How Boyle Transportation Created a Driver Recognition Program That Boosts Safety, Efficiency — and Morale
July 2, 2025
July 2, 2025
At Boyle Transportation, safety and professionalism have long been cornerstones of the company’s culture. But when Assistant General Manager and VP of EHS and Quality, Michael Lasko, set out to evolve their driver recognition program, he had something bigger in mind: creating a culture that didn’t just reward top performers, but elevated all drivers, and took the fleet’s performance to the next level.
“We had done a monthly incentive competition for a number of years and we wanted to try to recognize and reward drivers that are not just doing it right, but leading the fleet,” said Lasko. Initially, the program highlighted a small group of consistently high performers. “After six months, it started to feel repetitive. The same five drivers were winning every time. We still wanted to recognize top performers but not leave everyone else out.”
That sparked a more inclusive and dynamic approach. Lasko began rotating the focus each month, using real-time safety and performance data to surface different metrics, everything from speeding events and tailgating to GreenZone scores, so that drivers across the fleet had an opportunity to be recognized and rewarded.
Boyle Transportation is no stranger to high standards. The company is ISO 14001 certified, an accomplishment held by only a select few transportation providers in North America. With a spotless safety record (no recordable, preventable accidents since 2019), Lasko and the team were ready to expand their focus to fuel efficiency and environmental stewardship.
“I decided to use this safety program we already have in place for the drivers, and we can start recognizing and rewarding drivers who are driving efficiently. It’s a marriage between safety and efficiency,” Lasko said.
By emphasizing metrics like miles per gallon (MPG) and idle time, alongside safe driving behaviors, Boyle saw impressive results. With support from Netradyne, which co-sponsored the competition, the team launched an MPG-focused challenge that paid off big time.
“By focusing on efficiency, we increased our fleet MPG by over a mile per gallon. We distributed almost $13,000 in rewards to more than 70 drivers… MPG went up again by another mile per gallon. This recognition program paid for itself in fuel savings.”
Michael Lasko
VP of EHS and Quality at Boyle Transportation
As Boyle Transportation was integrating with Skelton USA, Lasko recognized the need to keep morale high and unify the fleet around a shared goal. “The timing of our recognition program couldn't have been better because it definitely helped to boost morale and gave them something to strive for,” said Lasko.
In addition to performance-based rewards, the team introduced inclusive initiatives like competitions for completing virtual coaching. “You're going to have your top performers, but then you're going to have those folks that go out there and they give 100%, but they're not competitive with some of the high achievers,” Lasko said. “We have found that creating some achievable goals also provides a great incentive and everyone feels like a winner.”
The program has had a profound impact across the board, and drivers are taking notice. “It's awesome to watch Boyle rewarding its drivers like no other company I've ever worked with before,” said Kip Fuller, a driver who was the top MPG performer. “This guy came in at 9.8 MPG over three months, if you can believe that. According to Freightliner, only highly trained professional drivers, running coast to coast and optimizing every variable, even down to wind direction, typically achieve that level of MPG,” said Lasko.
Much of the program’s success hinges on Boyle’s use of Netradyne’s IDMS platform. With advanced video safety analytics and performance dashboards, the platform provides transparency and removes guesswork.
“IDMS removes subjectivity. With IDMS, it's objective evidence of performance. We know exactly what positives and areas of improvement exist for every single driver, and we're able to tailor our approach individually for each driver because of that data. It levels the playing field for all our drivers.”
Michael Lasko
VP of EHS and Quality at Boyle Transportation
For fleets looking to launch a similar initiative, Lasko offered this advice: “For every penny that you spend on a program like this will come back to you dressed up like a nickel.”
And with measurable safety improvements, increased fuel efficiency, and higher morale, it's clear Boyle’s program is doing that and more.
* Individual results and conditions may vary.
** Based on customer data.
† Netradyne must receive written approval to share client data.
Images may be for illustrative purposes only and may not be an exact representation of a product.
