How to hire a local driver

How to hire a local driver, step by step

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

What does a local driver do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a local driver, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

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

   The following list breaks down different types of local drivers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Local Driver	Description	Hourly rate
   Local 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	$15-33
   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
   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:

   • CDL
   • DOT
   • Post-Trip Inspections
   • Customer Service
   • Pallet Jack
   • Hazmat
   • OTR
   • Hazardous Materials
   • Federal Regulations
   • FMCSA
   • LTL
   • Electronic Logs
   • Federal Motor
   • Hand Trucks

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Experience in semi driving, logging, managing bills of lading, light maintenance, vehicle inspections.
   • Transport Hazmat air tanks per fmcsa regulations.
   • Full trailer load and LTL delivery and pick up.
   • Assist in planning to ensure loads are ready for OTR drivers.
   • Experience with; dry van, LTL, heavy haul, inter-modal and refrigerate trailers.
   • Deliver propane to residential customers and commercial

   More local driver duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your local driver job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A local driver 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 local driver in Nebraska may be lower than in Montana, and an entry-level local driver usually earns less than a senior-level local driver. Additionally, a local driver 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 local driver salary

   $48,160yearly

   $23.15 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level local driver salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average local driver salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$57,823	$28
   2	North Dakota	$57,277	$28
   3	Oregon	$54,457	$26
   4	Indiana	$52,898	$25
   5	California	$51,067	$25
   6	Minnesota	$50,945	$24
   7	Illinois	$50,434	$24
   8	Wisconsin	$49,501	$24
   9	Ohio	$49,302	$24
   10	Colorado	$49,205	$24
   11	Utah	$49,103	$24
   12	Arizona	$48,869	$23
   13	Oklahoma	$47,967	$23
   14	Texas	$47,703	$23
   15	Tennessee	$46,184	$22
   16	Iowa	$46,122	$22
   17	Michigan	$46,022	$22
   18	Georgia	$45,827	$22
   19	North Carolina	$45,813	$22
   20	Missouri	$44,755	$22

   Average local driver salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Mid-South Management	$82,528	$39.68
   2	Ryder System	$65,853	$31.66	878
   3	Hub Group	$65,096	$31.30	183
   4	AAA Cooper Transportation	$65,053	$31.28	178
   5	Old Dominion Freight Line	$64,576	$31.05	30
   6	Walmart	$60,842	$29.25	111
   7	PGT Trucking	$59,706	$28.70	4
   8	Roehl Transport	$59,497	$28.60	9,295
   9	Cowan Systems	$58,449	$28.10
   10	Air Liquide	$57,189	$27.49
   11	Lynden	$56,427	$27.13	1
   12	Venture Logistics	$56,283	$27.06	4
   13	Dedicated Logistics	$55,715	$26.79	2
   14	J Rayl Transport	$55,529	$26.70
   15	Carlile Transportation	$54,973	$26.43	9
   16	United Natural Foods	$54,956	$26.42	1
   17	Premier Transportation	$54,746	$26.32	250
   18	Truckmovers	$54,106	$26.01
   19	Venture Express	$53,893	$25.91	37
   20	Shaw Industries	$52,871	$25.42

4. Writing a local driver job description

   A local driver job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a local driver job description:

   Local driver job description example

   1. Operation of a Tractor and Trailer unit.

   2. Inspects exterior/interior vehicle components at beginning of shift for all DOT required checks prior to moving vehicle.

   3. Responsible for cleanliness of inside of vehicle, coordinating fueling of vehicle, reporting accidents/damage, and reporting malfunctions of vehicle to the department manager.

   4. Accurately completes driver trip sheets, fuel sheets, and logs (if required).

   5. Follows specific routes, activities, or responds to requests from dispatch, management, dock areas, for trailer transfers - according to trailer needs.

   6. Transmit and receive over two-way communication systems regarding confirmation to requests/activities.

   7. Perform Sit down/Stand up Lift truck related duties for loading/unloading trailers. Successfully complete the OSHA approved PIT training and operate PIT equipment safely. Preferred experience on Lift Trucks, but not required - can be trained.

   8. Be able to train others or replacement employees.

   9. Work with supervision to correct problems that rise during shift.

   10. Be able to treat all customers, and other persons, in a courteous, friendly, professional manner.

   Eligibility/Qualification Requirements:

   · No formal education required. High School/GED required.

   · Must be able to read, write and perform basic math. Good Oral and written communication skills.

   · Experience - 2 year tractor/trailer experience; recent activity during/within last 5 years preferred.

   · Driving History - Clean 3 year MVR; 5 year check that reveals (A) No convictions for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, (B) no convictions for leaving the scene of an accident, (C) no convictions for traffic violations involving injury or death, (D) no more than a combination of any two minor moving violations within the past two years.

   · Knowledge of all DOT & FMCSA regulations and rules

   · Must possess a valid Class A license and meet DOT Qualifications.

   Qualified - An employee is considered qualified after successful completion of all components listed on the Driver Qualification File Check List Form. This includes items to be completed PRIOR to hiring and items completed PRIOR to driving. Employees are on a probationary period for the term of 6 weeks following completion of all qualification items.

   Eligible - An employee is considered eligible for placement upon successful completion of all of the following prerequisite requirements.

   · Application for Employment

   · Acuity obtaining copy of responses of past employers

   · Original Copy of MVR from state

   · Record of Road Test and Certification Copy

   · Medical Examiners Certification or Copy

   · Authorization to release Drug/Alcohol tests results to prospective employers

   · Copy of Substance Test and Results

   Physical - Heavy work - Exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

   Conditions of the Job: Employees may bid down or laterally once during a twelve (12) month period.

   
   Pandologic. Keywords: Truck Driver, Location: Crawfordsville, IN - 47933

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right local driver 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 local drivers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit local drivers 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 local driver job on Zippia to find and recruit local driver candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with local 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 local driver

   Once you've selected the best local 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 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.

   To prepare for the new local 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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