The Best Fleets to Drive For competition has announced its 2022 winners, as well as the inaugural eight fleets inducted into the newly created Hall of Fame.

The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) program recognizes the Canadian and U.S. fleets with exemplary work environments for truck drivers and employees.

“What an exciting time for this coveted contest as we launch the Hall of Fame category,” said TCA president John Lyboldt. “During Truckload 2022: Las Vegas, we’re eager to recognize 28 fleets who are dedicated to providing the best possible workplace experience to their essential workers – professional truck drivers. Be sure to attend this year’s revamped awards presentation in March.”

Canadian fleets among this year’s top 20 include: Challenger Motor Freight; Erb Transport; Fortigo Freight Services; Liberty Linehaul; TransPro Freight Systems; and Wellington Group of Companies.

“This year we saw more than 200 fleets nominated by their drivers for this program, and all participants were clearly stepping up their game,” said CarriersEdge CEO Jane Jazrawy. “This year’s Top 20 and Hall of Fame fleets rose to the top with a range of innovative and effective programs that continue to improve the work experience for their drivers.”

Bison Transport was among the eight inaugural inductees to the Hall of Fame. To join the Hall, a fleet must have been named a winner for 10 consecutive years, or seven years with at least one overall winner award to their name.

In an interview with Trucknews.com, program administrators explained the Hall was created to allow more fleets to be recognized while still acknowledging the achievements of the perennial winners.

“There are some companies on that list year after year, and what we’re seeing is there are a lot of companies that are really good that just don’t make it,” Murrell said.

Participating fleets urged organizers not to water down the program by simply handing out more awards. That’s when the Hall of Fame took form. “We wanted some way to expand it, but move these regulars out of there a little bit. Not to put them out to pasture, but to move them somewhere else,” Murrell explained. “We don’t want companies to stop participating. We want them to keep improving.”

Fleets who’ve been inducted into the Hall of Fame don’t get a free ride, Jazrawy noted. They must go through the same process as every other participating fleet each year to requalify.

Fleets affected by the new rules were “universally in support of it,” said Murrell. “They see value in new blood and they like being challenged.”

Jazrawy added fleets urged organizers not to “dumb the program down” or “make it easier.”

The Hall of Fame creation seems to have had the desired effect. “We have a significantly different Top 20 this year,” Murrell said. “Ten of the 20 winners are brand new and we haven’t seen that in a decade.”

The program, meanwhile, continues to grow. This year, more than 200 fleets were nominated – a new high – and 110 went through the interview process conducted by CarriersEdge. A total of 93 fleets made it to the finals.

The Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized at the TCA convention in March, alongside the Top 20 and Best Overall winners. More details and a full list of winners can be found at www.BestFleetsToDriveFor.com.