How to hire a line haul driver

How to hire a line haul driver, step by step

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

What does a line haul driver do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a line haul driver 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 line haul driver that fits the bill.

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

   Type of Line Haul Driver	Description	Hourly rate
   Line Haul Driver	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	$17-37
   Truck Driver-Over-The-Road	A truck driver-over-the-road (OTR) is a professional driver who specializes in hauling items such as heavy freight, machinery, or construction materials from a home terminal to delivery points. OTR truck drivers usually spend more time on the road due to the long distances they are required to reach... Show more	$24-45
   Driver Trainer	Driver trainers are instructors who teach their clients how to drive. They are often considered experts in driving, and they are credible enough to impart their driving knowledge to clients... Show more	$14-33

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CDL
   • Hazmat
   • Safety Regulations
   • Post-Trip Inspections
   • Hazardous Materials
   • Line Haul
   • Customer Service
   • Federal Regulations
   • DOT Regulations
   • OTR
   • LTL
   • Local Regulations
   • Unload Freight
   • Pickup

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Include: CDL, haz-mat, doubles and triples )
   • Keep CDL current with endorsement for double/triple trailers.
   • DOT log compliance and other require paper work.
   • FAST card approve and have doubles and triples and HazMat endorsements.
   • Shovel blacktop and asphalt products to maintain road and surface areas.
   • Check all bills for HAZMAT verifying all information are documented and trailers are placarded correctly.

   More line haul driver duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, line haul drivers' average salary in south carolina is 32% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level line haul drivers 53% less than senior-level line haul drivers.
   • Certifications. A line haul 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 line haul driver's salary.

   Average line haul driver salary

   $53,992yearly

   $25.96 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level line haul driver salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average line haul driver salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	North Dakota	$65,900	$32
   2	Massachusetts	$65,725	$32
   3	Kansas	$64,867	$31
   4	Tennessee	$64,764	$31
   5	New Jersey	$64,552	$31
   6	Maryland	$63,376	$30
   7	Minnesota	$63,130	$30
   8	Iowa	$62,981	$30
   9	Illinois	$62,864	$30
   10	Nebraska	$62,843	$30
   11	Wisconsin	$61,300	$29
   12	Colorado	$61,084	$29
   13	Florida	$60,472	$29
   14	Oklahoma	$59,529	$29
   15	New York	$58,971	$28
   16	Texas	$57,987	$28
   17	Idaho	$57,921	$28
   18	Pennsylvania	$56,897	$27
   19	Mississippi	$56,235	$27
   20	Oregon	$56,013	$27

   Average line haul driver salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Tyson Foods	$75,245	$36.18	6
   2	Old Dominion Freight Line	$70,228	$33.76	47
   3	Ryder System	$70,053	$33.68	707
   4	Exel Inc.	$66,987	$32.21	8
   5	Saia	$66,920	$32.17	8
   6	AAA Cooper Transportation	$66,727	$32.08	389
   7	U&s Services, Inc.	$65,485	$31.48
   8	Carvana	$65,437	$31.46	195
   9	PDT Partners	$63,347	$30.46	1
   10	McLane	$62,668	$30.13	223
   11	Lynden	$61,960	$29.79	15
   12	Sysco	$61,352	$29.50	357
   13	Bulkmatic Transport	$61,239	$29.44	4
   14	Rmci	$60,428	$29.05
   15	Moran Transportation Company Inc	$60,405	$29.04
   16	UPS	$59,264	$28.49	59
   17	Dedicated Logistics	$59,238	$28.48	4
   18	Papa John's International	$58,502	$28.13	659
   19	United Road Services	$57,799	$27.79	58
   20	Schwan's	$57,519	$27.65	102

4. Writing a line haul driver job description

   A good line haul driver job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a line haul driver job description:

   Line haul driver job description example

   Are you or somebody you know looking to advance your driving career? Are you looking to take your driving career to the next level?
   
   We have been Saia strong for over 90 years and are fully committed to your success, and consequently provide:
   Full benefits package - medical/vision/Rx Weekly paycheck 401(k) with immediate company match Great home time Stable work - Average driver tenure is over 7 years Great Culture Leadership that cares
   
   Line Haul Driver
   
   Job Description
   
   As a Line Haul Driver you will be responsible for:
   Operating various tractor-trailer combinations for extended periods of time, over long distances, between company terminals or yards, company facilities and customer facilities or work sites.
   Picking up, transporting, and delivering freight
   About 80% of our Line Haul Drivers have set runs and average about 2,200-2,500 miles a week.
   Pay: $0.5950 per mile - $0.6850/mile
   
   Start at $0.6550 mile with 1+ years OTR experience
   
   Start at up to $0.6850/mile if you have 2 years OTR experience!
   
   Job Requirements
   21 years of age or older
   Current Class A CDL
   1 year tractor trailer experience with some experience in the last 24 months
   Doubles/Triples, Hazmat, and Tankers endorsements
   OTR experience helpful

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find line haul 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 line haul driver job on Zippia to find and recruit line haul driver candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit line haul drivers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   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 line haul driver

   Once you've selected the best line haul driver candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the 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.

   To prepare for the new line haul 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 line haul driver?