How to hire a driver/owner operator

How to hire a driver/owner operator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step driver/owner operator 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/owner operator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new driver/owner operator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a driver/owner operator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the driver/owner operator you need to hire. Certain driver/owner operator roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a driver/owner operator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a driver/owner operator that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of driver/owner operators.

   Type of Driver/Owner Operator	Description	Hourly rate
   Driver/Owner Operator	Heavy and tractor–trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. Most tractor–trailer drivers are long-haul drivers and operate trucks with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) capacity—that is, the combined weight of the vehicle, passengers, and cargo—exceeds 26,000 pounds... Show more	$33-200
   Tractor-Trailer Driver	A tractor-trailer driver is responsible for picking up and delivering goods and services from distribution centers and warehouses to different locations across the country as required. Tractor-trailer drivers manage the best route planning to prevent delays... Show more	$19-40
   Transportation Driver	A transportation driver is responsible for transporting people and goods from one place to another. A transportation driver must have a clean driving record to operate vehicles carefully and efficiently... Show more	$12-33

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CDL
   • DOT
   • OTR
   • PET
   • Hazmat
   • Safety Regulations
   • Traffic Violations
   • Eagle
   • Dump Truck
   • Qualcomm
   • End Dump
   • Vehicle Maintenance
   • Hazardous Materials
   • Preventive Maintenance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Train new students to help them accomplish there goal of obtaining there CDL license.
   • Direct daily operations of four profit centers, managing all financial functions to include A/R, A/P, payroll and purchasing.
   • Load and unload crude oil with PTO and lack.
   • Follow all safety procedures including wearing proper PPE, able to thief, gauge and test the oil.
   • Roll off, tractor trailer, dump truck and heavy equipment operator all dot inspections on truck, equipment inspections
   • Complete log sheet on QUALCOMM.

   More driver/owner operator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your driver/owner operator job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A driver/owner operator salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a driver/owner operator in North Dakota may be lower than in Texas, and an entry-level driver/owner operator usually earns less than a senior-level driver/owner operator. Additionally, a driver/owner operator with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average driver/owner operator salary

   $169,793yearly

   $81.63 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level driver/owner operator salary

   $69,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average driver/owner operator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Georgia	$182,373	$88
   2	Tennessee	$181,597	$87
   3	Arkansas	$180,518	$87
   4	Texas	$176,755	$85
   5	Louisiana	$171,507	$82
   6	Kentucky	$170,079	$82
   7	Missouri	$169,665	$82
   8	Kansas	$168,074	$81
   9	Mississippi	$167,976	$81
   10	Ohio	$166,891	$80
   11	North Carolina	$166,817	$80
   12	South Carolina	$165,886	$80
   13	Oklahoma	$165,469	$80
   14	Alabama	$164,467	$79
   15	Pennsylvania	$162,355	$78
   16	Delaware	$161,849	$78
   17	Florida	$160,647	$77
   18	West Virginia	$158,086	$76
   19	Maryland	$155,836	$75
   20	Indiana	$155,285	$75

   Average driver/owner operator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Clean Harbors	$274,147	$131.80	50
   2	PTG Logistics	$252,915	$121.59	1
   3	Americo	$250,533	$120.45
   4	Linden Public Schools	$234,503	$112.74
   5	American Linehaul	$232,828	$111.94
   6	Carrier	$226,573	$108.93	2
   7	CTS Corporation	$223,319	$107.36
   8	RAND	$222,239	$106.85
   9	M.I.T. International, Inc.	$216,563	$104.12	6
   10	Pilot Freight Services	$209,152	$100.55
   11	Roadrunner Transportation Systems	$201,910	$97.07
   12	Hub Group	$201,296	$96.78	9
   13	CBSL Transportation Services	$201,087	$96.68	5
   14	Pace Logistics	$199,561	$95.94
   15	Republic Services	$197,313	$94.86	22
   16	PeaceHealth	$196,141	$94.30	6
   17	U.S. Transport, Inc.	$194,837	$93.67	8
   18	Precision Strip	$194,249	$93.39	3
   19	Johnsrud Transport	$194,120	$93.33
   20	Highway Transport Logistics	$193,986	$93.26	2

4. Writing a driver/owner operator job description

   A job description for a driver/owner operator 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/owner operator job description:

   Driver/owner operator job description example

   + $5,000 Sign On Bonus! Regional Runs, Strong Weekly Miles, Frequent Home Time! HazMat Drivers Earn 55 cpm and up.

   As a family-owned company celebrating 70 years of experience in 2018, Highway Transport continues to be a leader in the chemical hauling business, providing the best in miles, pay and benefits to our drivers. Over 80% of our business relies on out-and-back runs from our service centers, meaning you receive reliable mileage, pay and home time week over week. DON’T MISS OUT – SIGN-ON BONUS FOR A LIMITED TIME! Discover why Highway is Home to Professional Tanker Drivers – reach out to our recruiters today!

   Regional Drivers:

   • Hazmat & tanker endorsement, 12 months tractor trailer experience required
   • Earn 55 cpm & up
   • Sign-On Bonus – Limited Time Only!
   • Weekly Pay Package
   • $23 Detention Pay – Starts 1 Minute After On-Time Delivery
   • Out & Back Runs
   • Frequent Home Time
   • IRS approved Per Diem Plan
   • Accessorial Hourly Pay
   • 24 Hour/365 a Day Coverage with a Live Dispatcher
   • Assigned, Safe, Well-Maintained Tractors
   • Excellent Benefits After 30 days
   • Paid Orientation & Training
   • Paid Vacation and Holidays

   This is an excellent Package and Plenty of Homelife for tanker drivers so don’t wait! Contact Highway Transport today!

   Company DescriptionAs a family-owned company celebrating 70 years of experience in 2018, Highway Transport continues to be a leader in the chemical hauling business, providing the best in miles, pay and benefits to our drivers. By running our system of service centers, you will receive mileage, pay and home time you can count on. DON’T MISS OUT – SIGN-ON BONUS FOR A LIMITED TIME! Discover why Highway is Home to Professional Tanker Drivers – reach out to our recruiters today!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right driver/owner operator for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with driver/owner operators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit driver/owner operators who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with driver/owner operator candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of 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/owner operator

   Once you've decided on a perfect driver/owner operator candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new driver/owner operator. 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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