Truck driver wages are constantly going up
The demand for freight transport remains very high, but the shortage of qualified drivers to meet these requirements is yet more.
Increased consumer spending has led the freight transport market to be at the peak of worldwide demand for more than a year.
However, many truckers who left the industry at the beginning of the pandemic over fears of picking up the virus never returned. Low attendance of driving schools due to COVID protocols and nearly 100000 operators with positive drug tests are just a few pitfalls that faced fleets.
The result was a rush to raise wages to hold down well skilled drivers.
Last week intermodal transport company in Chicago, Mark-it Express, announced salary raise for its drivers in Illinois. Drivers transporting hazardous materials will earn $ 30 an hour, while non-certified drivers – $ 27 an hour.
President Tony Apa said the new rates are expected to increase from 20% to 40% for drivers who have received a certification of protection from hazardous substance. He called the growth rate “a record high and a crucial moment in the industry.”
Drivers at two other branches of the company, Detroit and Kansas City, Kansas, will also feel the pay rise.
“As a former driver, I`ve always been supporting drivers and their wages. I know this is a very difficult and stressful job. Every hardworking driver deserves every penny that he earned,”said James Helwig, founder and CEO of JS Helwig & Son. “We truly want our firm to be a home for drivers, a place where they are happy to work, and a place where they can make good money, saving for retirement!”
The company said that additional drivers` benefits will be announced “by the end of the year.”
BCB Transport from Mansfield, Texas, recently raised salaries for the second time in 2021. The latest increase was the largest in more than a decade from the time of the company`s existence. In addition, each driver will receive a $ 1000 bonus, no matter how long he has been working in the company.
This way many companies are now working to keep their drivers in positions and don`t forget about their safety and future growth.
