Ten of the best workplaces in the Canadian trucking industry have earned honours through the inaugural Top Fleet Employers program, Trucking HR Canada has announced.

Fleets of every size were rated on topics including employee recognition, compensation, lifestyle, employee engagement, wellness, professional development, recruitment and retention. Related reviews included a comprehensive online application, employee surveys and follow-up interviews.

The 2014 awards were presented to:

• Bison Transport
• Erb Group of Companies
• Home Hardware
• J&R Hall Transport, Inc.
• Kindersley Transport
• Kriska Transportation
• Logikor Inc.
• MacKinnon Transport Inc.
• SLH Transport
• Transpro Freight Systems Ltd.

“These 10 fleets clearly recognize the value of sound human resources practices,” says Angela Splinter, Chief Executive Officer of Trucking HR Canada. “They have demonstrated their commitment to programs which play a vital role in recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce. Work like this will become increasingly important as the trucking industry grapples with its intensifying shortage of employees and job candidates.”

The program recognizes a fleet’s broad portfolio of human resources initiatives, but several best practices were also recognized during the evaluation process. In terms of employee engagement, for example, Bison Transport reaches out to personnel through a monthly newsletter, Transpro Freight Systems surveys employees whenever it introduces a new initiative, and J&R Hall Transport has a confidential, open-door policy to ensure that any employee concerns are addressed. Compensation programs such as Kriska Transportation’s deferred profit sharing plan, Logikor’s group Retirement Savings Plan, MacKinnon Transport’s fuel bonus, and Home Hardware’s performance bonus demonstrated approaches which look beyond rates per kilometre. High-scoring recognition programs included Erb Group of Companies’ honours for retiring employees, Kindersley Transport’s VIP recognition program, and SLH Transport’s recognition of milestone anniversaries.

More information about the fleets that were recognized this year will be available through the Top Fleet Employers 2014 Best Practices Report, to be posted at www.truckingHR.com.

The program’s vigorous selection criteria reflects Canadian human resources issues, trends and working environments, and has been validated by a panel of trucking industry experts and a Certified Human Resource
Professional (CHRP). It also echoes Trucking HR Canada’s standards of excellence and considers every position in a fleet.

The criteria applied to for-hire fleets was firmly rooted in the core values of Canadian Trucking Alliance’s recent Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Driver Shortage, while private fleets were scored using a system that reflects their unique working environments and requirements.

Applications for the second-annual program will open this December.