If you want to make money while driving, there are tons of options available to you.
You can be a delivery driver for multiple companies or a taxi service like Uber or Lyft.
However, if you live in the country or far from a big city, that might not be viable.
Walmarts are everywhere, and Walmart has recently developed their courier service, Spark Driver.
Most areas of the country support Spark, and those that don’t have opportunities for Walmart truck driving.
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Options to Drive for Walmart
There are two different methods to drive for Walmart.
For Spark driving, you can use your car and delivery on your schedule.
However, if you want to be a Walmart truck driver, you need a commercial driver’s license and a willingness to drive longer distances and hours (for higher pay).
Spark Driver
A Spark Driver is an independent contractor who works on his or her hours and schedule.
With Spark, you will download an app and set your schedule.
You can see when customers order from Walmart, pick it up from the store and deliver it to their house.
Spark Driver is very similar to Shipt, another grocery delivery service.
However, Spark is exclusively partnered with Walmart and two other grocery stores.
If you sign up for a Spark driver account, you will most likely end up driving for Walmart.
Truck Driver
Walmart truck drivers, on the other hand, are contracted exclusively through Walmart.
Instead of making their schedule, truck drivers work like regular CDL employees and drive long distances with the commercial Walmart trucks.
Driving a Walmart truck is more lucrative than driving for Spark, but has much less flexibility and requires experience in commercial vehicle driving.
However, Walmart offers a regular driving schedule, which is better than many other CDL opportunities.
How Does Spark Driver for Walmart Work?
Spark Driver for Walmart works like any other food delivery service.
The driver is an independent contractor who can pick up any orders they choose.
Once they’ve confirmed an order, they will drive to Walmart, pick up the groceries, and deliver them to the customer.
Each order has a differing pay scale, depending on how big it is and how far the courier will have to drive.
As a Spark driver, you would be responsible for your car, gasoline, and budgeting.
Spark independent drivers receive payment once a week based on how many deliveries they’ve made.
Driver Requirements
To drive for Spark, you have to meet a few requirements.
However, pretty much anyone with a driver’s license and car insurance will pass these with flying colors:
- Driver must be at least 18 years old
- Driver must have access to a reliable car
- Driver must be willing to have a background check
- Driver must show proof of auto insurance
How Does Walmart Truck Driving Work?
If you have a CDL and want to drive for Walmart, it works very similarly to many other commercial truck driving contracts.
You will apply and sign a contract with Walmart, agree to their conditions, and begin driving.
The average driving distance for Walmart truckers is 300 miles, meaning that the drives are short and it’s rare that you’ll be far from home.
Walmart also offers great benefits, insurance, retirement, and paid time off funds, making it one of the best commercial gigs in the country.
The number one reason for leaving Walmart trucking is retirement.
Driver Requirements
Because the benefits and salary of Walmart truck drivers are so enviable, the driver requirements are pretty high.
To drive for Walmart as a CDL trucker, you’ll need the following requirements:
- A Class A CDL with Hazmat endorsement
- At least 30 months of commercial driving experience
- Less than two moving violations within the past three years
- A clear background check
- No serious traffic violations (while driving a commercial vehicle)
- No reckless driving convictions or convictions involving substances within the last decade
- No preventable accidents (of varying degrees)
How Much do Walmart Drivers Make?
If you meet the requirements of one of these jobs and live near a Walmart, you might be asking the next important question: how much would I get paid?
Here are the average earnings of a Walmart truck driver and Spark driver.
Truck Driver Rates
Truck drivers for Walmart can make $0.89 a mile their first year on the road.
It might not seem like a lot, but once combined with the average amount of miles a truck driver travels each year, it comes out to double the average salary of a commercial truck driver elsewhere in the country.
Some locations offer signing bonuses of up to $8,000, depending on the current need for truckers.
Walmart transportation also has one of the lowest turnover rates in the commercial trucking industry and keeps their employees happy throughout their careers.
Spark Driver Rates
Spark Drivers make as much as they are willing to work.
Many drivers report making up to $20 an hour during busy times.
However, if you only accept one order a day, you won’t make that much.
On part-time hours, you could make up to $500 a week.
Drivers are paid depending on the size of the order and the distance from the store.
Each order will show you how much you will be paid for it.
The more orders you pick up in a day, the more you will be paid.
Tips
Tips are optional for Spark customers, but often part of the order.
They can be added at the time of payment or time of delivery, and the driver will receive 100% of the tips.
Larger orders pay more and are also more likely to get tips, so you can screen your app to reveal the orders with tips already attached.
How to Apply to Drive for Walmart
If all of this is sounding like it might be your next dream job, this next section is for you.
In it, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to applying to drive for Walmart, whether as a Spark driver or a truck driver.
Make sure you read through all the steps and requirements before applying!
Step by Step Guide for Truck Drivers
The application process is hosted entirely through Drive4Walmart.com.
It will involve an initial application, interview process (with a background check), and final answer.
Like many commercial trucking jobs, you’ll probably hear back relatively quickly.
If you pass the initial interview, the onboarding process is week-long and acts as a complete screening process.
You will be paid to work for Walmart, where they will watch you through all the stages of trucking and finally accept you as a full-time truck driver.
Step by Step Guide for Spark Drivers
To apply to become a driver for Spark delivery, you will need to go to the Spark website and apply.
Once you’ve filled out the application, you will do a video interview session and receive your answer within a few days.
After being approved, you can download the Spark app and start delivering groceries.
Drive for Walmart FAQs
Here are some of the most common questions about driving for Walmart.
If you still aren’t sure whether it’s for you, take a look at these questions and answers.
Will Walmart Pay for a CDL License?
A Walmart store will not pay for a commercial driver’s license.
They expect each driver to come with a CDL and at least 30 months of commercial driving experience.
If you don’t have a CDL or are just newly licensed, you’ll have to gain some experience before applying for Walmart.
Walmart can afford to be picky because they are one of the best paying trucking companies in the country.
Experienced truck drivers want to work for Walmart, and it’s easier to hire those with more experience.
How Far do Walmart Truck Drivers Travel Each Day?
There are two kinds of Walmart truck drivers.
Local drivers are regional and have guaranteed home time every day.
Long-distance drivers will drive across the country if needed in a Walmart sleeper cab.
On average, however, a Walmart driver’s trip is about 300 miles.
Distance drivers are paid to sleep in the cab and get bonuses for distance.
Walmart also guarantees back-to-back workdays so that employees can plan to be home for several days a week.
What Kind of Car Do You Need for Spark Driving?
There are no specific requirements for a car, as long as it is reliable and has auto insurance.
When you apply, you will input the make, model, and year of your car and the company will have it on file.
You will also need to upload a picture of your auto insurance policy.
Do You Need Insurance for a Spark Driver?
You need proof of car insurance to become a Spark driver.
This is for liability reasons; Spark doesn’t want their drivers suing them for the value of a car if they crash while on the job.
If you don’t provide proof of insurance, you won’t be able to become a Spark driver.
However, Spark doesn’t require personal health or life insurance for their drivers.
While health insurance is an essential thing to have, if you haven’t gotten it yet, you can still apply to become a Spark driver.
Final Thoughts
Whether you apply as a truck driver or a Spark driver, you’ll be able to make a career out of driving supplies for Walmart, the biggest grocery store chain in the United States.
Both jobs offer huge benefits.
