CDL Drivers Can Pick Their Pay Packages And Perks In Face Of Acute Driver Shortages

Anyone who has visited the supermarket lately will notice some of their favorite items are not in stock. Media stories of shoppers fighting over the last box of Cheerios are pervading the nightly news. Medical supplies are also being zealously coveted. As a result of hoarding, the number of shipper and CDL truck driver positions available is soaring. 

Consumers buying up products on virtual shelves are sending the velocity of goods moving through the supply chain spinning like a top. As manufacturers work over time, the logistics industry is scurrying to fill supply shortages. The need for truck drivers is growing. 

The high demand for drivers comes as the trucking industry is already suffering from a shortage in CDL and CDL A truck driver positions. An indeed.com search turns up over 74,000 CDL truck driver positions available with an annual salary range of $65,000–$100,000. The truck driver shortage is expected to increase 2.5-fold over the next decade. 

The steady rise in available CDL A truck driver positions in recent years has been partly a result of competition for delivery drivers, especially among online commerce and food delivery services. This competition is intensifying. After filling 100,000 positions in March and increasing hourly pay by $2 an hour, Amazon is seeking to hire another 75,000 warehouse and delivery workers. Walmart and other grocery chains are also raising pay as they fight over logistics workers. 

Generous perks are being offered to sweeten the pot and fill more CDL truck driver positions. Full healthcare—often extended to family and part-time worker, pensions with high 401k matching funds, and comprehensive insurance coverage are on the table. Other standard perks are long vacations, cash bonuses, and subsidized education.

Companies are starting to roll out the red carpet. One of the world's largest logistics providers, Schneider, pampers truck drivers with free NFL games and NASCAR races, with hotel and food costs thrown in—if you stick around for five years. Concierge services while on the road are another convenience.

The famous perks of Amazon and other tech giants may not be available to drivers, though. CDL drivers should check to see if they are being hired by a third party delivery service partner (DSP). Amazon drivers, for example, may not receive the new $15 minimum wage as wages and benefits are set by each DSP.

For job searchers considering becoming CDL truck drivers, free or subsidized certification and training could be provided by the employer. If you have friends also searching for driver jobs, driver referral programs can pay as high as $2,000.