How to hire a driver

How to hire a driver, step by step

Here's a step-by-step driver hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a driver job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new driver
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a driver do?

Post a driver job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your driver job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a driver for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A driver's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, drivers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents driver salaries for various positions.

   Type of Driver	Description	Hourly rate
   Driver	Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers pick up, transport, and drop off packages and small shipments within a local region or urban area. They drive trucks with a gross vehicle weight (GVW)—the combined weight of the vehicle, passengers, and cargo—of 26,000 pounds or less... Show more	$10-25
   Package Delivery Driver	A package delivery driver is responsible for picking up parcels and merchandise from warehouse or distribution centers for deliveries to different destinations. Package delivery drivers should be cautious in moving items, most importantly fragile packages, following special instructions as needed... Show more	$12-24
   Delivery Truck Driver	A delivery truck driver is primarily responsible for transporting and delivering products to clients, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. They are also responsible for coordinating with logistics staff, loading and unloading packages, handling and managing documentation, following designated schedules and routes, and maintaining records of deliveries, including the missed ones... Show more	$15-45

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Math
   • Basic Math
   • CDL
   • Safety Rules
   • Cleanliness
   • Customer Orders
   • DOT
   • Customer Service
   • Safety Regulations
   • Post-Trip Inspections
   • Vehicle Maintenance
   • OTR
   • Hazmat
   • CPR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Haul asphalt, gravel, dirt, etc.
   • Maintain accurate logs and comply with all FMCSA regulations.
   • Deliver sand, rock, and asphalt across eastern NC.
   • Provide safe and timely transportation for students, utilizing CDL license and attendant endorsements.
   • Reduce carrier and customer risk by remaining proficiently knowledgeable of FMCSA rules and regulations.
   • Air brakes endorsement but willing and able to get others including tanker, HazMat, and passenger.

   More driver duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your driver job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A driver can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, drivers' average salary in florida is 36% less than in vermont.
   • Seniority. Entry-level drivers 58% less than senior-level drivers.
   • Certifications. A driver with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a driver's salary.

   Average driver salary

   $16.72hourly

   $34,771 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level driver salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average driver salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$42,446	$20
   2	New York	$41,242	$20
   3	Washington	$40,732	$20
   4	California	$40,677	$20
   5	Oregon	$40,471	$19
   6	District of Columbia	$38,580	$19
   7	Iowa	$38,528	$19
   8	Michigan	$37,644	$18
   9	Maine	$37,356	$18
   10	Indiana	$35,625	$17
   11	Illinois	$35,494	$17
   12	Minnesota	$35,452	$17
   13	Virginia	$35,015	$17
   14	Wisconsin	$35,005	$17
   15	Pennsylvania	$34,225	$16
   16	Alabama	$34,155	$16
   17	Maryland	$33,751	$16
   18	Arizona	$32,675	$16
   19	Texas	$32,466	$16
   20	Colorado	$32,095	$15

   Average driver salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Air Liquide	$74,458	$35.80
   2	Vishay	$66,636	$32.04
   3	The Boring Company	$66,306	$31.88
   4	Argonne National Laboratory	$65,398	$31.44
   5	Mid-South Management	$65,154	$31.32
   6	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$64,973	$31.24
   7	D.C. United	$61,894	$29.76
   8	Conviva	$61,183	$29.41
   9	Helmerich & Payne	$60,711	$29.19	1
   10	Thermo Fisher Scientific	$60,610	$29.14
   11	West Tennessee Healthcare	$60,110	$28.90
   12	St. Jude Children's Research Hospital	$58,984	$28.36
   13	BlackBerry	$57,866	$27.82
   14	AbbVie	$57,848	$27.81
   15	Sierra Pacific Industries	$57,353	$27.57	1
   16	Univar	$55,420	$26.64	1
   17	Midwest Motor Express	$55,215	$26.55	7
   18	Columbia University in the City of New York	$54,828	$26.36	1
   19	Dohrn Transfer	$54,630	$26.26	55
   20	Goodwin	$54,539	$26.22

4. Writing a driver job description

   A job description for a driver role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a driver job description:

   Driver job description example

   The starting wage for this position is $13.30/hr

   Not only do you get to be part of an organization where you Drive your Potential , Power your Passion! ! Below are a few perks and discounts:

   · On the job training

   · Career Growth with hands-on learning

   Apply today and shift your career into drive for tomorrow !

   Not only do you get to be part of an organization where you Drive your Potential and Power your Passion you get major perks and discounts ! Just to name a few Hertz perks:

   Job Description:

   The Driver transports vehicles safely with the airport to various service areas. Provide outstanding customer service. Follow all company safety policies and protect company assets. Ability to work with minimal supervision while maintaining high energy.

   Essential Requirements:

   Qualifications:

   You must be age 20 or older. Must have a valid driver’s license. A positive attitude is required. All employment is contingent on the successful completion of a background screen.

   Apply today and shift your career into drive for tomorrow!

   :

   At Hertz, we champion and celebrate a culture of diversity and inclusion. We take affirmative steps to promote employment and advancement opportunities. The endless variety of perspectives, experiences, skills and talents that our employees invest in their work every day represent a significant part of our culture – and our success and reputation as a company.

   Individuals are encouraged to apply for positions because of the characteristics that make them unique.

   Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Hertz is a drug free workplace.

   EOE, including disability/veteran

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find drivers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your driver job on Zippia to find and recruit driver candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit drivers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new driver

   Once you have selected a candidate for the driver position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new driver. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a driver?