Road Captain Summit April 2026 recap
Some of the most important conversations don’t happen in a boardroom — they happen on the road. At this year’s Road Captain Summit, we pulled over and listened.
There’s a saying that if you want to know how the road actually runs, you ask the people driving it. That’s exactly what the Road Captain Summit set out to do — and this year, drivers showed up ready to deliver. From the opening session to the final conversation, the energy in the room was palpable. Leaders across the board noted it as one of the most engaged and productive summits to date.
Drivers came not just to be heard, but to be helpful — sharing real situations, asking sharp questions, and bringing genuine ideas to the table. The result was a candid, productive exchange that gives us a clearer picture of what’s working, what needs attention, and where we’re headed together.
There was a noticeable focus on making things better.
Positive momentum — drivers are feeling it
- Driver Profit Sharing landed with better reception than expected
- Strong confidence in the direction of the business and freight environment
- Drivers valued the opportunity to give real input and feel genuinely heard
- Excitement building around new technology, including camera-based mirror systems
Key Themes
Tablets & routing tools need to work better in the cab
Across every group, tablet usability surfaced as the most consistent pain point. New and experienced drivers alike shared frustrations around route selection, re-routing, fuel stop changes, and understanding trip details. Many drivers rely on the Trips screen over messages — and key information is often missing or inconsistent between the two.
The issue isn’t a lack of tools. It’s usability, clarity, and reinforcement. This is an area ripe for meaningful improvement.
Orientation is a strong start — the first weeks are where we can do more
Drivers are being taught the right things, but information overload during orientation means much of it doesn’t stick by the time it’s actually needed in those critical first one to two weeks on the road. Road Captains are fielding basic questions that were already covered in training.
The opportunity: simplify initial training to core essentials, then reinforce through short, targeted touchpoints (videos, coaching moments, or RC check-ins) during the first four to eight weeks.
Split loads run smoother with communication on the front end
Split loads are a regular part of how we operate, and drivers had clear, practical input on making handoffs run more smoothly. Weighing loads ahead of time, communicating clearly about when both drivers need to be at the meeting location, and keeping everyone working from the same plan throughout the process go a long way toward avoiding unnecessary delays.
Road Captains build trust through relationships, not just training
The most effective Road Captains are connectors. Drivers highlighted that RCs make the biggest difference when they build a relationship first, keep things simple from the start, adjust their approach based on individual experience, and show up for real-world situations. These connections are what help drivers succeed and feel supported long after orientation ends.
Resources exist — finding them in the moment is the challenge
There’s no shortage of training videos, tools, and messages available to drivers. The challenge is access and relevance at the right moment. Training videos are hard to find or share, messages arrive too frequently and often get ignored, and important details are buried in workflows. Drivers are clear about what they prefer: simple, quick-hit information over volume.
Items we’re exploring and taking action on
The conversations from this summit don’t end in the room. Here’s what’s on the table as we move forward:
Areas of focus
- Simplifying and improving tablet, LiNK, and routing workflows
- Additional post-orientation support during a driver’s first few weeks
- Better clarity and consistency on split load communication and handoffs
- Making training resources easier to find and use in real time
- Streamlining driver messaging to surface what matters most
- Continued evaluation of technology that supports safety and efficiency
- Leveraging Road Captains as a stronger driver-to-driver voice
- Improving alignment and communication between drivers and operations
- Enhancing trip planning visibility and key load information
A huge thank you to every Road Captain and driver who participated, shared, and showed up fully for this summit. Your voice is how we get better — keep it coming.
