Chattanooga, Tenn. — Big pay increases are atop Covenant Transport's New Year's resolutions list this week, as company officials launch the expedited freight specialist's $40,000 Teaming Bonus program aimed at teams and single drivers willing to convert to teaming.
The new program - which goes into effect Feb. 1 - pays $2,000 in bonus money to driving teams every time a team eclipses 60,000 paid miles together. The team drivers will receive $1,000 each, up to a total combined $40,000, or $20,000 each.
The bonus program comes as Covenant aims to grow its team truck count from its 2017 approximate average of 980 in the face of expected demand for team capacity in 2018, and sends a strong message to both existing and potential driving teams: we want you here.
"We have team freight," said David Parker, founder and CEO of Covenant Transport Services. "That's important to note, because a lot of carriers bring on team drivers and put them on solo lanes."
Parker, who founded Covenant Transport 32 years ago as a team carrier with wife Jacqueline, said "one of the most frustrating things for a team is being underutilized."
"Teams want long lengths of haul, and that's what we are focused on giving them," he said.
Joey Hogan, president of Covenant Transport Services, said in an increasingly-competitive labor market, the new bonus program also solidifies Covenant's place among top driver employers.
"Rewarding people for doing the work you ask them to do is what attracts and retains the type of drivers you are looking for," he said. "We feel our new teaming bonus will be a great reward for our team drivers who go out and run."
Hogan said throughout 2017, Covenant felt growing competition for team drivers, "so we knew we had to start off the year by putting our stamp on what we specialize in, and that's teaming."
"We're excited to offer these bonuses to our current team drivers," he said, "and look forward to welcoming many new team drivers in 2018."
To be eligible for the new $40,000 Teaming Bonus, new drivers are not required to bring a team partner to Covenant. The company's team matching program will match single drivers in search of driving partners, and following orientation, newly-formed teams are immediately eligible to begin earning under the $40,000 Teaming Bonus program.
For more information about Covenant Transport, visit www.covenanttransport.com.
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About Covenant Transport Services
Covenant Transport Services is a registered tradename of Covenant Transport, Inc., Covenant Transport Solutions, Inc., Southern Refrigerated Transport, Inc. and Star Transportation, Inc. Covenant Transport Services represents more than 30 years of expertise and leadership in expedited and team truckload; temperature-controlled truckload; dedicated truckload; and managed transportation services. Covenant Transport Services is represented by a national enterprise-wide sales team. Covenant Transportation Group, Inc. (CTG) is the parent holding company for several transportation providers that offer premium services for customers throughout the United States and Mexico. The consolidated group includes operations from Covenant Transport, Inc. and Covenant Transport Solutions, Inc., of Chattanooga, Tenn.; Southern Refrigerated Transport, Inc., of Texarkana, Ark.; and Star Transportation, Inc., of Nashville, Tenn. In addition, Transport Enterprise Leasing, LLC, of Chattanooga, Tenn. is an integral affiliated company providing revenue equipment sales and leasing services to the trucking industry. CTG's Class A common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select market under the symbol, "CVTI".
