Brent Nussbaum, CEO of Nussbaum Transportation, accepts the top award, large fleet category, in the Best Fleets to Drive For program.Nussbaum Transportation and Boyle Transportation took the top honors on Monday, Mar. 2, in The Best Fleets to Drive For program from the Truckload Carriers Association in partnership with CarriersEdge.
For Nussbaum Transportation, 2020 was a nearly identical repeat of last year when it won the “Best Overall Fleet” award for the small fleet category. This year the Hudson, Ill.-based carrier won in the large fleet category.
“We can haul freight all day, but it’s our people that get the job done,” said Brent Nussbaum, CEO, when accepting the award. “I’d like to thank God for providing us with wisdom and discernment. It’s a tough industry but we love it, and we are all here to serve one another.”
Boyle Transportation, in Billerica Mass., was awarded Best Overall Fleet for the small fleet category.
“This industry can be very challenging and frustrating. There are a lot of moving parts and capital tied up to what we do, and a lot of factors that we can’t control that influence profitability,” said Andrew Boyle, co-president of Boyle Transportation when accepting the award. Despite these challenges, “our industry has an awesome capacity to create good jobs,” he emphasized.
All finalists and the two fleets who were awarded the top prizes were selected using data collected through the fall of 2019.
The original 115 nominations were initiated by drivers or contractors for the companies, and the program selected 63 finalists based on responses to a questionnaire, an interview and a driver survey.
Both Boyle Transportation and Nussbaum Transportation have been named to the Best Fleets Top 20 multiple times.
Nussbaum, with 442 drivers, was noted for its approach to new technology adoption, where a focus on personal needs ensures the enhancements optimize, rather than disrupt, driver efficiency. The company’s creative approach to HR and professional development programs also earned top scores across a variety of categories, according to a news release.
Boyle Transportation, with 133 drivers, stood out for its investments in driver support programs and operational efficiency improvements. Its guaranteed pay, provision of cell phones and connectivity tools, and a generous scholarship offering all demonstrated a willingness to invest in areas many fleets are reluctant to explore.
Andrew Boyle, co-president of Boyle Transportation, accepts the top award, small fleet category, for the Best Fleets to Drive For program.CarriersEdge Chief Executive Officer Jane Jazrawy noted that both Boyle Transportation and Nussbaum Transportation are seeing impressive results from their programs: both have driver satisfaction above 93% and driver turnover under 20%.
“We’ve been aware of these fleets for years, watching them continue to refine their offerings and raise the bar for the industry,” said Jazrawy “With such creative ideas, and strong buy-in from drivers on their efforts, it’s easy to see why they’re seeing such great results.”
TCA President John Lyboldt agrees. “To be bestowed the title of overall winner requires a strong combination of outstanding programs, high satisfaction levels, and great results in safety and retention, and these companies should be very proud,” he said. “A special congratulations to Nussbaum for winning the award twice in a row – that’s an even more difficult feat.”
The Best Fleets to Drive For survey and contest is open to any fleet operating 10 or more trucks, regardless of TCA membership status. Nominated fleets are evaluated in areas such as driver compensation, pension and benefits, professional development, driver and community support, and safety record.
The award for the small fleet category is sponsored by TruckRight and the large fleet category award is sponsored by EpicVue.
