Remember to take time during this month of gratitude to show appreciation for the incredible teams that drive your fleet’s success. One way to do that is through comprehensive benefits packages that show you truly care about the well-being of drivers, technicians, and other staff. With enrollment for 2025 benefits plans open in December, there’s time to tweak and add to your offerings. NTI’s National Fleet Benefit Survey provides insights that can help you develop a cost-competitive benefits package that turns drivers’ and technicians’ heads. Check out this blog post, which includes data from the survey, on five emerging benefits to consider: bit.ly/4eVUHvc. You could poll your team this month, too, to find out what matters most to them. Make November a time that’s about more than just thanks. Use it as an opportunity to continue building a culture in which drivers and technicians feel valued and supported all year long.
President & CEO - The National Transportation Institute, Driver Compensation & Engagement Expert, SiriusXM Radio Host Ch. 146, Trucking Company Board Member & Advisor, Keynote Speaker
Don’t look now, but it’s benefits season! As part of leading The National Transportation Institute and as a host on SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking, I hear from drivers and their employers weekly about what’s on their minds, what’s important to them, and what they strive for in their relationships with their fleets. From a comp standpoint, employer-provided benefits are one of the most common topics we talk about. Here’s what I can tell you about what drivers want in that arena — and what we as their fleet employers should strive to deliver on: ?? Drivers want to know what health services and prescriptions are going to cost. What will they pay when they go to the doctor, when they purchase their regular prescriptions, etc.? ?? What is new or different in their healthcare coverage and overall benefits package this year? How will it impact them? ?? What coverage do you offer for weight-loss support? ?? Where can they access healthcare that will be covered by their insurance policy? Drivers’ healthcare costs on the road are often high because they go to emergency rooms – often because they’re unaware they can access affordable care elsewhere. If you offer telehealth or a network that includes urgent-care centers, make sure drivers know about this and any other places where they can receive medical attention while away from home. This also will cut down on time-consuming healthcare shopping while drivers are on the road. With enrollment for 2025 benefits plans open in December, you might still be pricing and developing your fleet’s package for next year. There’s still time to make adjustments to your plan offerings, and you could even consider adding on some non-traditional benefits such as pet insurance and paid parental leave (though those are obviously aren’t tied to open enrollment season!). After all, benefits are part of drivers’ total rewards offeringcompensation packages, and they that makes their lives — and their families’ lives — easier, more rewarding, and more secure. If you’re looking to benchmark your fleets’ benefits offerings against the market, NTI’s National Fleet Benefit Survey (https://lnkd.in/eCTmCNEr) is an invaluable tool that dives deep into the pricing, costs, and structure of what fleets are offering, how much drivers on average pay for health insurance premiums, and the percentage splits between company and fleet broken down by fleet size, retirement, and PTO benefits, and much more relevant to your fleet’s benefits evaluation. Lastly, consider ways you can learn more this month about what your drivers would like to see in their benefits packages. You can do this by initiating conversations through benefits-information sessions – drivers might not know what benefits are already available to them – and by sending out surveys. These endeavors have the added advantage of making drivers feel seen and heard and like their opinions matter within your organization – which fosters a sense of belonging.