At American Central Transport (ACT), managers tell drivers the company isn’t forced dispatch. Until about a year ago, however, many drivers probably didn’t believe it.

Drivers are a suspicious lot, and that certainly contributes to turnover. In a recent survey of 920 drivers by CCJ sister publication Truckers News, more than 25 percent of drivers said a main reason for leaving their previous employer was that they were not treated honestly. That’s not to say these drivers truly were treated dishonestly, but often perception is reality.

Last year, ACT, a 340-truck carrier based in Liberty, Mo., began using a feature in its Innovative Enterprise Software (IES) system called Load Offer that allows a manager to use a load-planning screen to select up to three loads to send to a driver. Upon receiving the offered loads in his in-cab mobile communications system, the driver makes his selection. Bob Kretsinger soon noticed a change in drivers’ perceptions.

“We give them a choice when we can,” says Kretsinger, ACT’s executive vice president. “I think (Load Offer) has made some difference in turnover. Guys like it when they have a choice.”

As a result of using Load Offer, ACT drivers seldom call to go over loads with managers. If they do, management quickly can tell them why the loads were offered, and provide more details if requested.

Information technology enables a driver manager to quickly ascertain driver status, efficiency and many other metrics. But as a fleet grows, information can seem more important than the actual human behind the wheel.

To counter this trend, carriers such as ACT are making drivers feel like they’re a part of the planning process by using recent developments in fleet management software that integrate wireless technologies for real-time connectivity to the office. Other tools making a difference in retention give managers instant visibility into the life of a driver to help identify and solve potential problems before they develop into real ones.