Heartland Express Inc. of Iowa has announced it is raising pay for its Jacksonville, Fla., region drivers. Heartland is hiking the top pay for company drivers to $.43 per mile.

Michael Gerdin, president of Heartland Express says, “We were given a direction by our chairman and CEO to move driver pay higher. This certainly does that in the Florida market. We believe this raise increases our leadership position for driver pay in the state and we are committed to getting all drivers the pay that they truly deserve.”
Heartland recently increased driver pay for those drivers who hold the hazardous endorsement on their license by a penny per mile for all dispatch miles hazardous or not. This was believed to be an industry first. They are also increasing their OTR driver pay by 4 cents in 2006, making the top driver pay $.50 per mile. Also, Heartland Express was the first to develop a pay program called GREEN MILE$ which pays even more for those miles run in the northeast area of the country. Drivers running there can earn as much as $.54 per mile.

For more information, visit www.heartlandexpress.com.