Cool Mountain Transport Boosts Pay In Hunt For Drivers

Cool Mountain Transport, an Idaho-based trucking company, recently announced it is increasing its driver pay from 50 cents to 62 cents per mile. 

It is the largest pay increase in the company's history, according to Tork Fulton, CEO of Cool Mountain Transport. 

The company raised its base rate to 54 cents per mile and added a 4 cent-per-mile performance bonus and a 4 cent-per-mile safety bonus.

"We stepped up on driver pay to accommodate our growing customer base," Fulton said. "To maintain that growth, we must incentivize our drivers. Our incentive plan is very attainable and currently being earned by more than half the fleet from week to week."

Cool Mountain Transport was founded in 2008 in Nampa, Idaho. Today, the company operates a fleet of about 100 trucks, including a refrigerated over-the-road division and a dedicated dry van division.

"We want to make sure that we retain the drivers we have while bringing on more for our planned further growth," said Kevin Choate, director of operations for Cool Mountain Transport. "Our ongoing renewal of our equipment will mean that by the end of 2022, we will have one of the newest fleets on the road."

In recent months, trucking companies across the U.S. have responded to a strong freight market by increasing truck driver pay.

Melton Trucking Lines announced Wednesday it has implemented the largest overall increase for driver pay in its history. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based fleet will start student drivers at 47 cents per mile and will pay the most experienced drivers 63 cents per mile.

Dallas-based Frozen Food Express recently announced team drivers can earn a starting salary of $95,000 per year and drivers with experience can earn up to $150,000 annually, or $300,000 per team.

De Pere, Wisconsin-based carrier WEL Companies has boosted its total driver pay rate by 7 cents per mile since the beginning of the year.

Marshfield, Wisconsin-based Roehl Transport announced in April its second pay bump of the year, with drivers to see between $4,000 and $6,000 more annually. 

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