Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/339485
COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JULY 2014 41 INNOVATORS LONG HAUL TRUCKING Albertville, Minn. specs are harder to measure, but Dan- iels maintains that the math works. "I feel we get better customers and better freight because we have better drivers and better service," says Daniels. "We feel that it is important for us to have a good image and be better than the next guy. That is how we've grown and been successful in our business." One measurable way Long Haul has seen ROI on truck specs is in its driver turnover rate, which is currently in the low 20-percent range. At an estimated industrywide cost of $9,000 to replace a driver, Long Haul spends roughly $200,000 annually in driver turnover- related costs. If its turnover rate was closer to the industry average, that cost would rise to close to $1 million. "When our driver turnover rate is a fraction of the national average, we feel like we are doing something right," says Daniels, who also says Long Haul is more stringent in its hiring practices since it is part of a captive insurance group. "We don't need all the drivers, we just need the best, and we go the extra mile to get the best." Incentivizing safety In addition to advanced safety technol- ogies, Long Haul specs its equipment with custom seats and satellite radio, C lose detail when spec'ing trucks isn't a new practice. Many fl eets pay at- tention to weight in order to maximize freight capacity, while others turn their eye to improving fuel economy. But in light of the recent driver shortage, where industry turnover rates are hovering near 100 percent and competition for qualifi ed drivers is fi erce, fl eets are taking a closer look at what they can do to make their equipment as attractive as possible to improve driver recruiting and retention. Long Haul Trucking, a 300-truck fl atbed carrier based in Albertville, Minn., has taken this concept to the extreme. All of its new company-driver equipment comes with top-of-the-line interiors from the manufacturer, as well as all of the latest communications and factory-installed safety systems, including collision avoidance, blind spot detection, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control with automatic braking. In-house graphics designers also create custom designs for many for the fl eet's 100 company driver tractors. The costs of these technologies and add-ons quickly add up, but John Daniels, Long Haul's chief executive offi cer, view them as a corporate responsibility to protect its drivers on the road after an accident in 2011 in which a Long Haul driver was killed. "I never wanted to have to go to a funeral for one of my drivers again," says Daniels. "The new safety technologies give us a better chance at survival out there and fewer accidents." The return on investment for Long Haul's safety- and comfort-related truck The flatbed carrier goes all-in on advanced safety technologies and driver amenities to improve recruiting and retention efforts and incentivize safe driving. Long Haul Trucking uses in-cab tech, amenities to build driver loyalty BY JEFF CRISSEY