Bulldog Hiway Express, a Daseke company, is rolling out a new program for owner-operators and small fleets who join the company as contractors, one that includes company-supplied electronic logging devices.

Called Lease Plus, in addition to supplied ELDs, Bulldog offers weekly settlements, fuel-surcharge reimbursements, flexible work schedules and a host of other incentives and amenities to those who join the Bulldog Hiway team.

“Lease Plus helps us by bringing quality owner-operators and fleets to our growing business, and it helps them maximize productivity and revenue while taking the worries and expense out of mandatory ELD compliance,” said Philip Byrd Sr., Bulldog’s president and chief executive.

Trucks are required to carry and use electronic log devices by December 18. “We’ve been ELD compliant for a long time and have adjusted to that learning curve,” Byrd said. “We can remove the hassles and financial burdens of meeting the regulation by providing ELDs and let those contractors get back to what they do best – providing safe and efficient freight-transport services to customers.”

By driving for Bulldog, owner-operators and fleets receive 71 percent of the revenue if they use Bulldog’s flat or step trailers, and 73 percent of revenue if they use their own trailers; rates are higher for heavy-haul equipment.

Byrd said contractors could earn $160,000 or more a year on hours-of-service-compliant mileage.

The Lease Plus program includes benefits, such as an interest-bearing escrow account to cover maintenance, a discount fuel-purchase program, legal prepaid services, SmartDrive video technology and free EpicVue in-cab satellite TV.

“We’d love to see a number of independent contractors lease on to us. We have the work and the package that will attract them,” Byrd said.

Founded in 1959, Bulldog handles dedicated and for-hire open-deck operations; intermodal port deliveries; and heavy hauls with loads reaching 180,000 pounds. The company operates throughout the United States and Canada with an emphasis on the automotive and energy sectors including wind, solar and nuclear power. In 2015 Bulldog merged with Daseke, the largest owner of flatbed, open-deck and specialty trucking capacity in North America serving the United States, Canada, and Mexico.