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“WE LIKE TO BELIEVE, WHEN WE HIRE A WALMART DRIVER, WE’RE HIRING THEM
INTO THE LAST JOB THEY’LL HAVE. AFTER SOME TIME WITH THE COMPANY AND
DEVELOPING THEIR SKILLS, THEY BRING TO THE SOLUTION A STABILITY, NUMBER
ONE AGAIN IN THE AREA OF SAFETY, BECAUSE THEY’RE REALLY GOOD AT IT.”

—JEFF HAMMONDS, VICE PRESIDENT
FOR FLEET OPERATIONS AT WALMART

carriers that also work alongside our that international expansion, opening “When you think about what the
fleet and delivers a lot of grocery.” up formats in Argentina, Brazil, and driver does in moving product from
Walmart’s founder, Sam Walton, China, was another evolution for the Point A to Point B, particularly if A is
wanted better control of the transporta- company. “Now it’s e-commerce.” a distribution center and B is a store
tion aspect of Walmart’s supply chain, The company’s private fleet alone, shelf, that is the thing that helps enable
Hammonds said. just shy of 10,000 drivers strong now, that store to be successful, being in
“That brought about the formation will run hundreds of millions of miles stock at store level,” he said. “The value
of a private fleet that we’ve contin- in support of the business this year. that the driver brings to this solution,
ued to grow and develop based on the “When you put it in those terms, the delivery of the mission, and every-
changing needs of our business”, he you start to realize how big that is in thing rests on that driver, you can’t be
said. “It’s bringing it in house so that terms of transportation solution,” he much more valuable than that. All of
you have greater reliability and control.” said. “And that’s just the private fleet. As the rest of us who work around that are
large as that is, it is just one component enabling that act.”
ALMOST 10,000 DRIVERS of a broader end-to-end supply chain Driving is a demanding job, and
STRONG, HUNDREDS OF solution that includes replenishment, Walmart does everything it can to make
MILLIONS OF MILES distribution operations, reverse logistics, its jobs attractive.
With a more than three decades’ fulfillment operations for e-commerce. ‘We want to be one of the more
perspective on trucking, the only All of those functions have to work very preferred jobs in the driving industry,”
constant is change and evolution, well together in a cross-functional way he said, adding that the company
Hammonds said. in order to be the advantage we want to looks for drivers with three years of
“When I joined the organization, be as a supply chain.” experience and accident- and moving
our store formats were largely general “We do not work in silos,” said violation-free records.
merchandise and, at the time, smaller Hammonds, noting a close network “Once a driver joins Walmart,
in size. These stores were the origin of colleagues who are responsible for there is annual safety training so that
of our ‘everyday low-price’ business grocery distribution centers and other they clearly understand and keep per-
model,” he said. numerous other operations. “What formance elevated and in line with our
“So, you can start with a model, we really want more than anything expectations, most importantly as it
but you really have to be forward-lean- is harmony across the supply chain relates to safety,” he said. “There are
ing and understand what changes to so that we’re working in a very cross- things we want them to do as ambas-
that model are right for your business as functional way.” sadors of the company and how they
it grows, and you’re constantly redefin- “We attend each other’s meetings interact with stores that are also impor-
ing yourself.” because all of us impact each other’s tant to us. It’s that customer service
One of the most significant changes business,” he said. “The ability to culture that’s just part of our organiza-
was the development of the Super Center function as a real and authentic team is tional DNA.”
model and adding groceries to the mix. the key.” Driver turnover is very low at
“That was a very dynamic change Within the transportation divi- Walmart, he said.
and just redefined the course that the sion, the driver is the value creator, said “We like to believe, when we hire a
company was on,” he said, adding Hammonds. Walmart driver, we’re hiring them into

36 Issue 5 2020 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT