Supporting the Workers that Move Us

Drivers in the construction industry can often feel like they’re cogs in a major machine. Driving for a company that doesn’t value the importance, skill, and input of the drivers leads to an unsatisfactory work environment. Ensuring that workers feel heard, looked after, and respected should be a priority for all businesses, especially the trucking industry, where workers spend long hours handling a vital job to the U.S economy. That is why at Highway Transport, we’ve created the C.A.R.E committee to do our part in creating the best work environment possible for our employees.

The Communicate Appreciate Respect Evaluate, or C.A.R.E, committee is a product of Highway Transport’s desire to be the best in class. Not just in terms of performance but in terms of the workplace culture that is cultivated. Because so much of truckers’ working hours are spent on the road, you may be wondering what C.A.R.E can do to improve driver’s work environments. Let’s take a look at why C.A.R.E started and what it can do for the drivers of Highway Transport.

C.A.R.E was created to improve the day-to-day life of a driver for highway transport. Highway Transport is looking to refine our business practices by doing everything possible to improve the work environment for workers. We believe this will improve overall productivity and increase retention and growth. C.A.R.E spawned out of a genuine desire by leadership and customers to improve the overall journey of a driver, especially during these trying times.

C.A.R.E looks at the day-to-day life of a driver to find areas that can be improved. It is a committee of people at Highway Transport that genuinely want to communicate, appreciate, respect, and evaluate. While the committee is an ongoing process, C.A.R.E has already begun to implement some significant changes for our drivers.

Below are some of the changes that reflect C.A.R.E and Highway Transport’s commitment to improving the working environment for our drivers. While these changes are important and will lead to more fairly compensated workers, they are far from the end of what C.A.R.E intends to do. C.A.R.E is an ongoing initiative that hopes to have a sustained impact on the work-life of drivers. Truckers deserve to be looked after and respected by the company they work for, and C.A.R.E and Highway Transport are devoted to ensuring that happens.

Cancelled Load Pay

In the past, a driver would be paid $100 for the cancellation of a load 24 hours or less prior to the scheduled pick-up time if no other work was available for that period of time. Now, a driver is paid their entire average daily wage in the same situation, which comes out to a markedly higher amount. This is a necessary step to ensure drivers are fairly compensated for their time.

Delay Pay

Highway Transport is now increasing all rates for delay pay so that it is consistent for every situation. This covers several different kinds of delays, including weather delay, border crossing delay, tank clean delay, and more. The new rate for delay pay is now up to $16.25 an hour, increasing 31% from the previous rate. The goal of an increased delay pay is to make sure that drivers receive fair payment for situations out of their control.

Border Crossing Pay

Many different trucking routes cross borders, reaching customers in Canada. Crossing the border is a time commitment and a hassle, so Highway Transport and C.A.R.E have resolved to compensate workers additionally for the process. Now, for every shipment transported across the U.S-Canada border, drivers will receive a $100 payment. This applies once per shipment, encompassing both entry and exit. The $100 payment is a 100% increase on the previous policy of a $50 payment.

Changes Toward Progress

Aug 31, 2021 New Committee Named CARE

CARE stands for Communicate, Appreciate, Respect, and Evaluate. This newly formed group is dedicated to employee satisfaction, driver retention, and overall improvement in work environment. It is a group of people at Highway Transport who are analyzing everything that touches the life of a driver throughout every day as he or she works for Highway Transport as a professional chemical tanker truck driver. The CARE committee will have an important impact on Highway’s entire organization. I look forward to providing you with more CARE committee details and improvements.
Matt Powell, Highway Transport Vice President of Operations

C.A.R.E. Committee Announces Accessorial Pay Increases

In an effort to keep a driver’s daily pay consistent, Highway Transport’s CARE Committee is focusing on accessorial increases for drivers on the following items: Cancelled Load Pay, Delay Pay, and Border Crossing Pay. These accessorial increases become effective on September 13, 2021. These new changes reflect the work of the CARE committee, which dedicated to employee satisfaction and overall improvements.

Pay Increase to Cancelled Loads

In the past, a driver was paid $100 for a cancellation. Now, a driver will be paid his or her daily average wage. The driver will be paid a daily average wage for the cancellation. Cancelled load pay is only to be paid when loads are cancelled within twenty‐four (24) hours or less prior to the scheduled pickup time and no other work is available for that period of time. This improvement was suggested by the CARE committee. This accessorial increase will become effective on September 13, 2021.

What is Highway’s C.A.R.E. program?

CARE is a committee of people who are analyzing everything that touches the life of a driver throughout every day as he or she works for Highway Transport as a professional chemical tanker truck driver. Every moment throughout a driver’s day is being evaluated. It’s all about the day-to-day journey of a driver, and what we can do, as a company, to provide drivers with a good experience. CARE stands for Communicate, Appreciate, Respect, and Evaluate. Thank you to everyone who helps implement CARE, an important program that is shaping Highway’s future.

31 Percent Increase in Driver Delay Pay Rates

In an effort to streamline all types of delay pay, Highway Transport is increasing all rates, so that the pay is the consistent for all situations. The following is a list of the types of delays: Layover One-day (hourly), ROA Breakdown, Road Test (Recruiting), Tank Clean Delay, Weather Delay, Border Crossing Delay, and Dwell Time. As of September 13, the new rate of pay for delays is $16.25 per hour. This is a 31 percent increase to driver delay pay rates. Thank you to the CARE committee and everyone who focuses on improvements for drivers.

C.A.R.E. committee idea for Border Crossing Pay

As of today, a driver is eligible for an additional $100 pay premium for any shipment he/she transports from the United States, across the US/Canada border and into Canada for delivery. This pay item will apply only once per driver per shipment, and will encompass entry and exit to/from Canada on the said shipment. Pay is automatically added to these shipments. In the past, Highway’s border crossing pay was $50. Now, it is $100. Thank you to the CARE committee and everyone who focuses on discovering improvements for drivers.

What is Highway’s CARE program?

CARE is a committee of people who are analyzing everything that touches the life of a driver throughout every day as he or she works for Highway Transport as a professional chemical tanker truck driver. Every moment throughout a driver’s day is being evaluated. It’s all about the day-to-day journey of a driver, and what we can do, as a company, to make each day a better experience. CARE stands for Communicate, Appreciate, Respect, and Evaluate. Thank you to everyone who helps implement CARE, an important program that is shaping Highway’s future.

What CARE Stands For

Highway Transport is striving to be best-in-class and a place where truck drivers want to come to work every day. We’re asking ourselves…what can Highway do to make sure that we do the following: Communicate, Appreciate, Respect, Evaluate.

CARE and Customer Engagement

Highway’s Sales Team is increasing engagement with customers. Highway Transport customers are supporting our new ideas and what we’re doing on the CARE committee. There is a genuine desire, on behalf of customers, to help Highway Transport support the drivers in our fleet. As we are gradually coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are finding that COVID is trying to make a comeback. Customers are reaching out to collaborate during this difficult time.