Best Fleets to Drive For was launched in the summer of 2008 by CarriersEdge and Truckload Carriers Association and runs through the fall and winter each year. The program identifies trends, shares best practices, and publicly recognizes the for-hire carriers providing the best workplaces for their drivers.
Eligibility
Best Fleets to Drive For is open to any for-hire trucking company operating 10 trucks or more in the US or Canada. Fleets do not have to be members of TCA to participate and there's no cost to participate.
To be considered, fleets must be nominated by a driver or independent contractor currently working with them, then complete the evaluation process within prescribed timelines.
NOTE: For the purposes of this program, a for-hire fleet must exclusively haul freight on behalf of other companies. Any fleet that hauls its own products is considered to be a private fleet and is currently ineligible.
Evaluation Process
There are four stages to the Best Fleets evaluation process:
- Nomination - A driver or independent contractor nominates the fleet through this site. One nomination per company each year is sufficient.
- Questionnaire - Company representatives complete and submit an online questionnaire, providing details on company programs and policies.
- Interview - CarriersEdge staff conduct a follow-up interview to review the questionnaire and fill in additional information.
- Driver survey - Drivers/contractors at the fleet complete an online survey, providing feedback on company programs and overall satisfaction.
Once the questionnaire and interview stages are completed, and a sufficient number of driver surveys are submitted, fleets may advance to the final round. In the final round, scores are assigned for the breadth and depth of programs being offered, driver satisfaction levels, and driver retention and safety performance. Fleets with the best overall scores are named Best Fleets for the year.
Awards and Recognition
After the evaluation and scoring process is complete, fleets are recognized in a variety of different ways:
- Top 20 Best Fleets - The 20 fleets that have the best overall scores for the year.
- Best Overall Fleet for Large Carriers and Best Overall Fleet for Small Carriers - The two fleets in the Top 20 that have the absolute best overall scores. One fleet selected from the 10 largest carriers in the Top 20, the other from the 10 smallest. These fleets are presented with a trophy in recognition of their achievement.
- 5 Consecutive Years - Fleets that make the Top 20 for 5 consecutive years are recognized for their consistency and innovation.
- Fleets to Watch - 5 fleets each year that have innovative programs but didn't make the Top 20.
All fleets recognized in one of the categories above receive a distinct logo to identify themselves as winners or fleets to watch for the year. Each year's Top 20 are also presented on stage at the TCA Annual Convention, where the two overall winners are unveiled.
Key Dates
The Best Fleets evaluation process runs through the fall each year, with winners announced the following January:
- Nominations open after Labor Day and close at Halloween
- Questionnaires completed through October and November
- Interviews in November and early December
- Driver surveys submitted by midnight New Year's Eve
- Top 20 announced around the end of January each year
- Overall winners announced at TCA Convention, March each year
Other Notes
- Fleets that miss a deadline or don't fulfill the criteria for any stage of the program may not advance to the next stage
- Fleets receiving any of the recognition types noted above are free to use the associated year-specific logos in their marketing programs. Fleets may not use any other Best Fleets logos without our permission.