CCJ

June 2017

Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal

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38 commercial carrier journal | june 2017 technology Different approaches Technology, perks, pay allow fleets to address driver retention at its source BY JAMES JAILLET AND AARON HUFF A dvances in technology are providing carriers with a more scientific approach to tackle driver retention. Data gleaned from electronic logging devices and transpor- tation management software systems allows carriers to use algorithms to track driver behavior and target those deemed at risk for leaving. It also allows carriers to implement driver scoring and ranking platforms. Predictive modeling Predictive modeling allows fleets to use increasingly available data, such as hours of service and mileage, to identify turnover patterns and alert carriers to drivers whose data shows a termination risk. Fleets then can intervene to engage at-risk drivers and potentially prevent their exit. Providers of such systems, includ- ing Omnitracs and StayMetrics, work with fleets to develop a custom pro- gram designed specifically around their operational and retention needs. ese vendors also can implement a standard off-the-shelf program geared toward smaller carriers whose data sets may not be as unique as those for larger ones. More tech-savvy fleets can build their own in-house predictive models. "We can look at data for drivers that have quit at a company in the past and what led up to it and then use patterns to look for similar patterns going forward," said Lauren Dominick, head of predictive modeling for Omnitracs. "Red flags usu- ally come up with any variability. People are creatures of habit, and generally when we see variability, it's predictive." Variability in hours and pay are some of the strongest indicators of drivers at risk of quitting, said Dominick. StayMetrics offers a similar platform, tailoring custom predictive analytics programs to carriers' operations. Load One uses StayMetrics for its 300-truck fleet. Oen, the driver unhap- piness issues uncovered by the program are small and can be fixed easily, said John Elliott, president of the Taylor, Mich.-based company. But Load One wouldn't know to engage those drivers without the StayMetrics system. "If we didn't have the survey and the technology, the odds are that drivers will just say 'I'm done with this, I'm out of here,' because they didn't talk with some- body about a little issue that could have nagged at him," Elliott said. "It helps us identify those things and nip turnover." Elliott credits StayMetrics' platform with lowering turnover by nearly 20 per- cent over a six- to nine-month period. Employment perks Driver recruiting and retention strate- gies oen center on ways to increase pay, home time, respect and enthusiasm for a demanding job. A number of products and services can help fleets do just that. Earlier this year, management at R.E. Garrison Trucking (CCJ Top 250, No. 204) – a 700-truck refrigerated carrier based in Vinemont, Ala. – discussed the possibility of equipping trucks with satellite TV. e strategy was to boost the company's recruiting efforts, says Shawn Nelson, director of driver relations. Nelson says R.E. Garrison already pays its drivers a high per-mile rate and that management was not convinced that a premium DirecTV package from EpicVue would make enough of a differ- ence to justify the cost. at frame of thinking changed when one of R.E. Garrison's driver teams— the most difficult type to recruit — unex- pectedly le to work for a company in Georgia that actually paid three cents less per mile. e team drivers told Nelson they would have stayed but that the new company had satellite TVs in its trucks. "at's when we started looking at in focus: DRIVER RETENTION PLATFORMS Vinemont, Ala.-based R.E. Garrison Trucking is outfitting its entire fleet of more than 700 tractors with EpicVue in-cab satellite TV systems.

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