Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/661432
2 www.studentdriverplacement.com March '16 E picVue, providers of an in-cab satellite TV package for the truck- ing industry, announced that Tribe Express is equipping its en re fl eet with satellite TV to help retain drivers. A er ordering 200 EpicVue systems in late 2015, Tribe Express commi ed to another 100 in-cab satellite TV systems for new trac- tors being added to its fl eet this year. "While our driver turnover rate is generally as low as 33 percent, if we continue to show our employees how important they are to us and how much we value their efforts it will help keep them here," said Matt Handte, execu- tive vice president of Tribe Express. "EpicVue offers the kind of value and comfort we try to provide drivers by giving them the ability to watch a game, movie or program they might watch at home. In this business you only usually get graded on what you do wrong. With EpicVue we got it right." Founded in 2010, Tribe Express has grown from 60 trucks in 2012 to a planned 350 by the end of 2016. Add- ing 100 company tractors along with 50 more Cherokee National owner opera- tors to its operation this year means the truckload carrier needs about 450 drivers, including teams. The com- pany's driver roster includes veterans, averaging between 50 and 60 years old with many years of over the road experience, and the "Native American Woman-Owned Business" has seen signifi cant growth in the number of female and younger drivers. "It can cost us $2,000 to recruit, train and orient a new driver," Handte stated, "and when we have an empty seat it can cost $5,000 per week in lost revenue. That makes the payback on EpicVue for installation and subscrip- tion costs very fast, and based on how positively our drivers have reacted to our decision to equip the entire fl eet with satellite TV, we believe the sys- tems will lower our turnover rate even further." Based on driver seniority, the Tribe Express shop is now beginning to in- stall EpicVue in its existing 200 tractors, and expects to complete the installa- tions in six months. The in-cab satellite TV systems will also be installed in new trucks as they are placed in service this year. The EpicVue package includes more than 100 channels of DIRECTV programming, includ- ing premium channels such as HBO/Cinemax, SHOWTIME and the NFL Sunday Ticket. The in-cab satellite TV systems are offered to fl eets with 20 or more vehicles for a monthly subscrip- tion fee of $49 under a fi ve-year contract or $59 monthly for a three-year contract. ◆ |Feature | Tribe Express outfi ts fl eet with satellite TV By Aaron Huff Tribe Express' entire fl eet now has satellite TV onboard