At Garner Trucking, a five-time honoree on the Best Fleets to Drive For list, drivers have a say in new improvements.

The Findlay, Ohio-based carrier employs 92 drivers, and fleet officials pride themselves on giving those drivers a voice through the establishment of a driver’s advisory council. Each year, that council is tasked with making one important decision: how Garner will spend $20,000 to improve the company.

Sherri Garner-Brumbaugh, president and chief executive officer of Garner, told Heavy Duty Trucking that the $20,000 is carved out every year for capital improvements, and this practice helps the carrier make improvements that are important to drivers.

And with that power, the drivers often come up with practical improvements. The council has requested to use the funds for things such as improvements to lighting in drop lots and around the fuel bay, as well as the creation of a truck cleaning station with a commercial-grade sweeper vacuum.

“They’ve come up with some really inexpensive, easy fixes," she said.

The council is made up of a diverse cross-section of drivers, which includes both new and experienced drivers from every gender and age. The council of drivers meets four times a year and recently transitioned to a virtual forum.

Garner is one of 20 carriers named to the CarriersEdge and Truckload Carriers Association 2021 Best Fleets to Drive For list. This is the fifth consecutive year they've made the list. Best Fleets to Drive For is an annual survey and contest that identifies the for-hire carriers providing the best workplace for their drivers, according to the website.

This story is the first in a series covering best practices for carriers to make their operation one driver's want to work for.