Leonard’s Express – a leading transportation services provider offering refrigerated trucking, dry van, warehousing, and freight brokerage services – has been recognized as one of North America’s Top 20 Fleets to Drive For by CarriersEdge for the third consecutive year. The prestigious Best Fleets to Drive For program pays tribute to “for-hire” carriers operating 10 tractor-trailers or more who are nominated by a current company driver or owner-operator. Nominated fleets are evaluated across a range of categories including compensation and benefits, HR strategies, operations, professional development, and work/life balance.
“Leonard's Express earned its spot in the Top 20 for the third consecutive year because of its multitude of programs,” said Best Fleets Program Manager Trish Bethell. “Leonard's Express focuses on continual improvement by implementing the latest technology to keep drivers safe and improve their efficiency, encouraging their drivers to join associations, planning for natural disasters, and developing their management team.”
Over the past year, Leonard’s Express redoubled its commitment to deliver a great employee experience and the best possible quality of life for its drivers. In addition to refurbishing all its terminals and repair shops, the leadership team was intentional about improving communication with drivers. They asked drivers for input before selecting ISAAC Instruments as their electronic logging device (ELDs) solution. They also implemented “driver engagement calls” to provide a direct line of communication with the owners about the challenges drivers face. And the company now offers training for Driver Advocates on effective communication, de-escalation, and how to have difficult conversations, which also benefits drivers.
“Understanding the needs and challenges of our drivers helps us get better every day,” said Leonard’s Express CEO Kyle Johnson. “We learn a lot from our Driver Advisory Board and our new initiatives are designed to promote continuous improvement. We don't hesitate to make changes if we can improve our drivers’ lives out on the road. The Best Fleets to Drive For award is validation that our efforts are paying off.”
CarriersEdge will honor the top 20 fleets at the Best Fleets Education & Awards Conference April 9th at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.
