Amazon boosts driver pay by $1, installs safety cameras in 50% of Rivian vans
Amazon this week began increasing driver pay by $1 per hour and rolling out surround-view cameras on its electric delivery vans to improve safety. By the end of the year, the cameras will be fitted in half of the Rivian electric vans used across Amazon's delivery network.
All Amazon-branded vans, whether made by Rivian or another manufacturer, already carry in-vehicle camera safety technology that has cut distracted driving, speeding and stop-sign violations. Amazon said it has invested more than $543 million in safety programs for independent fleet owners, a spend that helped lower serious vehicle crashes by over 23% last year. The company is also adding dynamic hazard alerts to its Delivery app and expanding AI-based tools such as Wellspring mapping, which has logged 202 million parking spots, 2.8 million building entrances and 85,000 mailrooms since 2024. A separate $1.9 billion injection into the Delivery Service Program will raise driver pay by an average of 16% nationwide, pushing average hourly earnings to nearly $24 and funding benefits like health care and tuition reimbursement.
Last year Amazon introduced AI-powered smart glasses for drivers and has since added features such as an LED headlamp and hands-free scanning. The company also operates more than 40,000 electric vans in the U.S. and has previously installed safety cameras in its fleet.
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Amazon has begun deploying surround-view cameras on electric delivery vans to provide more visibility on the road, representing the latest investment in vehicle and driver safety, and boosting driver pay by a $1 to support recruiting and retention, the logistics-forward retailer said this week.
By the end of the year, the technology will be installed in 50% of Rivian electric delivery vehicles across Amazon’s (NASDAQ: AMZN) network, said Beryl Tomay, vice president of transportation, in a blog post.
Amazon has invested more than $543 million in safety initiatives, programs and technology for independent business owners that operate delivery fleets for Amazon.
Combined with contractor safety efforts, the investments helped reduce serious vehicle crashes by more than 23% last year, she said.
The Delivery Service Program also received a $1.9 billion injection of funds that will be dispensed to owner-operators to increase driver pay by an average of 16% nationwide, with national average earnings rising by about $1 to nearly $24 per hour, said Tomay.