Tyson Foods Ups Driver Pay
Tyson Foods has announced a new pay package for long-haul drivers in its private fleet as an incentive to recruit and retain drivers.
Tyson Foods has increased pay for its long-haul drivers to improve recruiting and retention. Photo: Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods has announced a new pay package for long-haul drivers in its private fleet as an incentive to recruit and retain drivers.
Starting pay under the new compensation plan could be up to 49 cents per mile depending on experience. Drivers will top out at 51 cents per mile and teams can start out as high as 52 cents per mile with a top pay of 54 cents per mile. Tyson said its drivers average 2,600 miles per week and up to 5,500 miles per week on teams.
Regional drivers have also been given a pay increase. with pay starting at 48-51 cents per mile depending on experience.
“As part of our efforts to continue to attract and retain professional drivers, Tyson Foods increased pay for our over-the-road, refrigerated truck drivers by as much as 15%,” said Mike Franco, manager of driver recruiting for Tyson Foods. “We also increased starting pay for drivers with experience and accelerated the timeframe for raises; so many new drivers will be eligible to reach the top of our scale within one to three years.”
Related: Driver Pay - Making the Grade
More Drivers
Truck Drivers Need More Than Another Alert
Fleets have more visibility into truck health, safety events, and driver activity than ever. The next challenge is turning all that information into useful guidance for the person who has to decide what to do next.
Read More →
FMCSA Removes 110 Truck Driver Training Schools from Certified ELDT List
Federal regulators also are targeting more than 160 additional training providers and launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers as part of a broader crackdown on trucking fraud.
Read More →
Hours of Service Pilot Programs: FMCSA Readies for 2027 Rollout
Two pilot programs could eventually reshape hours-of-service rules, giving truck drivers options to pause their 14-hour clock or use longer split sleeper rest periods.
Read More →
Medical Cards, English Proficiency Reshape Roadcheck Violations
Medical-card violations jumped to the top of the driver out-of-service list during CVSA’s 2026 International Roadcheck, while English-language proficiency violations appeared among the leading violations for the first time.
Read More →
Driver Trust Can Make or Break the Success of Fleet Safety Technology
New Teletrac Navman research suggests that onboarding, transparency about driver data, and positive feedback can play a significant role in how commercial drivers respond to safety and coaching technology.
Read More →
EEOC Sues KLLM Over Alleged Sex Discrimination in Driver Training
KLLM is facing a federal sex-discrimination lawsuit over policies the EEOC alleges put female truck driver trainees at a disadvantage.
Read More →
FMCSA Moves to Codify English Language Requirements for Commercial Drivers
By changing regulations on English-language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers, rather than relying on a guidance memo, the FMCSA said future administrations won't be able to walk back the Trump administration's stricter enforcement with just a memo.
Read More →
Drivers Put Western Star Trucks to the Test at Star Nation Experience
Watch to get an inside look at the Western Star trucks, technology, and community behind the Star Nation Experience 2026!
Read More →
Trump Administration Looks to Put More Veterans Behind the Wheel
The Freedom Haulers program pulls together existing and expanded programs at several federal agencies to recruit veterans to drive commercial heavy-duty trucks and cut the red tape for them to get a CDL, training, and employment.
Read More →
Putting Mack’s Command Steer to the Test
A test drive of Mack’s Command Steer active steering system evaluates how it can make truck driving easier and less tiring.
Read More →