How to hire a motor transport operator

How to hire a motor transport operator, step by step

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

What does a motor transport operator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a motor transport operator, 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

   Hiring the perfect motor transport operator also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of motor transport operator salaries for various roles:

   Type of Motor Transport Operator	Description	Hourly rate
   Motor Transport Operator		$11-51
   Vehicle Operator	The vehicle operator focuses on operating various kinds of vehicles, ranging from 4-wheels to heavy trucks and vans. Usually, vehicle operators deliver supplies, materials, and personnel to the intended destination... Show more	$11-51
   Motor Vehicle Operator	Motor vehicle operators are skilled employees tasked by an organization to operate company vehicles to deliver and transport people, supplies, records, and materials. These operators must be able to drive a variety of vehicles such as trucks, buses, wreckers, and tractors over various types of terrain and roadways... Show more	$11-51

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Safety Rules
   • Reservations
   • Patients
   • Excellent Organizational
   • Logistics
   • CPR
   • CDL
   • Hazardous Materials
   • Combat
   • Hazmat
   • Vehicle Deficiencies
   • Vehicle Inspections
   • Federal Regulations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Transport veterans to and from their medical appointments.
   • Operate street sweepers, skip loaders and lift trucks.
   • Ensure the safety of clients, applying first aid and CPR.
   • People skills are a must in dealing with employees and veterans.
   • Maintain protocol of current CDL and the functional procedures of the equipment operate.
   • Maintain database of inventory for vehicle status, MHE movement, and personnel.

   More motor transport operator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the motor transport operator job description is a good way to get more applicants. A motor transport operator salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a motor transport operator in Oregon may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level motor transport operator. Additionally, a motor transport operator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average motor transport operator salary

   $51,498yearly

   $24.76 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level motor transport operator salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average motor transport operator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$73,084	$35
   2	District of Columbia	$71,005	$34
   3	Connecticut	$65,208	$31
   4	Kansas	$58,905	$28
   5	Pennsylvania	$57,415	$28
   6	New York	$55,359	$27
   7	Ohio	$54,688	$26
   8	Illinois	$53,607	$26
   9	North Carolina	$52,957	$25
   10	Nevada	$50,659	$24
   11	Minnesota	$49,474	$24
   12	Virginia	$47,667	$23
   13	Texas	$46,886	$23
   14	New Jersey	$45,288	$22
   15	Georgia	$44,666	$21
   16	Arizona	$42,131	$20
   17	Indiana	$40,742	$20
   18	Oregon	$39,634	$19
   19	South Carolina	$39,121	$19
   20	Florida	$37,281	$18

   Average motor transport operator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	OSF HealthCare	$165,010	$79.33	1
   2	NexTier Oilfield Solutions	$125,659	$60.41
   3	Merck	$115,322	$55.44	1
   4	International Rescue Committee	$105,521	$50.73
   5	Booz Allen Hamilton	$105,109	$50.53
   6	CoxHealth	$101,582	$48.84
   7	Dahl Consulting	$98,257	$47.24
   8	Iteris	$95,060	$45.70	5
   9	Deloitte	$93,257	$44.84	9
   10	SAMSUNG SDS	$91,312	$43.90
   11	Halifax Health	$91,311	$43.90	4
   12	GPAC	$90,734	$43.62
   13	Akron Children's Hospital	$90,337	$43.43
   14	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$90,076	$43.31	1
   15	Parsons	$86,746	$41.70	25
   16	Baptist Health	$83,697	$40.24	5
   17	SAIC	$82,079	$39.46	15
   18	E Center	$81,658	$39.26
   19	The University of Chicago	$80,945	$38.92	1
   20	Stanley Consultants	$80,815	$38.85

4. Writing a motor transport operator job description

   A job description for a motor transport 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 motor transport operator job description:

   Motor transport operator job description example

   Associate Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or applicable related major.
   3 years of experience in performing transactional business activities.
   3 years of experience in professional writing, technical writing, editing and/or business development writing.
   Must be proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe.

   
   Preferred Qualifications

   B.S. or B.A. in Business or applicable related major or B.S. in Engineering from ABET accredited university.
   Demonstrated ability to organize and manage electronic data sets.
   Experience with budget management and analysis.
   Experience with additional software and enterprise systems.

   Demonstrated ability or educational training in business marketing.

   Additional Requirement

   A valid Virginia driver's license or the ability to obtain the license within one month of hire is required. A driver's license records check and criminal history records check are required. Successful candidates may be required to travel and perform physical duties associated with field assignments or meeting with clients and RS&H associates as needed.

   The Team

   From managed toll lanes and long-range corridor plans to complex interchanges, major roadway, and segmental bridge designs, our teams provide the highest quality planning, environmental and engineering design solutions to our clients. Each day, we partner with transportation agencies and local governments across the country to keep our communities moving and improving the overall quality of life. By joining our team, you too can lead the evolution of transportation.

   The Company

   RS&H provides fully integrated architecture, engineering, and consulting services to help clients realize their most complex facility and infrastructure projects for land, air, and space. We are committed to bringing extraordinary solutions to our clients through the promise of imagination, ingenuity, and innovation. With a tradition of excellence that began in 1941, we are consistently ranked among the nation's top 100 design firms. We attribute our success to an unwavering commitment to our core values of: integrity, quality service, business success and valuing associates.

   An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

   We can recommend jobs specifically for you! Click here to get started.

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5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting motor transport operators requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 motor transport operator

   Once you've selected the best motor transport operator 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new motor transport operator. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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 motor transport operator?