MARKHAM, Ontario — After several years of difficult freight conditions, North American trucking is showing signs of another market shift.
Against that backdrop, Best Fleets to Drive For, produced by CarriersEdge, is opening nominations for its 2027 program, beginning the search for for-hire carriers providing the industry’s strongest workplace experiences for company drivers and independent contractors.
“Fleets have spent the last several years finding ways to support drivers while operating under tremendous cost pressure, and now there are signs that the market is changing again,” said Jane Jazrawy, CEO of CarriersEdge. “Providing a great workplace is a smart business plan in any market and the fleets that have focused on building a strong culture are best positioned to take advantage regardless of what future market changes bring.”
Company drivers and independent contractors have until Oct. 31 to nominate the fleet they currently work with here. One nomination is all that’s required for an eligible fleet to participate.
About the Program
Now entering its 19th year, Best Fleets to Drive For is the only annual program dedicated to identifying the best workplaces in the North American trucking industry. Since 2014, nearly 1,700 fleet nominations have been submitted to the program, while more than 76,000 driver surveys have been completed since 2015.
The program is open to for-hire fleets operating at least 10 tractor-trailers in the United States or Canada. There is no cost to participate and no association membership requirement.
For fleets, participation provides more than an opportunity for recognition. The evaluation offers a structured way to benchmark driver programs, compare practices with industry leaders, gather feedback from drivers and identify opportunities for improvement.
Why Fleets Participate
“Best Fleets has always been about recognizing great workplaces, but participation also gives fleets an opportunity to look closely at what they’re doing for drivers and where they can improve,” Jazrawy said. “After 19 years, we’ve seen fleets use the program year after year as a benchmark for strengthening their programs. The ideas we uncover also help move the whole industry forward.”
Who Can Apply
Nominated fleets that choose to participate complete a detailed questionnaire and interview examining areas including compensation and benefits, HR strategies, professional development, operations, communication, work/life balance and other elements of the driver experience.
Drivers and independent contractors at participating fleets are also surveyed about their experience with the company. Those responses are combined with the fleet evaluation and performance measures including safety and driver retention to determine the year’s highest-performing fleets.
The Top 20 Best Fleets to Drive For, Fleets to Watch and qualifying Hall of Fame fleets will receive recognition through the program. Overall winners in the small-fleet, large-fleet and Hall of Fame categories will be honored at the Best Fleets to Drive For Education & Awards Conference, April 5–6, 2027, in Kansas City, Mo.
“For drivers, if your fleet provides an exceptional place to work, nominate it at www.bf2df.com before Oct. 31,” said CarriersEdge. “For fleets: If you believe your organization belongs among North America’s best driver workplaces, encourage a current company driver or independent contractor to submit a nomination. One nomination is sufficient, and participation is free.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
