Scorecards and similar tools help fleets identify drivers who need attention – as well as those who should be rewarded

Increasing driver pay during a recession may seem counterintuitive. But as Greg Brown and other fleet executives know, funding pay raises with the extra cost savings or revenues that drivers produce is a no-brainer.

In January, B.R. Williams started paying its drivers a monthly performance bonus. The amount that drivers receive varies according to the scores they obtain in three categories – revenue, operations and safety. The program already has paid big dividends for the Oxford, Ala.-based company.

“We have positively enhanced our operation across the board,” says Brown, chairman and chief executive officer of the 165-truck fleet.

Each month, drivers are eligible to receive a maximum bonus of 1.5 cents per mile, or about $140 to $200. Going forward, Brown says drivers will have to earn any future raises with their scores.

Besides using financial incentives to improve performance, B.R. Williams puts drivers’ pride on the line. Every month, drivers receive a ranked list in their mailboxes for fuel mileage, revenue productivity and other categories. “They don’t want to be anywhere near the bottom,” Brown says.

Initially, drivers might have a negative perception of any new program that monitors their performance, especially when it might result in less pay. To be effective, incentives or differential pay programs must be realistic and attainable for the driver – and easy for the company to manage. Technology can automate the management aspect with new tools to monitor and score driver performance from highly accurate and unbiased sources of information.