Beginning in February, drivers for Walmart will receive a per mile increase of $0.01 and a 50-cent increase in activity pay for arrive and arrive/drop occurrences. Each year, Walmart’s 8,000 drivers travel over 700 million miles and deliver millions of cases of merchandise to 4,700 Walmart and Sam’s Club locations across the nation.

In Texas, Walmart employs 169,000 associates at 598 retail units while also spending $52.4 billion with 285,000 Texas suppliers in 2018.

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.

“Truck drivers are a critical part of our team here at Walmart and have been since Sam Walton started the private truck fleet in the 1970s,” said Greg Smith, executive vice president of Walmart U.S. Supply Chain. “Our professional drivers are part of what makes Walmart so special. This wage increase reflects the importance of our private fleet and our commitment to recruiting and retaining the best drivers in the industry.”

The wage increase is the latest step from Walmart to maintain the strength of its professional trucking fleet. The company also dramatically revamped its hiring and onboarding program, shortening the application and onboarding time by more than 50 percent.   

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.