According to research by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, career longevity is not as common as it used to be. Many workers end up doing what's called "professional pivoting." A study by the bureau says that the average amount of time someone stays with their current employer is 4.2 years. In the trucking industry, where the grass often seems greener elsewhere and companies have trouble building value with their staff, our industry turnover rate is significant - about 70% on average in 2020. At Averitt Express, we've made it our mission to defy the odds and build one of the best trucking companies around. We're proud to have created a place where people not only want to work, but they continually choose to build long-term careers they can be proud of. Our "Over 20 Team" is significant and growing despite all the challenges that have faced our industry over the last couple of years.
The Over 20 Team is made up of an exclusive group of associates who have been with our team for 20 years or more. We currently have 1,403 experienced truck drivers and team members in this elite group. This is over 15% of our full-time associates and over 16% of all associates. Together, they have given 37,868 years of service to Averitt, and their roles range anywhere from drivers to operations managers and all the way up to vice presidents. Our longest-serving associate is Grant Sasser, who will celebrate 51 years of service at Averitt this year.
Of these 1,403 associates, over half of them are drivers. They have a combined 15,914 years of safe driving, and 483 of these drivers have been driving safely on the road for over 20 years. This is an incredible feat when we live in a world where distracted driving is a major issue and our drivers have to be more diligent than ever to drive safely. We prioritize safety at Averitt, and it means a lot to us to have so many drivers who have maintained lengthy driving records free of preventable accidents. Ours are truly some of the safest and most experienced drivers in the industry.
We're proud to have built a trucking company that values relationships and the needs of our associates. Our family-friendly atmosphere is at the foundation of all that we do. We're able to support our CDL-A drivers through fantastic home time options, top pay, great insurance benefits, numerous career opportunities and other great financial and lifestyle advantages. Ask any of our drivers and they'll tell you the Averitt culture is truly unlike any other trucking company around.
Other interesting stats about our Over 20 Team list:
If you're an experienced CDL-A driver interested in building a career at a trucking company that's invested in your success, Averitt is the place for you. Connect with us and start your journey to joining our Over 20 Team.