Drivers do more than just get passengers from point A to point B. Their daily commitment helps transit agencies deliver reliable service that is essential to communities. Drivers often serve as the first and last point of contact for many residents as well. However, it’s no secret that many agencies still face challenges when it comes to driver retention and recruitment. In fact, recent research from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) revealed that 85% of transit agencies continue to face worker shortages and 84% report that these shortages impact their ability to provide critical services.
In an industry where the passenger experience depends on interactions with drivers and their performance, ensuring job satisfaction is essential to operational success. But this can be a challenge as every day brings a different set of challenges. These can range from balancing excellent customer service to combating the pressure of staying on schedule, all while navigating traffic, various road conditions, and unexpected situations like vehicle breakdowns. On top of that, drivers have long felt underappreciated or left without the training they need when new processes or technologies are implemented—which can quickly lead to burnout and high turnover.
The good news? Agencies can change this story.
Here are three impactful actions that can be taken to boost driver retention and build a stronger, more motivated team:
Recognition in the workplace reinforces a sense of achievement and ensures employees feel valued for their contributions. Beyond strengthening individual engagement, it has been shown to foster loyalty and enhance productivity across the organization. According to Gallup and Workhuman’s analysis, employees who receive high-quality recognition are less likely to leave their jobs. In fact, well recognized employees were 45% less likely to have turned over two years later.
One of RideCo’s long-standing agency partners, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Houston METRO), has been celebrating and rewarding excellence by spotlighting #AwesomeOperators on its social media. This campaign not only encourages public appreciation for the operators, but also share how these operators connect the Houston community both inside and outside the vehicles.
RideCo also hosts its bi-annual Excellence on Wheels Award, a program aiming to recognize the heroes that support RideCo-powered paratransit and microtransit services. Using Data Insights within RideCo’s platform, the top performers are identified based on results from their Driver Scorecard, a robust summary that provides agencies with actionable information on driver trends and performance, as well as their average ride rating over the six-month period.
During the inaugural Excellence on Wheels Award, RideCo, zTrip, and VIA Metropolitan Transit celebrated operator, Greg “Goldie” Williams, who was recognized as the first Highest Rated Operator Based on Driver Scorecard. During the award ceremony, Goldie shared:
Thank you for this award. I love my role at VIA Link because I get to do the three things I love every day—help people get where they need to go, meet new people, and talk all day long!
When agencies modernize their paratransit systems or launch microtransit services using RideCo’s on-demand transit platform, the RideCo Customer Success Team supports the transition through providing comprehensive pre-launch training virtually, in the classroom, and out on the road. Investing in this crucial step during the implementation process equips operators with the knowledge and skills needed to handle the daily challenges of the job, increasing their confidence in their roles. When employees are properly trained and are offered continuous career development opportunities, 76% of employees say they are more likely to stay with the company.
To prepare them for pre-launch training, drivers are provided access to RideCo University, an online learning portal offering self-paced courses and assessments, available 24/7. Virtual and in-person training is then delivered through user-specific courses that match the agency’s updated standard operating procedures, where the entire operations team participates in sessions that include guided instruction and hands-on practice using the RideCo platform.
Ongoing training also builds pride and purpose. When drivers understand how their individual roles contribute to the operation’s bigger mission, they are more engaged and invested in its continued success.
Dispatching teams can leverage tools such as Driver Alerts, which shows an aggregated view flagging late pick-ups and drop-offs, missed waypoints, or deviation from expected steps during service, so dispatchers can proactively address performance concerns in real time and provide notes to support coaching or additional training. Driver Scorecard provides both visual and statistical insight into drivers’ performance over the past 90 days, which promotes transparency and accountability. In combination with regular feedback sessions, these tools can equip operators with actionable items to support professional development and create a culture of continuous improvement, increasing both productivity across the organization.
[Our drivers don't] have to keep track of their whole manifest and worry about their trips later in the shift. They can focus on the trip they're doing. Driver Scorecards are also posted weekly in the breakroom and they like seeing scores like on-time performance and know that they are doing well.
— Brittney Darnell, Mobility Manager, SporTran
Providing strong support and effective tools that make their jobs easier not only improves operational efficiency, it also plays a critical role in employee retention. When day-to-day responsibilities are more streamlined, there is less frustration, and drivers can focus on maintaining high customer service levels and staying on schedule.
For example, RideCo’s patent continuous optimization engine, Solver, reduces decision fatigue and supports drivers in achieving high on-time performance by mitigating the impact of traffic, road conditions, and unexpected situations through dynamic scheduling and routing. In real time, Solver distributes all impacted trips across the available fleet and reoptimizes manifests against guaranteed arrival times, vehicle locations, driver breaks, and more.
Communication is also improved using RideCo’s dispatching software. All optimizations made by Solver are synchronized with both Operations Center and Driver App, the in-vehicle app that provides turn-by-turn audiovisual navigation and support. Operators are notified in real time of changes to their manifest through the Driver App, eliminating unnecessary back and forth radio and phone communication between operators and dispatchers, thus reducing miscommunication and stress. Riders also receive updated ETAs through the Passenger App, Short Message Service (SMS), or interactive voice response (IVR) systems.
With RideCo’s platform, booked trips have different boarding and alighting times based on passenger eligibility type, seat type, and specific stop types (e.g. pick-ups and drop-offs at medical centers), ensuring drivers have the appropriate amount of time to assist passengers using ramps, lifts, and mobility device securements. Important notes are also communicated to drivers in advance, such as gate codes and general information (e.g. “Ring doorbell, passenger is hearing impaired.) These play a key role in assisting drivers deliver top-notch customer service.
[RideCo's system] takes a lot of the stress off of the dispatchers and operators. Before if there was an interruption in service, the effort it took to move trips around and keep things on time was tremendous. Now, they don't have to worry about ... the ripple effect because the system just makes those adjustments. Our dispatchers were almost tearful because they realized how much easier it made their world.
— Cassandra West, Assistant Chief Operating Officer, SEPTA
Riders can feel when people behind the wheel are supported, and in celebrating and rewarding excellence, investing in training and professional development, and providing tools that make their jobs easier, agencies can reduce turnover and strengthen driver retention to create a more committed and proud workforce that moves communities forward. Learn how your agency can do the same by booking a demo with the RideCo team.
