USA Truck Inc. of Van Buren announced it has raised pay for independent drivers.
The changes went into effect Oct. 1 and raised pay to $1.02 to $1.35 per mile, depending on how long of a route the driver has. The company also said drivers would receive discounts for fuel, parts and services at USA Truck facilities.
USA Truck has focused on shrinking its route network geographically and covering it with a smaller in-house fleet. The company reported two consecutive quarters of loss for a combined $3.2 million for 2016.
USA Truck has increased its use of independent drivers by 16.3 percent in the first two quarters of 2016; wage expense has dropped 17.7 percent during the same time span.
“Our continued success in serving our customers derives from selecting the best contractors available, which we can do by providing fair and equitable compensation,” Martin Tewari, president of the company’s Trucking division, said in a news release. “This represents a significant commitment by USA Truck to the success of our independent contractors.”
