It’s easy enough to use the comprehensive driver monitoring tools available from a vendor like GPS Trackit to enforce company safety and equipment management policies. A good fleet management platform will tell you when and how every truck—and driver—on your team is performing in real-time.

   But top fleet managers know that the best drivers—ones with years of experience and safe driving—prefer to work for operators who recognize what they offer. And in one of the tightest, most competitive job markets on record, top drivers have the leverage to go where they’re appreciated. According to the Arlington, Virginia-based American Trucking Association, large carrier truckload driver turnover has reached 90 percent—the highest since 2015—at large carriers doing more than $30 million in business. And since it costs an average of $8,000 to train a new hire, retention is a crucial strategy across the fleet—not just for elite drivers.

By using fleet management tools to measure and reward high-performing drivers for excelling at key safety and efficiency metrics like incident-free miles driver, fuel consumption, and equipment longevity, managers are able to align drivers’ interests with the organization’s. Beyond increasing driver pay, fleet managers with access to rich data like that provided by GPS Trackit’s platform can move more quickly to deal with equipment issues before they fester, and place top drivers in preferred trucks and routes—which also increases driver satisfaction and retention. And by modeling best practices, top drivers can be tapped to perform in training roles for new hires, expanding their authority and giving them a career path—not just a job.