Taylor Swift's Eras Tour truckers received $100k bonuses from the star

Taylor Swift’s Eras tour is one of the most significant entertainment events of this year, and has become big enough to have a measurable impact on the U.S. economy. It’s also made news for its fans, who were so amped up at a recent show in Seattle that they caused a seismic event. Those are impressive stories, but the star hasn’t forgotten those who supported her during the massive undertaking. TMZ reported that Swift gave each of her tour’s truck drivers a $100,000 bonus check after the closing show last week in California.

The tour required about 50 truckers to move from city to city, so the payout was around $5 million. It’s unclear whether the money came out of Swift’s cut of the revenue or the tour itself, but the shows reportedly grossed over $1 billion, so there’s plenty of cash to go around. Swift also gave bonuses to her supporting performers, but those amounts are not known.

The numbers of people and vehicles needed to transport such a gargantuan tour operation are staggering. Swift’s shows feature elaborate stages and lighting equipment, and that’s before accounting for all the speakers and audio gear.

Though the tour itself has recorded around $1 billion in revenue, its economic impact is estimated at several times that. Hotels, restaurants and even banks in the cities where Swift has held shows have reported upticks in revenue, and the Chicago tourism bureau said the tour helped the city set a record for hotel occupancy.

Swift finished the U.S. leg of the Eras Tour with a six-show run in southern California. We don’t know if the truckers and other support crew will head with her to Mexico for the next leg of the tour, but there are several dates remaining that take it into 2024. Following shows in Mexico, Swift will head to South America before hopping to Asia, Australia and Europe.

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