Increase comes just 15 months after company’s first $10 million announcement
CEDAR RAPIDS IOWA (March 11 2015) – CRST Expedited Inc. the largest operating company of CRST International Inc. has announced a second $10 million pay increase to its experienced drivers. The increase went into effect on Jan. 15 and comes just 15 months after the company’s first $10 million increase in driver pay.
“The raises are designed to reward experienced drivers and incent driver tenure in a highly competitive marketplace” said Cameron Holzer President of CRST Expedited. ““As the driver shortage worsens the competition for qualified experienced drivers continues to increase. As CRST continues to grow we need to invest in our drivers to retain and grow our fleet.”
In addition to the pay raise CRST has implemented a culture-changing initiative focused on improving the driver experience and reducing driver turnover. The Gold Rules initiative emphasizes a corporate culture that centers on meeting all driver needs providing regular driver home time and increased pay. Since the initiative began eight months ago driver turnover has declined by 20 percent.
“We believe that the combination of our culture-changing Gold Rules initiative plus the pay increase will make CRST a great place for drivers to build their careers” said Holzer. “Additionally we believe the entire industry will need to increase wages for drivers in order to ease the perpetual driver shortage.”
CRST has invested in drivers in other ways over the past several years: by building a state-of-the-art driver training and truck repair facility in Riverside Calif.; expanding the driver training facility in Cedar Rapids Iowa; and launching a Commercial Drivers’ License (CDL) training academy (the North American Driver Training Academy) in Cedar Rapids.
CRST trains up to 250 new drivers each week in its modern facilities. It offers on-campus lodging classrooms affordable quality meals and entertainment. Additionally the company offers best-in-class safety training to its drivers at no cost. Due to this investment CRST has become one of the largest driver training organizations in the truck transportation industry.
In the past few years CRST has grown through acquisitions and organic business growth to become one of the largest and most diversified transportation companies in the U.S. with projected 2015 annual revenues in excess of $1.5 billion. It currently employs more than 7000 company drivers independent contractors and office personnel across the nation.
Cedar Rapids Iowa–based CRST International Inc. is one of the largest privately-held transportation companies in the United States. Through its eight operating companies CRST provides a broad array of transportation solutions including expedited van flatbed dedicated services brokerage transportation management high value product white glove moving services and expedited temperature controlled team services. CRST’s operating companies are made up of CRST Expedited Inc. CRST Malone Inc. CRST Dedicated Services Inc. CRST Logistics Inc. CRST Specialized Transportation (STI) Temperature Controlled Team Service (TCTS) BESL Transfer Company and Pegasus Transportation Inc. For more information visit www.crst.com or call (800) 736-CRST (2778).