MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Change comes quick in the trucking industry, and nowhere is that more evident than in the data collected through the Best Fleets to Drive For competition, conducted by the Truckload Carriers Association and CarriersEdge.

When the program was first started five years ago, CSA wasn’t yet in effect and the word Facebook didn’t appear on a single driver survey. In 2013, the surveys collected from drivers and fleets show that CSA has changed how drivers are evaluated and, in some cases, compensated and carriers that don’t have a decent Facebook page employ drivers who wish they did.

Mark Murrell, president of CarriersEdge, spoke at the Best Fleets to Drive For seminar series in Toronto this morning, providing insight into some of the best practices employed by top-ranking carriers in the US and Canada. We’ll have a full report on what it takes to become a Best Fleet to Drive for in the July issues of Truck News and Truck West.

Meanwhile, Murrell shared some data from the thousands of driver surveys and carrier interviews, which indicates working conditions are improving for both company drivers and owner/operators.

For example, company drivers working for the Top 20 Best Fleets have seen their income increase 10.42% since the first year of the program, while their miles have decreased 6.89%, meaning they’re making more and driving less.

As for owner/operators, they’ve seen their income increase 12.28% compared to five years ago while their miles driven has decreased 7.97%.

Meanwhile, the top-placing fleets in the competition seem to be improving their driver retention. In 2009, fleets in the Top 20 had an average score (measured across a variety of metrics) of 6.5, which represents turnover of about 45%. In 2013, the top fleets averaged a score of 8.027, representing annual turnover of about 30%.

Murrell said program coordinators also examined the safety records of the Top 20 fleets and found fleets scored 0.415 in 2009 and 0.307 in 2013 (based on DoT reportable accidents), representing another notable improvement.

“Among the best fleets over the last five years, pay is up, miles are down, they’re safer fleets and they’re seeing the benefit of that in terms of lower turnover among drivers,” Murrell said. “It speaks to a couple of things; Fleets are continuing to improve, the best of the best are continuing to get better and it also speaks to the fact the bar is raised every year in the Best Fleets to Drive For program.”

The Best Fleets seminar series continues in Ottawa tomorrow and then five more dates follow after that. It’s free to attend. For a full schedule and to register, visit www.BestFleetsToDriveFor.com.