Across the LTL trucking industry, today’s truck drivers are clear about what matters most: pay, consistent schedules, and a career that supports life off the road. And freight carriers like Estes are continuing to make strategic moves amidst a soft freight market to keep meeting those needs.
Estes has a long-standing commitment to supporting its drivers, and despite the ongoing market pressures, the carrier has continued to increase wages and benefits. “The increases over time really are a ‘thank you’ for the hard work our employees put in every single day to take care of our customers,” said Greg Richardson, vice president of human resources at Estes.
Alongside compensation and benefits, Estes implements operational strategies to enhance work-life balance for drivers. Some include restructuring routes and dispatching practices, expanding guaranteed-pay programs, and adjusting schedules to provide more predictable home time. “We continue to see really strong retention numbers,” Richardson said. “Focusing on work-life balance has helped us from a retention perspective.”
And by expanding the use of real-time operational technology, Estes is able to proactively manage its network by balancing freight flows, reducing transit times, and deploying drivers more precisely—ensuring efficient, consistent service even within a challenging market environment.
Through these combined efforts, Estes is staying agile while maintaining a supportive working environment for drivers and delivering the reliable freight shipping services customers count on.
Read the full Transport Topics article to learn more about how Estes and other LTL freight carriers are adapting to today’s market.
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About Estes
Estes is North America’s largest privately owned freight carrier. As an asset-based transportation provider with a global footprint, Estes combines nearly a century of regional freight shipping expertise with the resources, reach, and reliability of a national carrier. Backed by its more than 300 North American terminals and nearly 7,000 next-day lanes, as well as its fleet of more than 10,500 tractors, Estes is committed to getting America's freight where it needs to go, when it needs to get there. And with its continued investment in leading-edge technology, as well as the support of its more than 24,000 employees, Estes always goes the extra mile to deliver exceptional experiences that keep its customers coming back. The carrier’s comprehensive freight shipping solutions include Less Than Truckload (LTL), Volume LTL and Truckload, Time Critical Guaranteed, Custom Shipping and Logistics, and Final Mile. From short-haul to global freight forwarding—Estes does it all.
