BDR International

92^%

Driver retention rate

75^%

Of BDR drivers prefer Motive to Omnitracs

Michelle Yeck

Safety Manager,
BDR International

The support we get is why we went with Motive. We weren’t getting that with Omnitracs.

Key Points

More advanced features than Omnitracs

Easier-to-use driver app

Simpler compliance and fewer violations

Meet BDR International

With its motto, ‘Business Done Right,’ Canadian trucking company BDR International prides itself on a strong trucking culture and low driver turnover. Established in 1990, BDR acquired M.P. Enterprises and GLG Express, with services that include coverage throughout North America. The asset area of BDR’s business covers LTL services throughout Ontario and parts of the United States. BDR cares for the people it serves, placing an emphasis on the customer and taking care of its employees.

Drivers are critical to the business, and BDR goes the extra mile to retain happy drivers. Unlike many trucking companies today, BDR sees great driver retention. BDR’s Safety Manager Michelle Yeck knows that company culture has a lot to do with why she can only recall a small handful of drivers leaving BDR in the past year.

“We have a very high retention rate of 92% compared to the industry average of 78%. I always have a cache of resumes of people that want to come here, even when we’re not hiring,” says Yeck. “They talk to our drivers on the road who advocate for our company because they are happy and they like how they’re treated.”

Drivers led the switch to Motive

BDR was previously using Omnitracs to manage its fleet. But drivers found it difficult to use. So many drivers downloaded the Motive App on their own because it was much easier to use.

Soon, drivers were asking BDR if the company could make the switch to Motive altogether. “They kept telling us, ‘you know, this is really easy and we really like it. Can we use this?’ Over 75% of my drivers thought that Motive was more user friendly,” recalls Yeck.

Because BDR prioritizes driver retention, the company was eager to explore Motive when drivers explained how much they loved using the app. Already frustrated with using Omnitracs IVG themselves, BDR management was receptive to switching vendors.

“The Omnitracs equipment was very large, there was a long install, and the updates had to be done by USB plugin,” explains Yeck. “You had to download from your computer and then take it out of each individual truck and plug it into the hardware so you could update the new software platform, so it was very cumbersome.”

BDR saw Motive as an opportunity to move its fleet into the future while complying with the ELD mandate for U.S. and international operations.

Yeck recalls the Omnitracs ELDs, stating, “When they broke down, we didn’t really have options, and then they started to have issues when our warranties ran out on them.”

Impressed with the convenience of Motive’s Buyout program, BDR was able to make the switch before the U.S. ELD Mandate went into effect.

Motive’s ELD improves compliance for BDR

A big part of taking care of the BDR drivers is ensuring they are safe, compliant, and free of unnecessary stress. And this comes top-down at BDR.

“We don’t have a lot of Hours of Service infractions because it comes from the top,” says Yeck. “And this is where a lot of companies fail. They don’t comply with regulations or don’t feel they should have to.”

To BDR, non-compliance would run deeper than dealing with violations. “If you’re asking somebody to not comply with Hours of Service, then you’re putting them in a position where they could possibly lose their license,” says Yeck. “And then not be able to provide for their family.”

Motive makes it easy for BDR to comply with the ELD Mandate and avoid HOS violations. BDR management reinforces safe and compliant behavior with clear policies and communication.

“We make sure our dispatchers are aware of Hours of Service and that they don’t push drivers to the point where they have any kind of violation,” explains Yeck.

“We tell drivers to speak up right away if they start seeing their day fall apart because, although we can monitor them and their time through the Motive App, it doesn’t mean that each dispatcher is doing that for every driver.”

BDR delivers better customer service

BDR receives attentive customer service through Motive. Which means BDR can provide better service to its own customers.

“With Motive, we’ve always had someone as our main point of contact, which is great,” says Yeck. “I don’t have to call if I have a problem that I need escalated immediately or I need something looked at right away. We don’t want to have service failures. We want our customers to be able to depend on us, and we want to be able to produce for them what they need.

BDR and Motive share the same business mindset, which is to succeed and to make the customer number one. We both want to be successful with our customers and help them at the end of the day,” concludes Yeck.