As America continues to reopen, truck drivers are desperately needed to keep pace with the expected economic growth. Trucking companies are desperate to hire drivers, especially long-haul drivers, at this time.
Class A Drivers has over 100 new companies that need truck drivers. When you create a profile with Class A Drivers, we connect you with the companies that are looking for drivers like you.
And here comes the good news: We’re seeing a lot of companies offer new sign-on bonuses and pay increases to entice drivers back to work.
CRST and Others Across the Industry Raise Pay
CRST is one company that is boosting driver pay. For team drivers that do over-the-road routes, CRST is incresaing their base pay by over 30%.
And pay isn’t the only benefit either. CRST’s OTR division is trying to make the career more appealing as well. The company is opening up weekly home-time opportunities in 25 major markets around the US. OTR pay with weekly home time should pique the interest of drivers in these markets.
One special standout is Sisu Energy in Northern Texas. This trucking company is offering drivers a whopping $14,000 a week. Yes, you read that correctly. That’s $728,000 a year for drivers.
Driver for Sisu Energy must be over 25 with two years of experience and a Class A CDL.
Unemployment Benefits Ending
The elephant in the room is that unemployment benefits will be ending soon for many Americans. The federal government extended unemployment payments as a result of the coronavirus crisis because of the massive amount of people that were put out of work.
Many drivers took the opportunity to spend more time with their families and collect these benefits rather than immediately return to work. With these benefits ending soon, we believe now is the right time to take advantage of new hiring bonuses and pay increases being offered by trucking companies.
The federal supplement to existing unemployment is scheduled to end after September 6th with little chance of an extension. Additionally, 20 Republican-led states are ending assistance from federal unemployment programs, and President Joe Biden is unlikely to interfere in this matter for the states.
The supposed goal of ending these programs is to force people back to work. Hopefully the carrot of offering drivers higher pay is recognized as more effective than the stick.