When drivers leave your company it's usually not due to your competitor offering better pay, benefits, or home time - it's usually due to something much deeper than that.

With an industry-wide turnover rate of 100%, we often attribute crashes to our road rookies. But, what about our drivers who have been with us for the long haul? You may think "He's been around for over 20 years - just leave him be and let him drive." You're wrong.

The FMCSA recently announced that they are changing their process for performing compliance reviews. Specifically they referred to expanded interviews with members within the organization. Truth is - they have been doing this for a while, but recently completed all of the training and therefore made the announcement. Does this mean that compliance reviews have changed? 

With roughly 3.5 million truck drivers collectively moving nearly 70% of all freight tonnage in the U.S. change is inevitable. 2017 brings a slew of trends that will shape the future of this essential industry. 

Driver pay has a direct correlation with retaining your drivers and oftentimes employers believe that higher pay will keep their drivers around. With recent findings, thinking outside of the box may be your best bet for hanging tight to your most valued drivers.

On the flip side, it’s not all about the dollar bills. A little R-E-S-P-E-C-T goes a long way in terms of driver retention. How are you treating your drivers?

The Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA) is establishing the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse). This new database will contain information pertaining to violations of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) controlled substances (drug) and alcohol testing program for holders of CDLs.   

In some trucking companies, the words safety and compliance are used interchangeably. The line that divides these two areas has been further blurred as focus has been placed on CSA numbers by federal regulators - but, don't be fooled by simply complying with the FMCSA to boost your safety performance. 

On December 12, 2015 the Unified Registration System (URS) began its implementation process of retiring old systems and unifying the regulatory structure for the industry. The goal of this new system is to replace all of the FMCSA's current registration databases with one unified registration process that also acts as a main source of data. This system will be fully phased in by the April 14th, 2017 deadline and requires full compliance by all before then. 

If there is any industry that Americans take for granted, it's undoubtedly trucking. There are roughly 3.5 million truck drivers collectively moving nearly 70% of all freight tonnage in the U.S. Without this essential industry, we would experience a food shortage within 72 hours, gas station fuel would diminish within 48 hours, manufacturing would shut down within hours, and ATMs would run dry almost immediately. The trucking industry is an integral part of our economy, without it America would stop. 

Truck drivers are amongst the hardest working people committing their lives to tackling one of the toughest jobs in America. So, with Driver Appreciation Week fast approaching, you may be looking for ways to honor your valued road warriors. In reality, there aren't enough ways to thank your drivers for all they do, but here is a list of 10 ways to celebrate this important week.