CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Crawford Trucking, Fortigo Freight Services Inc. and FTC Transportation Inc. received the top awards in the 2026 Best Fleets to Drive For program.
Awards were presented March 17, 2026, by CarriersEdge during the Best Fleets to Drive For Education & Awards Conference, held at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Best Fleets to Drive For program, now in its 18th year, 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 awards, presented in small and large fleet categories, are sponsored by Netradyne, ISAAC and TruckRight.
Best Overall Fleets
In the small carrier category, Crawford Trucking, took the title of Best Overall Fleet. This is the first time the Des Moines, Iowa-based company has earned top honors and its third time to make the Top 20.
Best Overall Fleet honors in the large carrier category went to Fortigo Freight Services Inc., based in Etobicoke, Ontario. This is the company’s seventh consecutive year in the Top 20 and its first Best Overall Fleet award; this makes the fleet eligible to enter the Hall of Fame if they qualify in 2027.
“Our winning fleets this year exemplified the hard work and commitment needed to find a way to make a difference for drivers in a continuing difficult market,” said Jane Jazrawy, CEO of CarriersEdge. “While all of our Top 20 winners are leaders in the industry, these two fleets stand out with great programs, and exceptional safety and retention scores.”
Stratosphere Award
CarriersEdge also presented The Stratosphere Award, which recognizes the top-scoring fleet in the Best Fleets Hall of Fame. This year’s award went to FTC Transportation Inc. of Oklahoma City.
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. Fleets in the Hall of Fame must requalify each year to retain the distinction.
“Our Best Fleets Hall of Fame members represent the best of the best for their ongoing demonstration of excellence,” said Jazrawy.
“FTC Transportation has been a Hall of Fame member for five years and a Best Fleets winner for 14 consecutive years,” she continued. “Over the years, we’ve watched them continue to grow and innovate and they are deserving winners of our third annual Stratosphere Award. As a fleet with 23 drivers, they are also proof that you don’t need to be big to offer great programs.”
About the Best Fleets to Drive For program
Launched in 2008, Best Fleets to Drive For is an annual program dedicated to uncovering the best workplaces in the North American trucking industry. Produced by CarriersEdge, the program recognizes the for-hire fleets providing exceptional workplace experiences for their company drivers and independent contractors.
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 by an independent contractor who works with them. Nominated fleets 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 in late January or early February. The highest-scoring fleet in each size category and top-scoring Hall of Fame members are named overall winners during the Best Fleets to Drive For Education & Awards Conference.
For additional information about the Best Fleets to Drive For program, follow the hashtag #BestFleets26 on social media or visit bestfleetstodrivefor.com.
Linda Garner-Bunch has been with The Trucker since 2020, picking up the reins as managing editor in 2022. Linda has nearly 40 years of experience in the publishing industry, covering topics from the trucking and automotive industry to employment, real estate, home decor, crafts, cooking, weddings, high school sports — you name it, she’s written about it. She is also an experienced photographer, designer and copy editor who has a heartfelt love for the trucking industry, from the driver’s seat to the C-suite.
