By Jay Sackos, Vice President Sales, 28Freight
When companies evaluate transportation providers, they often focus on rates, transit times, technology, and coverage areas. While those factors matter, one of the strongest indicators of service quality is rarely discussed:
How long has the carrier retained its drivers?
For organizations shipping time-sensitive, high-value, or customer-critical freight, driver retention is more than a workforce statistic. It is a direct reflection of operational consistency, chain of custody integrity, and service reliability.
The Hidden Connection Between Retention and Performance
Every shipment changes hands multiple times throughout its journey. Each handoff introduces risk.
The most successful transportation providers minimize that risk by creating consistency in the people handling freight. Drivers who remain with a company for years develop deep familiarity with customer requirements, delivery locations, operating procedures, and communication expectations.
They know:
That institutional knowledge cannot be replicated through technology alone.
Familiar Drivers Strengthen Chain of Custody
Think about the difference between a driver making a delivery to a location for the first time and a driver who has serviced that customer for years.
An experienced driver already knows the shipping and receiving contacts, site-specific security procedures, preferred delivery windows, handling requirements, and who to contact if something unexpected occurs. That familiarity reduces mistakes, prevents delays, and creates a better customer experience.
For industries where chain of custody is critical, including medical devices, healthcare, laboratory services, legal documents, critical manufacturing components, and other high-value shipments, that consistency becomes even more important.
Long-tenured drivers understand documentation requirements, follow established procedures, recognize unusual situations before they become problems, and maintain accountability throughout the shipment journey. They are not simply moving freight. They are protecting the integrity of the shipment from pickup to delivery.
When drivers know their customers, they become an extension of the customer’s operation. The result is stronger chain of custody, greater reliability, and a level of service that is difficult to achieve with a constantly changing workforce.
What the Data Shows at 28Freight
At 28Freight, we recently reviewed driver tenure across our operation.
The results reinforce what we’ve always believed: experience matters.
Among our current driver team:
More importantly, these drivers are not just employees. They are trusted professionals who have built lasting relationships with customers throughout New England and beyond.
Their familiarity with customer locations, procedures, and expectations directly contributes to the service consistency our customers depend on every day.
The Bottom Line
Driver retention is not just a workforce metric. It is a leading indicator of service quality, operational consistency, and chain of custody integrity.
When evaluating transportation providers, ask questions that go beyond pricing and capacity. What is your driver retention rate? How long has your average driver been with the company? How many drivers have been with you for five years or longer? How do you ensure continuity for key customer accounts? Do the same drivers regularly service the same customers?
The answers can tell you a great deal about the quality and consistency of the service you can expect.
Carriers that retain experienced drivers are more likely to provide stronger chain of custody, better communication, fewer service disruptions, greater accountability, and more reliable customer experiences.
The next time you’re evaluating a transportation partner, don’t just ask how quickly they can move your freight or how much they charge.
Ask how long they’ve kept the people moving it.
Because when drivers stay, knowledge stays. Relationships stay. Quality stays.