How an Effective Parts Supply Approach Helps Fleets Improve Driver Retention

Ongoing supply chain challenges continue to make the commercial truck driver shortage a top concern for both industry leaders and government agencies. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, annual truck driver turnover rates among large, long-haul carriers exceed 90%, while smaller trucking companies with annual turnover of 72% fare only somewhat better.

When it comes to driver retention, carriers naturally pick the low-hanging fruit first. Among the initiatives they have found successful are:

• Providing premium equipment
• Increasing pay rates
• Offering better benefits
• Scheduling more home time

While there’s no doubt that trucking companies have worked steadily to attract and retain drivers, there are other ways to improve retention that may not be as obvious. What’s not always thought of as a driver satisfaction tool, for instance, is how the management technology that drives your operation can support drivers and maximize their productivity, efficiency, and satisfaction.

Modern carriers are increasingly looking at how connected fleet and supplier systems can help eliminate redundancies and speed up maintenance operations. When workflows between suppliers, fleet managers, and drivers are more connected, downtime decreases—and so does driver frustration.

“If you want to create a better job for drivers, you have to streamline workflows and remove frustrations in procurement, planning and execution. Remove the irritants. As an industry, we often get hung up on better recruiting and retention efforts. Yes, that’s important, but there’s so much more we can do to improve the quality of life for drivers by focusing on driving friction out of their jobs.”

Trimble Transportation President James Langley

Did you ever think about how your maintenance operation impacts drivers?

It’s probably well known how increased downtime for service and repairs affects driver schedules. Unavailable equipment means a loss of paid miles for drivers, adding to an already large satisfaction and retention challenge.

But what if you were to dig deeper into other causes as well? In particular, how does maintaining a supply of replacement parts keep trucks on the road and drivers satisfied?

A key factor is improving procurement efficiency. Using data-driven fleet analyses helps identify bottlenecks, anticipate maintenance needs, and optimize inventory so drivers aren’t sidelined by unexpected parts delays.

In Cooking up a recipe for parts success, an article in Fleet Maintenance magazine covering approaches to parts management, what is apparent is how e-commerce platforms are helping fleets improve vehicle service operations.

E-commerce platforms have increasingly become an effective aspect of their approach to meeting parts needs, the article noted. One of their benefits is the large amount of information they have and their wide exposure to sources that improve availability and shorten fulfillment cycles.

They also more effectively address another challenge fleets can face by sourcing parts that are not routinely carried in inventory at traditional brick-and-mortar locations.

“Approximately 20% of all the parts on commercial vehicles fit into that category so fleets and service providers have to use a time consuming process to find and buy them. With a platform that is an electronic repository of information interconnected with the supply chain, and has a very robust cross reference engine, we can help access availability and enhance delivery of those items, saving you time and money.”

FindItParts CEO & Founder David Seewak

Beyond procurement speed, digital platforms also promote transparency and stronger collaboration. Enhancing communication and building trust through transaction visibility reduces errors, minimizes downtime, and builds confidence between fleets, suppliers, and customers.

Forward-thinking fleets are also investing in e-commerce technology for competitive growth to simplify purchasing and improve turnaround time on critical parts orders.

Those that tailor their systems around an all-inclusive e-commerce approach for specific industry needs are finding even greater flexibility to adapt to changing demand patterns while maintaining operational efficiency.

FinditParts is the largest single-source Internet distributor of heavy duty OEM and aftermarket parts. FinditParts is your partner in keeping your heavy duty truck on the road."