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How to hire a forklift driver

Forklift driver hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring forklift drivers in the United States:

  • There are a total of 482,296 forklift drivers in the US, and there are currently 116,516 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a forklift driver is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per forklift driver on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Fort Worth, TX, has the highest demand for forklift drivers, with 20 job openings.

How to hire a forklift driver, step by step

To hire a forklift driver, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a forklift driver, you should follow these steps:

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

What does a forklift driver do?

A forklift operator is responsible for managing and operating industrial trucks and machines to ensure its performance safety and stability. Forklift operators' duties include safely handling of deliveries, securely moving items to storage areas, monitoring inventories and supplies, running diagnostic tests, reporting inspected malfunctions and deficiencies, performing basic troubleshooting, and adhering to safety procedures. It is a requirement that a forklift operator must have excellent time-management skills, as well as the ability to multi-task for daily operations.

Learn more about the specifics of what a forklift driver does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the forklift driver you need to hire. Certain forklift driver 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?

    A forklift driver's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, forklift 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.

    Here's a comparison of forklift driver salaries for various roles:

    Type of Forklift DriverDescriptionHourly rate
    Forklift DriverMaterial moving machine operators use machinery to transport various objects. Some operators move construction materials around building sites or excavate earth from a mine... Show more$12-19
    Warehouse Machine OperatorWarehouse machine operators perform various tasks for their employers. These include setting up, operating, monitoring, and troubleshooting machinery, inspecting parts for specifications and any potential damage, and reading and interpreting diagrams and blueprints to position and secure the machines... Show more$12-19
    Cherry Picker OperatorCherry pickers perform a safe and efficient operation of motorized lift vehicles in pulling customer order-based products. The cherry pickers manage different warehouse operating systems and associates to support processing and internal order logistics... Show more$12-19
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Pallets
    • Electric Pallet Jack
    • Safety Procedures
    • Load Trucks
    • Stand-Up Forklift
    • Safety Standards
    • Forks
    • Drive Forklift
    • RF Scanner
    • Sit-Down Forklift
    • Inventory Control
    • Unload Materials
    • Assembly Line
    • Computer System
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Stack crates following inventory control instructions and stack empty pallets.
    • Operate fork-lift, unload, load, stage, pull and distribute pallets.
    • Assist railroad crews with determining and decoding logistics.
    • Order selector, scanning, cleaning, forklift driver, data entry.
    • Administer emergency services such as CPR and pre-hospital care to injure persons.
    • Unload and sort office furniture of various sizes by hand & with a fork-lift
    More forklift driver duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your forklift driver job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A forklift driver salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, forklift drivers' average salary in new mexico is 39% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level forklift drivers earn 37% less than senior-level forklift drivers.
    • Certifications. A forklift driver with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a forklift driver's salary.

    Average forklift driver salary

    $16.09hourly

    $33,476 yearly

    Entry-level forklift driver salary
    $26,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 24, 2025

    Average forklift driver salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Minnesota$38,737$19
    2Washington$37,952$18
    3Oregon$36,864$18
    4Colorado$36,080$17
    5Utah$35,231$17
    6Maine$34,809$17
    7Illinois$34,752$17
    8California$34,139$16
    9Ohio$33,650$16
    10Iowa$33,601$16
    11Michigan$32,958$16
    12Kansas$32,328$16
    13Missouri$32,288$16
    14Indiana$32,064$15
    15Arizona$31,094$15
    16Texas$30,456$15
    17Kentucky$30,021$14
    18Florida$29,882$14
    19Georgia$29,634$14
    20Tennessee$29,246$14

    Average forklift driver salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1BD$48,089$23.125
    2Reser's Fine Foods$47,087$22.64
    3Fresh Express$45,580$21.9111
    4Marvin and$45,400$21.838
    5Marathon Cheese Corporation$45,318$21.7910
    6Ball$44,795$21.5410
    7Conagra Foods$44,409$21.358
    8Mary's Gone Crackers$44,182$21.241
    9US Foods$43,747$21.0343
    10Schreiber Foods$43,698$21.015
    11Passport Foods$43,523$20.923
    12Talking Rain$43,418$20.871
    13Thermo Fisher Scientific$43,233$20.799
    14PPG$43,185$20.765
    15Bernatello's Foods$43,157$20.75
    16Mars$42,965$20.666
    17Hearthside Food Solutions$42,886$20.62
    18PepsiCo$42,815$20.585
    19Cargill$42,777$20.5714
    20American Woodmark$42,743$20.551
  4. Writing a forklift driver job description

    A job description for a forklift 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 forklift driver job description:

    Forklift driver job description example

    Research shows that candidates often don’t apply to positions unless they meet 100% of the job criteria. We are looking for active learners and people who care about taking advantage of the opportunities provided. We encourage you to apply even if you feel you do not meet all of the requirements for this position.

    • High school diploma or general education degree (GED) preferred.

    • 3-5 years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

    • Forklift Certified.

    • Basic computer knowledge.

    • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to interact with all levels within the organization.

    • Strong ability to work in a team environment.

    • Ability to speak, read, and write in English. Ability to speak Spanish a plus.

    WHAT YOU’LL GET

    At Watkins Wellness, we believe that everyone should ‘Feel good. Live well’. We offer employees the opportunity to join a dynamic, growing industry leader with an outstanding and well-deserved reputation for leadership and commitment to our employees, customers and community. Our employees are eligible to receive exceptional health and wellness benefits, paid time off, company bonus, profit sharing, 401k match, education assistance, and much more. We are proud of the people we are and the products we make — products that make a difference to the health and well-being of others.

    The employee must frequently lift and move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision and depth perception. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

    We look for candidates that exhibit The Watkins Way (always Ethical, endeavors to be Transparent, embraces Inclusion, welcomes Diverse backgrounds and perspectives, Accommodating, believes in Work-Life Balance, puts Safety First, Accountable, values Relationships, Passionate, Team Player, and Goal Driven).

    Company: Watkins ManufacturingFull time

    Watkins (the “Company”) is an equal opportunity employer and we want to have the best available persons in every job. The Company makes employment decisions only based on merit. It is the Company’s policy to prohibit discrimination in any employment opportunity (including but not limited to recruitment, employment, promotion, salary increases, benefits, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment) based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, pregnancy, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, physical/mental disability, medical condition, marital/domestic partner status, military and veteran status, height, weight or any other such characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. The Company is committed to complying with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities. This commitment applies to all persons involved in the operations of the Company regardless of where the employee is located and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee of the Company.

    Watkins is an E-Verify employer. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees in the United States. Please click on the following links for more information.

    E-Verify Participation Poster: English & Spanish
    E-Verify Right to Work Poster: English & Spanish

  5. Post your job

    To find forklift drivers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any forklift drivers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level forklift drivers with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your forklift driver job on Zippia to find and recruit forklift driver candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with forklift driver 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 forklift driver

    Once you've found the forklift driver candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    To prepare for the new forklift driver first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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 forklift driver?

Hiring a forklift driver comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting forklift drivers involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of forklift driver recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

The median annual salary for forklift drivers is $33,476 in the US. However, the cost of forklift driver hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a forklift driver for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $12 and $19 an hour.

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