Skilled drivers – who tend to be in their late 40s and 50s, according to government and industry officials – remain in short supply. Federal restrictions on daily working hours, the COVID-19 pandemic and other obstacles have prompted many truck drivers to resign. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Walmart drivers were already among the highest paid in the country. Now, the world’s largest retailer is raising the reins, restoring truck drivers’ starting salaries to $ 95,000 to $ 110,000 per year, up from $ 87,500 in the past. That’s well above the $ 47,130 median 2020 wage for US grandchildren, whose “real” gains have lagged behind inflation and remain at about 70% of what they were in the 1970s, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to the office, about 1.9 million drivers of large machinery are moving on the country’s roads. “We are proud to announce salary increases to ensure Walmart remains one of the best companies in the world to lead,” said Karisa Sprague, Walmart Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Supply Chain. Consumer demand for everything from food to furniture soared during the pandemic. This overfilled resources – from truck availability and seaport capacity to warehousing and distribution – by streamlining the flow of goods and fueling higher costs. At Walmart alone, the cost of the supply chain was $ 400 million higher than expected in the fourth quarter ending Jan. 28, which marked the crucial shopping spree, the company said. Recent data suggest that pandemic demand may be declining. Commerce Department figures released last week suggest that pandemic-powered purchases of natural goods may have peaked as consumers continue to spend on travel and leisure. read more [Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/3IPvXEI] Walmart’s 12-week in-house truck training program allows employees to obtain a commercial driver’s license and become full-time Walmart private fleet drivers. Walmart covers the cost of this training from approximately $ 4,000 to $ 5,000. The company, which pays a sign-up bonus of up to $ 10,000, hired 4,500 truck drivers last year, bringing its workforce to about 12,000. It has already graduated 17 new class drivers in Texas and Delaware and plans to expand the program this year to train between 400 and 800 freight drivers at its more than 5,300 stores in the US Walmart and Sam’s Club. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Report by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles and Arriana McLymore in New York. curated by Jonathan Oatis Our role models: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
