Samsara’s Free Perks for Drivers: The Retention Game Changer Fleets Won’t
Over 50 brands now offer discounts to professional drivers at zero cost to fleets or employees.
The initiative, called Driver Perks, offers professional drivers free access to discounts from more than 50 brands, spanning fitness, wellness, travel, and food and beverage, without any cost to drivers or their employers.
Launched during Driver Appreciation Month in September, the programme has already seen tens of thousands of drivers visit its dedicated site, with redemptions running at a high rate. The rollout marks a strategic shift for Samsara, expanding its platform beyond telematics to address workforce retention, a critical issue for fleets struggling to retain qualified drivers.
Why Fleets Are Turning to Driver Perks to Boost Retention
Samsara’s Driver Perks programme aims to address these pain points by providing tangible benefits that enhance drivers’ quality of life.
The programme’s brand lineup was shaped by direct feedback from drivers, including surveys and input from the Samsara Driver Council, which represents a diverse range of operators, from short-haul and last-mile to commuter and long-haul drivers. Contrary to initial expectations, drivers prioritised wellness and family time over convenience items. Fitness memberships, audiobooks, and travel discounts emerged as the most sought-after perks, alongside unexpected demand for portable grills and outdoor cooking gear, which led to a partnership with Pit Boss Grills.
Kelly Soderlund, Samsara’s Head of Insights, emphasised the programme’s unique value proposition:
“It’s the first rewards program built for professional drivers that is at no cost to them or their employees.”
Kelly Soderlund·Head of Insights at Samsara
For fleets, the programme offers a turnkey solution to improve retention without the overhead of developing and managing such initiatives in-house. By integrating Driver Perks into their operations, fleets can provide a ready-made employee benefit that enhances driver satisfaction and loyalty.
How Samsara Is Recognising Drivers Beyond Discounts
In addition to the perks programme, Samsara ran the Driver Cup, a competition that scored drivers on safety, compliance, and efficiency using telematics data. The top 1% of drivers nationally were recognised as winners, with Samsara organising in-person award events to celebrate their achievements.
The first event took place at the Tillamook factory in Oregon, followed by a gathering at Crum Trucking in Indiana, where roughly 60 team members came together to honour their drivers. These events underscore Samsara’s commitment to recognising drivers as the backbone of the industry, a sentiment echoed by Soderlund:
“They’re the ones who are gonna have to, at the end of the day, be adopting the technology. They’re on the front lines.”
Kelly Soderlund·Head of Insights at Samsara
To further amplify driver recognition, Samsara placed advertising in Times Square in New York, a high-profile move that highlights the critical role of professional drivers in keeping supply chains moving.
The programme’s success has set the stage for future expansions. Samsara plans to continue its in-person recognition events, grow the perks marketplace, and integrate appreciation features into its core product. With National Truckers Day on October 4 just around the corner, the company is poised to build on the momentum generated by its September initiatives.
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