The best insurance policy for driver turnover and replacement training is to keep drivers happy and productive. This is much easier said than done.
However, recent studies reveal that what drivers want from their jobs isn’t all about the Benjamins. Drivers crave more human elements, notably better communication and respect. They also want technology to simplify their work so they can focus on driving.
What is the winning combination to bridge this gap between traditional values and modern efficiency? Let’s explore five ways fleets can use tailored digital tools to solve this unique challenge.
The Current State of Driver Satisfaction
According to findings from CCJ’s 2024 What Drivers Want survey, the trucking industry is a high-stress environment for drivers. Regulatory pressures, shipping delays, limited parking, lack of respect, and many other factors weigh on drivers’ minds.
- Drivers’ top complaints are restrictive regulations (35%), lack of respect for the profession (22%), and inadequate pay (11%).
- A significant portion of drivers report high daily stress levels, with 33% rating their stress at seven or higher on a 10-point scale. Forty-two percent say they suffer from hypertension and high blood pressure.
- The aging workforce contributes to drivers’ perceptions of their jobs and the industry. Perhaps they still remember the “good old days.” Seventy-four percent of respondents were 55 and older. This aligns with a separate study by the American Transportation Research Institute that states that drivers are, on average, 52 years old.
5 Ways Custom Apps Address Driver Needs
Custom fleet apps can uniquely address the pain points truck drivers experience. Fleets of all sizes use the technology to upgrade driver communications and extend tools inside and outside the cab to:
Streamline Communication
Effective communication is at the heart of driver satisfaction. According to a Spring 2024 Driver Survey by Conversion Interactive Agency and PDA, drivers prefer a mix of communication methods:
- Phone calls (54.9%)
- Texting (23.2%)
- Onboard computers (13.6%)
- Email (8.3%)
Custom apps enable fleets to meet individual driver communication preferences. For example, you can give drivers one-click access to fleet managers, payroll, and other departments by phone. You can also use custom fleet apps that give drivers message channels that organize separate messaging lines in a single dashboard.
One messaging channel could be limited to fleet-wide news, another for drivers in a specific division, another for high-priority daily tasks, etc. Providing multiple communication channels and options shows respect for drivers’ preferences and facilitates quicker, more efficient information exchange.
Solve Trip Planning
One of drivers’ most significant challenges is finding available parking along their routes. The CCJ Survey found that 46% cite this as their biggest problem. Custom apps can address this issue by:
- Providing real-time information on parking availability at preferred locations
- Allowing drivers to reserve parking spots in advance
- Seamless integration with electronic logging devices (ELDs) to plan rest breaks and navigation systems with truck-safe routing
For example, the Eleos custom app platform offers a trip-planning solution for drivers to manage trip details, including parking and fuel stops. It saves time, reduces stress, and helps them maximize earnings while saving fleets time, mileage, and fuel.
Keep Drivers Engaged
Fleets with telematics and camera systems have an abundance of driver performance data. The challenge lies in relaying this information to drivers to change behaviors positively. With custom apps, fleets can engage drivers in multiple ways according to their preferences.
The CCJ survey found that drivers strongly prefer in-person coaching sessions (59%), but they also value self-coaching (13%) and phone calls (10%). Custom apps can supplement these methods by giving drivers instant access to:
- On-demand training materials
- Self-paced learning modules
- Virtual coaching sessions
Moreover, 52% of drivers in the CCJ survey say incentives and rewards for safe driving are the most effective technique for achieving lasting behavior change. Custom apps can gamify safety practices, track performance, and facilitate reward programs, all within a single platform.
Roadmaster Group, a Glendale, Ariz.-based motor carrier that operates more than 800 power units, added a unique feature to its custom app from Eleos Technologies that shows drivers how much bonus money they have accrued as soon as they log in. This daily reminder helps keep drivers engaged, says Michael Fisk, vice president of hiring, safety, and development.
Roadmaster drivers can earn up to $14,000 annually in bonuses for their safety and job performance metrics.
Foster Respect and Teamwork
A recurring theme in CCJ’s What Drivers Want survey is the desire for respect and recognition. Custom apps can help fleets operationalize these goals by:
- Providing a platform for sharing company news, driver milestones, and updates
- Facilitating peer-to-peer support and shared experiences
- Offering tools that make drivers’ jobs easier, demonstrating the company’s commitment to their success
Streamline Administrative Tasks
Drivers often complain about the complexity of new technology and the time spent on administrative tasks. Custom apps can simplify these processes by:
- Providing user-friendly interfaces for logging hours of service
- Facilitating easy submission of expense reports and receipts
- Offering quick access to payroll information and load details
By reducing the time spent on paperwork, drivers can focus more on what they do best – driving safely and arriving on time. Prime Inc., one of the nation’s largest fleets, deployed a custom app from Eleos that helps drivers quickly and accurately complete non-driving tasks, like communications and load documentation.
“Everything [drivers] need is in one place, and it feels seamless. Our drivers stay because they’re happy,” said Brianne Madura, IT Manager of Prime Inc. The fleet’s custom app is voluntarily used by over 98% of its drivers, most of whom are owner-operators. Madura credits the app, among other factors, for a turnover rate far below the industry average for large carriers.
The Road Ahead
Custom driver apps improve daily job satisfaction by giving drivers all the tools to do their jobs inside and outside the cab, from monitoring their service hours to route planning and tracking their earnings. The technology also fosters a culture of respect and recognition by streamlining driver communications while fortifying the human element by enabling fleets to solicit and quickly act on driver feedback.
The most successful implementations of custom apps bridge technology with a commitment to driver well-being. For example, Prime Inc. actively seeks and responds to driver feedback to create an app that meets drivers’ needs.
“Our competitive advantage is listening to our drivers and having a flexible app that can be molded to how our drivers want to work. We make sure that our drivers’ daily work life is as easy as possible,” Madura said.
Giving Drivers What They Want
Boosting driver satisfaction and loyalty is easy with a well-designed, custom driver app that becomes their best companion on the road. At Eleos, we specialize in helping fleets build mobile driver apps that sustain a happier and more productive workforce.
Schedule a personalized demo of the Eleos platform today to discover how a custom app bridges the gap between traditional values and modern efficiencies.
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