some pulled back on recruitment, those who stayed the course now have plenty of drivers to meet the ever-growing transportation demand. Fleets hurrying to catch up are investing thousands in more competitive salaries, benefits, and routes. Attracting the best driving talent and keeping them on board is key to your fleet’s long-term success. 

Fleets looking to the future must also consider the next generation of drivers and the ways they prefer to work. Familiar with technology and how it makes life easier, these drivers have higher expectations for communication, connectivity, and flexibility. Ensuring your company is ready for the future requires a framework for automation and technology that meets your needs today while appealing to the top truck drivers of tomorrow. 

‍Better Fleet Management Software Improves Driver Retention

To effectively compete for—and retain—the best driving talent, fleets are turning to innovative fleet management software for logistics. From navigation and inspection to back-office communications and route management, these tools increase driver satisfaction by making their lives easier and jobs more efficient. Fleet management software helps trucking companies:

• Simplify Their Drivers’ Day: Good fleet management software offers a clear picture of each driver’s day, including pre-plans, easy-to-read and -find job info, and clear hours of service clocks. Your software should give drivers everything they need to get the job done without having to hunt for critical information.
• Improve Communication: Fleet management software often includes tools for better driver-manager communication, such as instant messages, priority route notifications, timers, and safety updates. These tools enable fleet managers to communicate quickly and effectively with their drivers, leading to stronger relationships, better job performance, and more satisfaction behind the wheel.
• Streamline Workflows: The best fleet management software eliminates busywork and automates redundant administrative tasks. Reducing the amount of “taps” required from drivers helps them focus on the road while increasing efficiency in their routes and inspections.
• Ensure Fair Evaluations: Using objective real-world data takes the drama out of driver performance management. Fleet management software makes it easier to track, analyze, and share driver performance information, helping managers identify strengths and areas of focus on a large scale, by route, or driver. Transparency and clear expectations are essential for building employee trust, and drivers know exactly where they stand when everyone is evaluated on the same scale.

Driver-Friendly Features to Look for in Fleet Management Software

Once you’ve decided to streamline your company’s communications and logistics using fleet management software, it’s time to find the solution that works for you. You’ll be investing a significant amount of time and money in your software, so it’s important to choose a solution with features that keep your drivers on board. For example:

• Ease of Use: Tools that make it easy for drivers to use the software and navigate through their day are critical. 
• Smart Linking: Fleet management software should intuitively link your applications in ways that make sense for your drivers and their workflows, such as autopopulating their DVIR checklists. 
• Automation: Look for software that eliminates repetitive work in your drivers’ daily routines by automating duplicative data entry. 
• Messaging: Identify communication features like multi-threaded conversations and prioritized messaging that keep drivers connected without being distracted.
• Hours of Service Tracking: Enable your drivers to easily record hours of service, ensuring their regulatory compliance without the hassle. 
• Automated Dispatching: Sending jobs in real time helps your drivers stay on the road and maximize their earning potential. 
• Simplified Vehicle Inspections: Consider electronic vehicle inspection reports that can be easily accessed on in-cab tablets and tailored to your operations, with features like photo support, streamlined three-signature process, safety-sensitive defect indication, and more. 

Fleets that reduce busywork and eliminate communication headaches make their companies more attractive to prospective drivers who are more likely to stay on board for the long haul. Showing drivers you understand the challenges of their roles—and actively providing new ways to improve their experience—will set your company apart as a great place to work today and a better place to stay tomorrow.

‍Since 2015, Platform Science has delivered innovative solutions for making transportation smarter. See how our scalable and customizable fleet management tools help you improve your workflow from the back office to the driver’s seat and everywhere in between.

To learn more, download our Fleet Management Software Buyer’s Guide.