A new and veteran Walmart truck driver complete a pre-trip inspection.
Walmart Inc. of Bentonville said Wednesday that it will raise pay for drivers in its private fleet, bringing the average salary to $87,500 a year.
The publicly traded retailer said in a news release that it will raise pay beginning next month. The company said it hired 1,400 new truck drivers last year, and it plans to hire “hundreds more” this year.
Plans to raise salaries come as Walmart and others in the trucking and logistics industry continue to fight a years-long driver shortage and challenges in recruitment and retention. The American Trucking Associations has estimated a shortage of more than 170,000 drivers by 2024.
Walmart has claimed success in its recruiting efforts, citing new driving on-boarding practices and hiring events introduced last year. The retailer said the initiatives have cut in half the time between a candidate’s initial interview and a mandatory driving assessment, quickening the pace of new hires.
“These hiring events are both improving the skill level of our candidates and enriching their onboarding experience,” Lori Furnell, Walmart’s director of driver talent acquisition, said Wednesday. “We’re leaning heavily on the expertise of our Walmart road team and our certified driver trainers to grow our skilled fleet of professional drivers.”
Walmart said its 1-cent per mile increase and additional pay for every arrival means that drivers will earn on average $87,500 a year and with an all-in rate close to 89 cents per mile.
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