K&J Trucking of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, took home its first Best Overall Fleet Award in the Best Fleets to Drive For program, while Ontario’s Challenger Motor Freight received its second Best Overall Fleet honor. A new Stratosphere award went to Garner Trucking.
The Best Fleets to Drive For program is put on by CarriersEdge, which provides online driver training for the trucking industry. Now in its 16th year, the Best Fleets to Drive For is an annual survey and contest that identifies the for-hire carriers providing the best workplace experience for their company drivers and independent contractors.
The 2024 Best Fleets to Drive For overall winners were announced at the Best Fleets to Drive For Education & Awards Conference held at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in North Carolina.
Shelley Schipper, president of K&J Trucking, center, receives Stratosphere award from Jane Jazrawy, CarriersEdge CEO, right. At left is Heather Engen of Netradyne, which sponsored the award.
Photo: CarriersEdge
Best Fleets to Drive For Overall Winners
CarriersEdge presented the Best Overall Fleet in the small carrier category to K&J Trucking, the first time it has received a Best Overall Fleet award. This year also marks the third time K&J Trucking received recognition as a Top 20 Best Fleet to Drive For.
Steve Newton, Challenger Motor Freight director of safety and driver development, accepts the Best Fleets to Drive For award on behalf of the company.
Photo: CarriersEdge
The Best Overall Fleet in the large carrier category was presented to Challenger Motor Freight of Cambridge, Ontario. The company has been named a Top 20 Best Fleet to Drive For five consecutive times.
“The fleets that came out on top this year were especially exciting to watch,” said Jane Jazrawy, CarriersEdge CEO. “Both companies showed that they’re progressive in developing innovative programs that truly make a difference in their relationships with drivers.”
Garner Trucking Receives Inaugural Stratosphere Award
CarriersEdge presented a new award — The Stratosphere Award — that recognizes the top-scoring fleet in the Best Fleets Hall of Fame.
This year’s inaugural award went to Garner Trucking of Findlay, Ohio.
To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, fleets must be named as a Best Fleet for 10 consecutive years, or seven years with at least one overall winner award.
Jazrawy said Garner Trucking continues to elevate its driver programs and received the highest scores in this year’s evaluation of its Best Fleets Hall of Fame members.
“The Stratosphere Award celebrates an achievement among the Hall of Fame competitors—a ‘best of the best’ performance,” said Jazrawy. “As the inaugural winner of this award in just their second year in the Hall of Fame, Garner has taken their performance to the next level and we’re proud to acknowledge their achievement.”
What Does it Take to be a Best Fleet to Drive For?
To be considered for the Best Fleets program, for-hire carriers operating 10 or more tractor-trailers must be nominated by a company driver or independent contractor working with them. Nominated fleets are then evaluated in areas such as driver compensation, pension and benefits, professional development, driver and community support, and safety record.
The highest-scoring fleets are identified as the Top 20 Best Fleets to Drive For and then grouped according to size. The highest-scoring fleet in each size category is named an overall winner.
The Best Fleets to Drive For contest accepts nominations from Labor Day to Halloween each year and reveals its Top 20 Best Fleets to Drive For winners each January.
The highest-scoring fleet in each size category and top-scoring Hall of Fame member is named an overall winner during the Best Fleets to Drive For Education & Awards Conference.
