With the new hours of service rules on the immediate horizon, U.S. Xpress has been focusing on how to meet both drivers’ expectations for miles and customers’ expectations for delivery schedules.

"When you look at our industry, the role of the long-haul solo driver is changing dramatically," said U.S. Xpress Co-Chairman Max Fuller. "We continue to have destination points moving closer together and the new hours of service regulations that are going to change the way companies are able to keep their drivers productive. At U.S. Xpress, we are exploring these issues, along with the growing value that over-the-road drivers have placed on having the ability to spend more quality time at home."
The company said it is developing a "super-regional" touring operation, increased opportunities with dedicated contract customers and an innovative partnership with rail transportation.
The combination of these driving opportunities has allowed U.S. Xpress to build consistent miles and increase the utilization of a driver’s time during a given week. In addition, these tours have allowed U.S. Xpress drivers to enjoy regularly scheduled hometime.
"Basically, what we are doing is providing the miles our drivers expect and we are meeting their families’ expectations in getting them home," said Gary Kelley, U.S. Xpress vice president of recruiting. "It’s a terrific situation for drivers because tours offer a steady paycheck and a fairly specific schedule for time off.
"We believe we have a very attractive package to offer drivers who want to make the most of their time in both the solo and team arenas of driving."
Kelley said U.S. Xpress is still a premier provider of long-haul transportation and that most of the east-to-west, time-sensitive moves are being handled by the company’s large number of team drivers.
"When you look at the new hours of service, the key element is finding the most effective use of a driver’s time," said Kelley. "We believe our use of the rail, as well as other drop-and-hook opportunities within ‘super-regions’ and dedicated contract runs will keep our drivers at the highest levels of productivity. Also, our use of teams will give us the ability to continue delivering the timely service our long-haul market customers expect."
He said the tours were developed with drivers in mind, allowing them to know where they’re going, how long they’ll be gone and when they will return home -- providing a consistency that rarely occurs in long-haul markets.
"As we’ve spoken to our solo drivers about changes in the industry, we have found that they really value hometime. And the direction that we’ve taken with our solo operation will allow us to keep these drivers close to home while still making a very good paycheck," said Kelley.
Using a new approach to the rail, the wait-time between loads will significantly decrease. Because of the drop-and-hook nature of these loads, U.S. Xpress is able to offer more miles and more freight options to drivers, according to Kelley.
"Our drivers who have joined the U.S. Xpress touring group have enjoyed a very positive experience," said Matt Weir, a U.S. Xpress operations specialist working with one of the company's touring fleets. "Through the tours, we have been able to meet their expectations on miles and hometime. The future looks very bright for touring."