Driver satisfaction is down, and “the common aggravator today may not be drivers’ base wages,” said NTI’s Leah Shaver. Drive My Way’s recent Driver Happiness Survey indicates only 51% of drivers are content with their jobs. In an interview with Trucking Dive, Leah pointed out that the “lack of productivity (aka fewer miles, hours, and loads) is pinching their take-home pay,” contributing to decreased happiness. Explore further survey findings here.

What are drivers’ top concerns with pay in the current freight market? NTI’s Leah Shaver spoke with FleetOwner about driver pay’s relationship to happiness and job satisfaction — and what fleets should be aware of when it comes to drivers’ paychecks in late 2023. Read the article here.

How can your fleet balance driver recruiting and retention needs while still focusing on bottom-line results in a softer freight market? NTI’s Leah Shaver detailed the six top driver pay strategies fleets can leverage in the current freight cycle to focus on drivers while also helping boost your fleet’s profitability in a free DriverReach webinar last week. Strategies explored include: Running a cost-benefit analysis on gauratneed pay, cross-training recruiters to focus on sales and retention, focusing on bonsues around fuel savings and productivity, and how to approach pay conversations internally and with customers during slower times.

“Many complaints related to pay can be resolved quickly and easily if drivers feel they can voice concerns and they know who to voice concerns to,” said NTI’s Leah Shaver. “If they don’t feel they can voice concerns and they don’t know who to communicate to, such as a terminal manager or driver manager who can quickly elevate their concerns to the right person in payroll or HR, then their frustration turns into resentment, and they’ll jump to another carrier or leave the industry outright.” Read more data notes and advice from NTI in this article in FleetOwner, which explores recent trends of drivers’ concerns about their paychecks and how fleets can navigate them.