How to hire a residential driver

How to hire a residential driver, step by step

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

What does a residential driver do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a residential 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 residential driver's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, residential 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 residential drivers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Residential Driver	Description	Hourly rate
   Residential 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	$12-23
   Owner/Operator	Owners/operators manage the business in all aspects, especially in those related to operations. They ensure that every aspect of the business is running smoothly... Show more	$50-126
   Driver/Owner Operator	Driver/owner-operators are self-employed commercial truck drivers who operate trucks to transport goods for their customers. Most of these operators started working as drivers for trucking companies to gain experience and decide if it's the right career path for them... Show more	$33-200

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CDL
   • Safety Equipment
   • Clean Waste
   • Safety Issues
   • Safety Policies
   • Productivity Standards
   • Federal Regulations
   • Property Damage
   • OSHA
   • Federal Laws
   • Disposal Site
   • Automatic Controls
   • Tire Pressure
   • Unacceptable Waste

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • DOT logs are done and turn in daily.
   • Operate hoisting device to lift and empty bins or containers into truck hopper.
   • Operate compression equipment as well as automated or semi-automate hoisting devices.
   • Conduct deliveries of medical equipment throughout Florida, collect payments, and ensure proper cleanliness of medical equipment
   • Return to shop, perform post trip inspection, turn in all company tools require for the job.

   More residential driver duties

3. Make a budget

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

   $36,713yearly

   $17.65 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level residential driver salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average residential driver salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$43,975	$21
   2	Washington	$43,884	$21
   3	Ohio	$41,224	$20
   4	Minnesota	$39,874	$19
   5	California	$39,792	$19
   6	Pennsylvania	$39,706	$19
   7	Colorado	$39,689	$19
   8	Illinois	$38,984	$19
   9	Wisconsin	$37,460	$18
   10	New York	$36,823	$18
   11	Nebraska	$36,582	$18
   12	Tennessee	$36,550	$18
   13	Iowa	$36,477	$18
   14	Maryland	$35,736	$17
   15	Indiana	$35,550	$17
   16	Virginia	$34,680	$17
   17	Idaho	$34,326	$17
   18	Kentucky	$34,120	$16
   19	Florida	$32,848	$16
   20	South Carolina	$31,629	$15

   Average residential driver salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Waste Management	$40,721	$19.58	18
   2	Waste Pro	$40,410	$19.43	77
   3	Waste Connections	$40,168	$19.31	181
   4	American Disposal Services	$39,147	$18.82
   5	Usa Hauling & Recycling Inc	$38,925	$18.71
   6	Amwaste Inc.	$38,888	$18.70
   7	Texas Disposal Systems	$38,510	$18.51	5
   8	Iron Mountain	$37,872	$18.21	55
   9	Republic Services	$36,847	$17.71	304
   10	City of Monroe	$36,827	$17.71
   11	FedEx	$35,730	$17.18	18
   12	Allied Universal	$34,422	$16.55
   13	TRU	$33,950	$16.32	1

4. Writing a residential driver job description

   A residential 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 a residential driver job description:

   Residential driver job description example

   Work with all members of the branch, and management team to develop the technical and leadership skills necessary to assist with needed operational activities and to ensure the support of the branch's goals and objectives.
   Essential Functions:
   
   * Monitor, resolve, document and report all customer concerns and issues. Relay and coordinate information between operations and sales.
   * Monitor and ensure timely and proper completion of paperwork for Drivers including truck reports, driver logs and vehicle inspections.
   * Complete fuel reports, DOT hours recap and tonnage reports on a daily basis.
   * Perform route audits on all vehicle product lines and become familiar with each line.
   * Create and ensure proper distribution of work orders for all Drivers and Helpers
   * Work with customer service in order to become familiar with customer calls and questions.
   * Create and ensure proper scheduling of Drivers and Helpers.
   * Coordinate with Drivers to ensure that all missed stops and special pick-up's are completed daily.
   * Review and analyze productivity reports for improvement opportunities.
   * Observe and monitor employee work habits and skills and make suggestions for programs designed to correct any concerns.
   * Confer and work with shop management to gain knowledge of shop function as it relates to the overall operation of branch.
   * Participate in all safety related meetings and activities and correct any observed safety related hazards.
   * Gain knowledge of all personnel related matters including: hiring, training, coaching, counseling, termination, etc.
   
   Additional Responsibilities:
   
   * Conform in all respects with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, ordinances and other orders and to all company policies, procedures and directives from supervisors.
   * Perform other duties and responsibilities as required or requested by management.
   
   Job Requirements:
   
   Education, Training, Experience and Licensing/Certification Requirements:
   
   * Associates or Bachelor's Degree required.
   * At least five (5) years supervisory/leadership experience preferred.
   * Combination of education and/or experience
   * Two (2) years experience in the waste or transportation industry preferred with at least one (1) year experience in a Lead position.
   
   GFL Environmental is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It will make reasonable accommodations to enable employees to perform their jobs.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting residential 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 residential driver

   Once you have selected a candidate for the residential 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 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 employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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 residential driver?