Edit: Updated with concerns about salaries at the end of the article
A trucking company based out of Kennesaw, Georgia has given out their year-end bonuses and parted with over $360,000 to reward their long-time drivers. No, that’s not a huge carrier giving out a couple hundred bucks each to their employees, it’s $10,000 each going to 36 loyal, long-time employees.
As part of their loyalty program, Kennesaw Transportation, Inc gives $10,000 every five years to any driver who has been with the company for five years or more. In addition, the company gives their drivers a $200 bonus for every year they’ve been with the company. Been with the company 5 years? Your year-end bonus is $11,000. 10 years? $12,000. For drivers like Jim Brown and his wife Phoebe who have been with the company for over 30 years, the bonus is something they always look forward to.
“We put it in the bank. We don’t have time to spend it.” Mrs. Brown said in an interview with CBS Atlanta.
Mr. Brown added, “We’re goin’ all the time.”
Director of Recruiting at Kennesaw Transportation, Kelley Jones sees the bonuses as a good way to keep drivers motivated to stay with the company. “It’s also,” she admits, “a great selling point when you’re hiring new people.”
Story Update – some of the responses in the comments section bring up very interesting questions. Are the end-of-year bonuses making up for lower salaries during the rest of the year?
Joe comments:
http://www.kennesawtrans.com/driver.php starting pay is .32
after one year .35 max is .36 and major medical insurance
Yea I would say so, can run you on low wages with just major medical
and if you stick it for 5 years your in the money…. I would rather take. 42 plus
with no bonus with full benefits then a carrot loss leader…..
bosshog comments:
This is an easy one to figure out. If you look at the pay scale for solo drivers. 5 years and you get .36 cents per mile. If I’m not mistaken most drivers make over .40 cents per mile by then with a good company. Your actually just receiving a lump sum payment for the difference. It looks good, but wouldn’t you rather be running for .40 cents a mile for those 5 years. Think about it!
As readers know, there can always be more than meets the eye in the trucking industry. Thank you Joe and bosshog for raising the point!
Next Story: Woman Seeks Trucker Who Saved Her Life
Source: cbsatlanta
Sounds like a great idea. Loyalty should always be rewarded.
imagine if every company showed loyalty to their drivers as their drivers do them. maybe a reversal in turnover ratios. Not saying large bonuses have to be given. concongrats to kennesaw drivers and their employer. good to see not all trucking companies are greedy & appreciative! makes me want to park mine and give them a try.
It’s so good to read there are still a few, a small few, who appreciate their drivers! Knight family owns how many trucking companies and, it seems to me, they can’t pay their drivers in a timely manner even though we have direct deposit!! No bonuses even though they make millions! Congratulations!!
This is of course one of thise rare companies that sgoes how much they appreciate career drivers not just a thank you and a plaque.
2 thumbs up to Kennesaw Transportation, this is definetly a rarity. I wonder how many applicatants they will receive??
Im an OTR driver….do they hire out of Vermont?
Would J. B. Hunt do the same? Probably not, especially since they prefer robots over people.
That is very cool of them, good for them. This is a major recruiting tool for them.
Its good to see that some some companies actually appreciate their long term drivers, unlike most of the companies that want to get rid of em, one specifically that has run off or fired all but approx 50 of their 17+ year drivers
They are employee owned, so they understand. AND take care of each other.
Great to hear! As for the rest of us, we have only ourselves to blame.
http://www.kennesawtrans.com/driver.php starting pay is .32
after one year .35 max is .36 and major medical insurance
Yea I would say so, can run you on low wages with just major medical
and if you stick it for 5 years your in the money…. I would rather take. 42 plus
with no bonus with full benefits then a carrot loss leader…..
Thanks, Joe. I’m not sure how many folks have the option of .42 with full benefits and consistent miles, but you certainly bring up an important line of thinking. I’m glad to promote your comment to the main article so that everyone can consider it.
Would you pass this info on to G&P trucking. Thanks.
Some eventually learn it cost less too reward experienced drivers than waste over $360,000 on rookies out of driving schools having accidents.
Hell my company didn’t even send a qualecom message wishing us a safe and merry holiday…instead they called Christmas day to come back to work….that’s the reality of trucking today
Nice to hear some carriers still care about their drivers. Awesome on them! I bet ya driver-turnover is not a problem for this small outfit!
It is unfortunate that most of the other carriers will never follow their lead; despite the fact that they make millions in profits each year.
This is an easy one to figure out. If you look at the pay scale for solo drivers. 5 years and you get .36 cents per mile. If I’m not mistaken most drivers make over .40 cents per mile by then with a good company. Your actually just receiving a lump sum payment for the difference. It looks good, but wouldn’t you rather be running for .40 cents a mile for those 5 years. Think about it!
Ha! I take it you’ve done the research. Man, the power of advertising! Well, I along with the other posters were taken in by it. Thanks for enlightening us LOL!
Good point, I updated the article to include your concerns.
Well, Ill say this…You can make .42 cpm but if your not getting miles your not making nothing. I’d rather be with a company making .35cpm and giving me enough miles to pay my bills. I’ve heard a lot of good things about that company. The bonus is just an extra way to say thank you.
Bonus for the holidays;and drive Peterbilt all year… sign me up! I’m tired of sitting along the road.
So let’s add this up for “living” in a truck, eating poor food, crapping on dirty toilets up and down I 40, sitting in some dusty produce cooler lot, day after day and basically having no normal life ..If you live long enough…. you get a $10,000 bonus…. WOW !!! ….Nothing like humans reaching for the moon…..
Yea, the life of a trucker. I’m still searching for a way to make it healthy.
A simple calculation will point out that the total pay per month when u add that $10,000 is well over .40/mile (my calculation doesn’t include the extra $’s you get beyond 5 years therefore the pay rate would be even HIGHER). It’s basically a pension that you draw once every 5 years. I think it’s an awesome idea.
Regardless of cpm wages it’s still nice. There’s plenty of low paying companies that don’t give a year end bonus. I’ve driven for a few of them. Kudos to Kennesaw for trying to retain drivers.
sure isnt swift. they dont give 2 shits if you are good,take care of your truck ,or stay with them or not. they always find some yoyo to take your place