Walmart announced Thursday an investment in driver wages. This investment represents Walmart’s commitment to maintaining its position as one of the best jobs in the transportation industry and the importance of recruiting and retaining the best drivers.

Beginning in February drivers will receive a per mile increase of $0.01 and a 50-cent increase in activity pay for arrive and arrive/drop occurrences. That means Walmart drivers will now be paid up to $1 every time they arrive at their destination and drop a trailer. With this increase, Walmart drivers can earn an average of $87,500 in their first year of employment with an all-in rate of nearly 89 cents per mile.

“As our business continues to grow, we must recruit and retain the best, safest truck drivers in the industry,” said Kevin Huggins, Walmart general transportation manager for California. “Simply put, we would not be able to deliver Everyday Low Prices to Walmart shoppers without our first-class fleet of professional drivers. This wage increase demonstrates our commitment to one of the most critical parts of our team.”

The perks and benefits of driving for Walmart extend well beyond the competitive per mile rate and activity-based pay. Some of the reasons truck drivers say they enjoy working for Walmart include:
– Great benefits. Walmart drivers have access to company benefits on the first day and can earn as much as 21 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) in their first year.
– Predictable home time. Walmart operates on a weekly schedule, so drivers know when they will be home -and on the road. We use a bidding process two to three times a year to set driver schedules, so drivers know where they stand on work-life balance.
– Walmart is one of the safest fleets operating with contemporary well-maintained equipment. At Walmart, drivers drive and earn money rather than waiting for a truck to be fixed. Walmart offers quarterly safety bonuses, a safety incentive, and recognition programs. The American Transportation Association has awarded Walmart the Safest Fleet in the Over 250 Million Mile Division for the past five consecutive years.
– Transportation offices all over the country. Walmart operates more than 70 transportation offices throughout the U.S.
– No-touch freight. Walmart truck drivers don’t unload trucks.
– Safe parking. Walmart drivers park in well-lit, safe parking lots at Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs and distribution centers across the country.

The modern trucking industry operates in every aspect of economic life, delivering everything from textbooks and medical supplies to retail goods and construction materials and truck drivers are an essential component of ensuring the trucking industry remains healthy in our state,” said Shawn Yadon, CEO of the California Trucking Association “Walmart’s drivers set a high industry benchmark for professionalism and performance and we applaud Walmart’s commitment to retaining and recruiting highly talented individuals for their private fleet.”

This wage increase is the latest step from Walmart to maintain the strength of its professional trucking fleet. Walmart’s drivers are helping the company recruit the best drivers, and the company is seeing an increase in referrals. The company also dramatically revamped its hiring and onboarding program, shortening the application and onboarding time by more than 50 percent.

Each year, Walmart’s 8,000 drivers travel more than 700 million miles and deliver millions of cases of merchandise to Walmart and Sam’s Club’s 4,700 locations across the nation — all while remaining one of the largest and safest fleets on the road. Walmart drivers are among the most experienced as well. To drive for Walmart, a commercial driver must have at least 30 months of full-time experience with no serious traffic violations in the last three years.

To apply to drive for Walmart, visit drive4walmart.com.

About Walmart in California
Walmart Inc. helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, over 260 million customers and members visit our more than 11,600 stores under nearly 60 banners in 28 countries and eCommerce websites. In California, we serve customers at 303 retail units and online through Walmart Grocery Pickup, Walmart.com and Jet.com. We are proud to employ more than 91,000 associates in California. Walmart supports local businesses, spending $24 billion with California suppliers in FY18, which supported 257,706 supplier jobs. Learn more at the Walmart Today blog, and our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram channels.