Lawrence Freight Announced Pay Increase
Sun shining into the cab of a semi tractor trailer
A Virginia-based company called Lawrence Freight announced its plans to increase truckers’ pay this year. Located in Roanoke, Virginia, the employee-owned business plans to follow through with a 40% increase for its company drivers. The pay increase included a top out of 70 cents per mile with additional bonuses quarterly. These are quarterly safety bonuses, and drivers will earn another 2.5 cents per mile. The increase will allow drivers to earn salaries ranging from $88,000 to $92,000. This pay increase on Saturday, January 8, 2022, includes over-the-road and flatbed drivers.
Lawrence Freight’s CEO recently issued a statement, “Our drivers have continued to provide exceptional service to our customers in one of the most demanding periods our country has experienced in peacetime. Professional truck drivers are the most important link in the supply chain, and without them, our economy would fail, and millions of our fellow Americans would suffer.” This is the company’s second pay increase in eight-month. In April of 2021, OTR driver’s pay was increased by .04 cents per mile.
Trucker Importance
As the COVID variants continue to infect employees and countless others, businesses continue to get creative to maintain employees. The trucking industry has experienced a shortage of drivers for some time. Many people do not understand how crucial this industry is. It includes the shipment of goods and food, waste removal, medical equipment, and many other essential things needed to maintain day-to-day life. The Bureau of Labor reports that this predominantly male field is getting older statistically. Younger people and women typically do not desire to work in this field. Companies may need to think even grander than pay increases, however.
If there was a way to attract a younger, more diverse demographic of employees, how different would the industry look today? It is widely known the sedentary lifestyle that most truckers lead. Truck stops often consist of fast food and poor meal options, which cause disease and obesity among many truckers. Truckers often forgo things like exercise and sleep to ensure their freight is delivered in time. Although many truckers make it work, having a family or maintaining a healthy relationship is difficult to do from the road. These physical and psychological factors all play a role in the quality of life of a trucker.
New Opportunities
Are there any efforts to make the job more desirable? Tech giant Elon Musk, owner and creator of Tesla and SpaceX, has developed an electric semi-truck among many other companies. This truck has captured the excitement of the trucking industry, which has never been done before. This creation could likely revamp the entire industry and help draw young people to the profession. This visionary has surpassed the automotive industry’s attempts at creating electric vehicles and even manufactured vehicles to be self-driving.
Tesla debuted two different models, one that runs 300 miles on one charge and another that runs 500 miles on one 30-minute battery charge. This vehicle is loaded with safety features, can tow the maximum road capacity of 80,000 tons, and will never jack-knife. Each tire has a separate motor that compensates for vehicles surrounding it and uses its technology to slow each wheel at good percentages to keep this from ever happening. In addition to numerous safety features, it also includes enhanced auto-pilot features which would allow semi-autonomous capabilities. Another system would even allow an autopilot convoy where a driver would lead several trucks without drivers. This truck could potentially change the trucking industry completely.
How Can Trifecta Help You?
Regardless of the changes, you don’t want to get left behind. Technology is the future, and in a field that is behind in the times, getting a jump start on your logistics system has never been more crucial. We provide management, shipping, and transport services and follow each step in the process to make sure your deliveries get to their destinations on time. We ensure all our clients have 24/7 access to GTZShip so you can be made aware of the delivery status and any updates. In addition, we handle the communication between multiple carriers, so you don’t have to.
Contact Us Today For All Your Logistic Needs
Whether you are a freight shipping company or operate intermodal rail freight, we are the professionals who can take your logistics to the next level. We offer services tailored to your specific needs and work with you on your time. Call us today to schedule a consultation.
