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Walmart announces driver wage investment in Virginia, will raise salary to nearly $90,000

Posted at 4:00 PM, Jan 25, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-25 16:01:53-05

RICHMOND, Va. - Walmart has announced it will hire "hundreds" of truck drivers and raise driver pay in 2019.

Last year, the company saw same-store comp sales hit three percent, "which is leading to increased demands on the transportation network," according to a press release. Walmart said 1,400 new truck drivers were added to its fleet in 2018.

The release stated Walmart will also raise driver pay beginning in February. That raise involves a one cent per mile increase and additional pay for every arrival, the release states. Walmart drivers will now earn an average of $87,500 a year with "an all-in rate close to 89 cents per mile."

As our business continues to grow, we must recruit and retain the best, safest truck drivers in the industry,” said Gerald Keith, Walmart General Transportation Manager in Gordonsville, VA. “Simply put, we would not be able to deliver Every Day 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 company is also changing its hiring process, adding one-on-one mentoring from veteran drivers.

"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,"  said Lori Furnell, Walmart’s director of driver talent acquisition.

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 they will be home and on the road.  We use a bidding process two to three times a year to set their 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 our drivers drive and earn money rather than waiting for a truck to be fixed. Walmart offers quarterly safety bonuses and 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 5 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 in Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs and distribution centers across the country.

To qualify for training, drivers must have at least 30 months of experience in the past three years and a clean safety record.

Click here to apply to drive for Walmart. For much more, click here.