The Truckload Carriers Association and CarriersEdge announced the overall winners of the 2015 "Best Fleets to Drive For" survey and contest at the TCA Annual Convention in Kissimmee, Fla.

The 20 finalists for the award were divided into two categories based on the size of the fleet and a winner was chosen from each category.

Grand Island Express of Grand Island, Neb., was selected the Best Overall Fleet for the small carrier category and Fremont Contract Carriers of Fremont, Neb., won in the large carrier category.

This is the second win for Grand Island Express and the third win for Fremont Contract Carriers.

The Best Fleets to Drive For is an annual survey and contest to recognize North American for-hire trucking companies providing the best workplace experiences for their drivers.

GIE was recognized for using the latest technology and providing tablets to all of its drivers. The company also regularly convened committees of drivers to research new technologies and make recommendations about future purchases.

Fremont was noted for being a proactive company in analyzing a variety of data points to identify potential problems.

Fleets must be nominated by a company driver or independent contractor working with them. The nominated fleets are then evaluated in a number of categories reflecting current best practices in human resources. They were judged in areas like driver compensation, pension and benefits, professional development, driver and community support, and safety record.

The Best Fleets to Drive For contest was open to any fleet operating 10 trucks or more, regardless of TCA membership status.

“Make no mistake, our two overall winners keep surfacing in this contest but that doesn’t mean either fleet has rested on its laurels,” said Jane Jazrawy, CEO of CarriersEdge.  “Both of these fleets are providing multiple opportunities to not only recognize their drivers, but also allow them to provide input on company operations and decisions.”