The Associated Press reports that Union Pacific railroad is planning to give roughly 31,000 of its employees a $1,000 bonus next month.
The Omaha, Nebraska-based railroad said Tuesday that the bonuses will cost the company about $37 million. Railroad officials said all employees who worked at least 30 days during the pandemic will receive the bonuses for helping keep the railroad moving during the virus outbreak.
Union Pacific is continuing to see freight traffic rebound from the worst of the virus-related shutdowns during the spring.
The railroad said shipping volume is up about 3% so far in the fourth quarter as it continues to handle a large number of containers of imported goods because consumer demand remains strong. That is in line with the prediction Union Pacific made last month for fourth-quarter volumes to be up in the low single-digit percentage range.
Union Pacific operates 32,400 miles (52,000 kilometers) of track in 23 Western states.