Walmart is looking to add more highly qualified drivers for its private fleet and has announced a new $1,500 bonus for driver referrals as well as speeding the onboarding process.
Walmart Makes Changes, Ups Spending to Attract Truck Drivers
Walmart is looking to add more highly qualified drivers for its private fleet and has announced a new $1,500 bonus for driver referrals as part of a plan that reportedly will double its spending on attracting and retaining drivers.

Walmart is offering a $1,500 referral bonus to help find new private fleet drivers.
Photo courtesy Walmart
With increased freight demand the company is looking to hire more long-haul truck drivers for its private fleet and has asked drivers to help bring in more talent.
“To be candid, right now I could hire a few hundred drivers,” Tracy Rosser, Walmart’s senior vice president of transportation, told Bloomberg.
The company has also made changes to its hiring process to onboard new drivers more quickly. Under a new pilot program that is already in place in Bentonville, Arkansas, the onboard process will speed up by as much as a month. The company will be looking to expand the new process to Indianapolis this month.
Walmart’s private fleet currently has about 7,500 drivers and 6,500 tractors, with each driver traveling an average of 100,000 miles each year. Private fleet drivers can earn an average of $86,000 annually, accrue up to 21 days of paid time off, and have access to benefits from the beginning, according to Walmart.
For National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, Sept. 9-15, the retail giant has also run its first television commercial dedicated to its fleet drivers, expressing appreciation for the important role they play with the company.
More Drivers

Federal Proposal Would Allow Pell Grants for Shorter-Term Job Training
The Department of Labor plans to expand Pell Grant eligibility to some shorter workforce training programs, a move the American Trucking Associations said will help strengthen commercial driver training schools and diesel technician training programs.
Read More →
Owner-Operator Model Gets Boost as DOL Proposes 2024 Independent Contractor Definition Reversal
For an industry that has watched this issue go back and forth for years, the independent contractor proposal marks the latest swing in the regulatory pendulum.
Read More →
FMCSA Reinstates Field Warrior ELD to Registered Device List
One electronic logging device has been reinstated to the FMCSA's list of registered ELDs.
Read More →
How One Company is Using Smart Suspension Technology to Reduce Driver Injuries and Improve Retention
America’s Service Line adopted Link’s SmartValve and ROI Cabmate systems to address whole-body vibration, repetitive strain, and driver turnover. The trucking fleet is already seeing measurable results.
Read More →
CarriersEdge Announces 2026 Best Fleets to Drive For
The 18th annual contest recognizing the best workplaces for truck drivers sees changes to Top 20, Hall of Fame
Read More →
FMCSA Targets 550+ ‘Sham’ CDL Schools in Nationwide Sting Operation
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued more than 550 notices of proposed removal to commercial driver training providers following a five-day nationwide enforcement sweep. Investigators cited unqualified instructors, improper training vehicles, and failure to meet federal and state requirements.
Read More →
DOT Alleges Illinois Issued Illegal Non-Domiciled CDLs
Illinois is the latest state targeted and threatened with the loss of highway funding by the U.S. Department of Transportation in its review of states' non-domiciled CDL issuance procedures. The state is pushing back.
Read More →
FMCSA Locks in Non-Domiciled CDL Restrictions
After a legal pause last fall, FMCSA has finalized its rule limiting non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses. The agency says the change closes a safety gap, and its revised economic analysis suggests workforce effects will be more gradual than first thought.
Read More →
Trucker Path Names Top Truck Stops for 2026
Truck driver ratings reveal the best chain and independent truck stops in the country.
Read More →6 Dashcam Tactics to Improve Safety & ROI
6 intelligent dashcam tactics to improve safety and boost ROI
Read More →
