Photo: courtesy walmartWalmart’s 12,000 long-haul truck drivers got a surprise with the announcement of major pay raises, part of a new program of incentives aimed at attracting drivers amid a nationwide shortage and supply chain woes.Pay for truckers at the big box retailer was already one of the most competitive in the U.S., with starting salaries of more than $87,000. They have now increased to $95,000 to $110,000, according to acompany statement.That’s well above the national median of $47,130 as well as what the highest 10 percent of earners make — about $69,400 — according to theU.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. The company said factors like tenure and location can mean even bigger bucks for drivers who work for the company more than a year.“We’re proud to announce pay raises to ensure Walmart remains one of the best companies in the world to drive for,” said Karisa Sprague, Walmart’s senior vice president for supply chain human resources, said in the statement.The increase comes as retailers and other industries relying on long haul trucking struggle to find drivers. According to theAmerican Trucking Association, the largest trade federation for the American trucking industry, most of the U.S. economy relies on trucking to ship consumer goods. Freight trucks were responsible for more than 72% of all goods transported in 2019, commanding$792 billionand 80% of the nation’s freight.Roughly 3.36 million truck driver hauled goods in 2020, according to theATA, down nearly 7% from the year before. The federation reported that the industry was still down about 80,000 drivers in 2021.Trucking is also one of the riskiest jobs on the market, according to theInsurance Institute for Highway Safety. A total of 4,119 people died in large truck crashes in 2019, up more than 30% from 2009. Long hours, travel and the physical demands of the job also contribute to the industry’s high turnover.In addition to the financial boost for current and prospective drivers, Walmart is investing in its private trucking fleet with a new development program. Trainees will earn their commercial drivers license via a 12-week program in Dallas and Dover, Delaware, where trainees will earn their DCL and begin working for the company, the statement said.“I can’t imagine driving anywhere else. Walmart drivers take a lot of pride in delivering for millions of people every day,” Allyson Hay, Walmart Private Fleet Driver, said in the statement. “You know you’re making a big impact in peoples' lives and helping them live better, and that’s a special feeling.”
Photo: courtesy walmart
Walmart’s 12,000 long-haul truck drivers got a surprise with the announcement of major pay raises, part of a new program of incentives aimed at attracting drivers amid a nationwide shortage and supply chain woes.Pay for truckers at the big box retailer was already one of the most competitive in the U.S., with starting salaries of more than $87,000. They have now increased to $95,000 to $110,000, according to acompany statement.That’s well above the national median of $47,130 as well as what the highest 10 percent of earners make — about $69,400 — according to theU.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. The company said factors like tenure and location can mean even bigger bucks for drivers who work for the company more than a year.“We’re proud to announce pay raises to ensure Walmart remains one of the best companies in the world to drive for,” said Karisa Sprague, Walmart’s senior vice president for supply chain human resources, said in the statement.The increase comes as retailers and other industries relying on long haul trucking struggle to find drivers. According to theAmerican Trucking Association, the largest trade federation for the American trucking industry, most of the U.S. economy relies on trucking to ship consumer goods. Freight trucks were responsible for more than 72% of all goods transported in 2019, commanding$792 billionand 80% of the nation’s freight.Roughly 3.36 million truck driver hauled goods in 2020, according to theATA, down nearly 7% from the year before. The federation reported that the industry was still down about 80,000 drivers in 2021.Trucking is also one of the riskiest jobs on the market, according to theInsurance Institute for Highway Safety. A total of 4,119 people died in large truck crashes in 2019, up more than 30% from 2009. Long hours, travel and the physical demands of the job also contribute to the industry’s high turnover.In addition to the financial boost for current and prospective drivers, Walmart is investing in its private trucking fleet with a new development program. Trainees will earn their commercial drivers license via a 12-week program in Dallas and Dover, Delaware, where trainees will earn their DCL and begin working for the company, the statement said.“I can’t imagine driving anywhere else. Walmart drivers take a lot of pride in delivering for millions of people every day,” Allyson Hay, Walmart Private Fleet Driver, said in the statement. “You know you’re making a big impact in peoples' lives and helping them live better, and that’s a special feeling.”
Walmart’s 12,000 long-haul truck drivers got a surprise with the announcement of major pay raises, part of a new program of incentives aimed at attracting drivers amid a nationwide shortage and supply chain woes.
Pay for truckers at the big box retailer was already one of the most competitive in the U.S., with starting salaries of more than $87,000. They have now increased to $95,000 to $110,000, according to acompany statement.
That’s well above the national median of $47,130 as well as what the highest 10 percent of earners make — about $69,400 — according to theU.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. The company said factors like tenure and location can mean even bigger bucks for drivers who work for the company more than a year.
“We’re proud to announce pay raises to ensure Walmart remains one of the best companies in the world to drive for,” said Karisa Sprague, Walmart’s senior vice president for supply chain human resources, said in the statement.
The increase comes as retailers and other industries relying on long haul trucking struggle to find drivers. According to theAmerican Trucking Association, the largest trade federation for the American trucking industry, most of the U.S. economy relies on trucking to ship consumer goods. Freight trucks were responsible for more than 72% of all goods transported in 2019, commanding$792 billionand 80% of the nation’s freight.
Roughly 3.36 million truck driver hauled goods in 2020, according to theATA, down nearly 7% from the year before. The federation reported that the industry was still down about 80,000 drivers in 2021.
Trucking is also one of the riskiest jobs on the market, according to theInsurance Institute for Highway Safety. A total of 4,119 people died in large truck crashes in 2019, up more than 30% from 2009. Long hours, travel and the physical demands of the job also contribute to the industry’s high turnover.
In addition to the financial boost for current and prospective drivers, Walmart is investing in its private trucking fleet with a new development program. Trainees will earn their commercial drivers license via a 12-week program in Dallas and Dover, Delaware, where trainees will earn their DCL and begin working for the company, the statement said.
“I can’t imagine driving anywhere else. Walmart drivers take a lot of pride in delivering for millions of people every day,” Allyson Hay, Walmart Private Fleet Driver, said in the statement. “You know you’re making a big impact in peoples' lives and helping them live better, and that’s a special feeling.”
source: people.com
