CDL Drivers will be eligible for $10,000 hiring and retention bonus effective immediately

BALTIMORE, MD. (Wednesday, March 15, 2023) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott joined the Departments of Public Works, Transportation, Recreation and Parks, General Services, and Human Resources to announce that the City of Baltimore is now offering $10,000 bonuses to existing employees and new employees hired to perform jobs that require a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) by these agencies.

Mayor Scott along with DPW Director Jason W. Mitchell Ed.D., DOT Interim Director Corren Johnson, Recreation and Parks Director Reginald Moore, DGS Director Berke Attila, and DHR Director Quinton Herbert are excited about the opportunity to put more money into the pockets of those serving our great City. CDL drivers play a vital role in helping these agencies deliver services to residents and play a critical role in the delivery of citizen services citywide. Currently, across all agencies, there are 130 openings that need to be filled.

"CDL drivers are in high demand locally and nationally, and this hiring and retention bonus will help the City of Baltimore to attract new CDL drivers and encourage existing drivers to stay on the job," said Mayor Brandon Scott. "CDL driver recruitment and retention is crucial to the operation of many City agencies."

The sign-on and retention bonus policy is effective immediately following today's approval by the Board of Estimates.

"DPW recognizes the importance of maintaining and increasing equity in the workforce.," said DPW Director Jason Mitchell. "This bonus program is a great step as we continue to add drivers across the Department to improve Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, Trash, Recycling, and Cleaning Services."

"We have approximately 106 CDL drivers currently eligible to benefit from this initiative and are ready to hire and fill 42 CDL vacancies. DOT CDL drivers carry out essential services such as roadway repairs, delivering emergency supplies, and providing operational support during severe weather events," said Interim Director of the Baltimore City Department of Transportation Corren Johnson. "DOT relies on a full fleet of drivers to ensure the City can deliver optimized services when residents need them most. A hiring bonus of this magnitude will edge out the competition for qualified CDL drivers and demonstrate to existing employees that the City values and appreciates their work within the DOT team."

The hiring and retention bonus policy is effective immediately, following today's approval by the Board of Estimates. The $10,000 bonus will be paid out in quarterly installments over a two-year period. The first installment will be paid within two pay periods after approval. To be eligible, employees must have satisfactory performance, be in active status with no more than three unexcused absences in a rolling year and have a City driving permit in good standing.

"This bonus helps our nationally recognized Fleet Management Division enhance the level of service we provide to our partner agencies by incentivizing commercial driving certification for our mechanics," said DGS Director Berke Attila. "It is a meaningful and well-deserved benefit that offers mechanics a step forward in their professional development path."

For more information on how you can apply for these open positions, see the following links below:

• For CDL Driver positions at the Department of Transportation, apply here: buff.ly/41q0aoe

• For CDL Driver positions at the Department of Public Works, apply here: buff.ly/3la8NDb
• For CDL Mechanic positions at the Department of General Services, apply here: buff.ly/3l2Au0Q