Walmart is paying women truckers high wages to defy crisis — here's how much they get paid
Major retail chains are struggling with logistics as their supply chains have been hit by a crisis in the trucking industry. But Walmart seems to be having a smooth ride during the holiday season, because it has been hiring more women truckers. At a time when longer work hours and wages that aren't good enough, Walmart is doling out six-figure salaries.
The retailer knows that deliveries are the lifeblood of its operations in the digital space. Getting customers their products as soon as possible is of utmost importance, and for that, those making the deliveries need to be paid well. According to a report in Fortune, Walmart’s truck drivers get a whopping $115,000 to begin with.
Last year, the median pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $57,440 per year. The retailer has also made sure that the drivers in its employ are happy and comfortable with their jobs. It understands that trucking requires drivers to be away from home for an extended period of time. So, they have come up with technology that allows for more reliable schedules compared to other companies.
The retailer gives its drivers consecutive days off from work and assigns them regional delivery territories to allow them to be home often. Walmart has also done a great job in diversifying its driver force, with women comprising a significant proportion. Trucking is a male-dominated job, with only 9.5% of truck drivers in the country being women. At Walmart, an estimated 18% of drivers are women, and they get paid just as much as the men.
The retailer has formulated a 12-week training program, which has allowed store associates to transition to the trucking industry. It has also increased the number of female truck drivers in recent years. What’s truly surprising is that while the country is suffering from a deficit of truck drivers, Walmart has a surplus. The retailer has a five percentage point oversupply of truck drivers compared to its demand, according to a study conducted by Revelio Labs.
Such a model is crucial for other companies to follow as well if they do not want their online customers to wait a lot longer than expected to get their products. However, that is exactly where things are seemingly headed. The broader trucking industry might see a shortfall of 160,000 drivers by 2028 if things do not get better. Clearly, Walmart’s model is effective, and that’s what retailers may end up adopting in the future.
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