How to hire an over the road driver

How to hire an over the road driver, step by step

Here's a step-by-step over the road driver hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an over the road driver job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new over the road driver
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an over the road driver do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The over the road driver hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 an over the road 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 an over the road driver that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of over the road drivers.

   Type of Over The Road Driver	Description	Hourly rate
   Over The Road 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	$20-42
   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/Mover	A driver/mover is responsible for preparing and arranging items for delivery from the distribution center to assigned destinations. Driver/movers assist with loading and unloading merchandise using various warehouse tools and equipment... Show more	$11-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CDL
   • PET
   • Post-Trip Inspections
   • Hazmat
   • Customer Service
   • Federal Regulations
   • Hazardous Materials
   • LTL
   • DOT Regulations
   • Cleanliness
   • Federal Motor
   • FMCSA
   • Safety Regulations
   • Electronic Logs

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Experience in semi driving, logging, managing bills of lading, light maintenance, vehicle inspections.
   • Work OTR reefer unit with assign trainer after CDL are obtained.
   • Comply with all FMCSA rules and regulations to maintain CDL-A status.
   • Train CDL driver responsible for OTR pick up and delivery of goods.
   • Transport domestic freight from customer to customer, and employ industry standard HAZMAT procedures.
   • Action resources is a HAZMAT company that have drivers locally and over the road.

   More over the road driver duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the over the road driver job description is a good way to get more applicants. An over the road driver 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 an over the road driver in Alaska may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level over the road driver. Additionally, an over the road driver with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average over the road driver salary

   $62,119yearly

   $29.86 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level over the road driver salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average over the road driver salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$72,168	$35
   2	Georgia	$70,609	$34
   3	Missouri	$70,393	$34
   4	Maryland	$70,140	$34
   5	Delaware	$69,306	$33
   6	Kansas	$68,980	$33
   7	Arizona	$67,845	$33
   8	Oklahoma	$67,616	$33
   9	Tennessee	$67,513	$32
   10	Ohio	$67,505	$32
   11	North Dakota	$67,394	$32
   12	Kentucky	$67,301	$32
   13	Pennsylvania	$67,083	$32
   14	North Carolina	$66,467	$32
   15	Arkansas	$65,931	$32
   16	Illinois	$65,731	$32
   17	Alabama	$65,180	$31
   18	Mississippi	$64,977	$31
   19	Indiana	$64,494	$31
   20	Maine	$64,333	$31

   Average over the road driver salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Walmart	$92,858	$44.64	112
   2	AmeriGas Propane	$82,639	$39.73	75
   3	Empower Media Marketing	$79,552	$38.25
   4	Tyson Foods	$79,472	$38.21	1
   5	Covenant	$75,458	$36.28	5
   6	Ryder System	$72,317	$34.77	901
   7	UGI	$69,747	$33.53	101
   8	Alliance Transportation Group	$69,122	$33.23
   9	Werner Enterprises	$69,010	$33.18	5
   10	The Custom Companies	$68,139	$32.76
   11	Red Classic	$66,912	$32.17
   12	Tri-National Inc	$66,679	$32.06	5
   13	Grand Island Express	$66,405	$31.93	1
   14	J Rayl Transport	$66,260	$31.86
   15	Advance Auto Parts	$66,151	$31.80	62
   16	Marvin and	$66,041	$31.75	3
   17	Cowan Systems	$65,968	$31.72
   18	Atkins	$65,889	$31.68
   19	MC EXPRESS	$65,522	$31.50	1
   20	Michels	$65,422	$31.45	7

4. Writing an over the road driver job description

   An over the road 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. To help get you started, here's an example of an over the road driver job description:

   Over the road driver job description example

   We are seeking an OTR Truck Driver to join our team! Our drivers all enjoy NO touch freight and 75% drop and hook. We offer FULL benefits and generous home time. We want you to be a successful part of our family and will do whatever it takes to help you achieve that!
   Responsibilities: Safely operate a heavy or tractor-trailer truck Load and unload cargo Properly track and document activity log Report any issues or incidents to dispatch Inspect truck before and after trip Qualifications: Previous experience in truck driving or other related fields Commercial driver's license Ability to handle physical workload Strong work ethic We have freight between Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas City, MO, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Georgia, California, Oregon, and Washington. We will NEVER ask you to do anything without compensation. We are different, and we will prove it to you. We treat everyone here with respect, honesty, courtesy, and professionalism. We will get you home and will honor our commitment to you! Apply or Call today to learn why WTL is the best career move for Company DescriptionAs a regional driver for Wenger Truck Line in Davenport, IA, we guarantee you will never be more than a day’s drive from home.
   
   Our regional drivers stay in the upper Midwest operating area, servicing our customers with superior on-time service. Our region includes Iowa; Kansas City, MO; Indiana; Minnesota; Wisconsin; Illinois; Michigan; Ohio; and sometimes a relay back and forth on I-80 in Nebraska.
   
   Most of our regional fleet can expect to get home every weekend for at least 36 to 48 hours. The vast majority of this freight is drop and hook and 100% no touch.
   
   All drivers enjoy full benefits and extra pay for anything we ask you to do. All miles are paid, loaded and empty, at .45 – .50.
   
   We have six paid holidays per year and guarantee to get you home for Christmas. Orientation is paid at $100 per day for three days plus lunch and dinner, lodging and transportation.
   
   We pay for extra stops and offer break down pay, layover pay, detention pay and extra pay for city work. The minimum pay per truckload is $75.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting over the road drivers 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.

   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 over the road driver

   Once you have selected a candidate for the over the road driver position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new over the road driver. 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 an over the road driver?