How to hire a route manager

How to hire a route manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step route manager hiring guide:

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

What does a route manager do?

Post a route manager job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The route manager 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

   Hiring the perfect route manager 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.

   This list presents route manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Route Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Route Manager		$18-31
   Driver Supervisor	Driver supervisors are professionals who are responsible for supervising all activities that are related to the operation of motor vehicles that transport materials for logistics companies. These supervisors are required to select and orient drivers about their roles and ensure that they are following the guidelines provided by the Department of Transportation (DOT)... Show more	$14-23
   Shipping And Receiving Supervisor	A shipping and receiving supervisor streamlines the shipping process for a more efficient company. The supervisors oversee and maintain the supplies and inventory through product receipt, storage, and delivery... Show more	$13-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • DOT
   • CDL
   • OSHA
   • Safety Issues
   • Safety Targets
   • Equipment Issues
   • Regulatory Agencies
   • Customer Sites
   • Route Operations
   • Customer Retention
   • Depth Training
   • Service Alternatives
   • DVIR
   • Collection Routes

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage invoice collection and customer issues.
   • Conduct billing using mobile POS systems.
   • Advance to CDL liquid driver (liquid oxygen).
   • Obtain CDL license resulting in a promotion and pay raise.
   • Review driver DVIR and log book to fuel hours and mileage.
   • Develop interactive huddles topics, ensure compliance with safety guidelines, DVIR.

   More route manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your route manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A route manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, route managers' average salary in oklahoma is 34% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level route managers earn 42% less than senior-level route managers.
   • Certifications. A route manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a route manager's salary.

   Average route manager salary

   $50,375yearly

   $24.22 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level route manager salary

   $38,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average route manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$59,298	$29
   2	Nevada	$58,541	$28
   3	Florida	$56,288	$27
   4	New Jersey	$53,244	$26
   5	Colorado	$52,150	$25
   6	Indiana	$51,852	$25
   7	Oregon	$51,686	$25
   8	Texas	$51,684	$25
   9	Pennsylvania	$51,491	$25
   10	Washington	$50,900	$24
   11	Maryland	$49,357	$24
   12	Georgia	$47,686	$23
   13	Illinois	$46,386	$22
   14	Ohio	$45,431	$22
   15	Utah	$44,843	$22
   16	North Carolina	$44,778	$22
   17	Iowa	$44,499	$21
   18	Minnesota	$44,192	$21
   19	Missouri	$43,342	$21
   20	Oklahoma	$40,324	$19

   Average route manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Harsco	$66,777	$32.10
   2	Hubbard Construction	$61,532	$29.58
   3	First Transit	$53,199	$25.58
   4	Signet Jewelers	$51,591	$24.80
   5	Clean Harbors	$51,389	$24.71	3
   6	Packers Sanitation Services	$49,393	$23.75
   7	Hubbard	$48,861	$23.49
   8	Rollins	$48,602	$23.37
   9	Dependable Cleaners	$48,417	$23.28
   10	Symbria	$47,866	$23.01
   11	Waste Management	$47,771	$22.97	1
   12	American Pool	$47,233	$22.71
   13	Amwaste Inc.	$46,566	$22.39
   14	Scioto Services Llc	$46,564	$22.39
   15	Temco, Inc.	$46,514	$22.36
   16	Brink's	$46,482	$22.35	8
   17	Domestic	$46,014	$22.12
   18	Ryan Lawn & Tree	$45,606	$21.93	7

4. Writing a route manager job description

   A route manager 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 route manager job description:

   Route manager job description example

   *Must be at least 25 years of age with a valid Colorado Drivers License

   Must have at least 3 years of Customer Service experience

   Selling

   · Selling is a daily requirement as time allows on any given day

   · At least four hours each Wednesday should be dedicated to selling

   · Each route manager should target selling a minimum of two (2) VIPs each week

   · Each route manager should target selling a minimum of $5000 each week, and this should increase as the route gets built up

   · Target areas to sell that are near existing customers

   · Follow local municipality laws for soliciting

   · Door knocking to homes, businesses, and residential buildings is the first priority

   · Where allowed, put door knockers on doors in areas with high possibility of getting responses

   · Reports showing new customers added to the route (through any method) and total sales should be completed and submitted weekly to route supervisor

   · Assistance in selling strategies will be always offered

   Van

   · Keep clean inside and out, wash and sweep out as needed

   · Complete weekly van maintenance report

   · Follow suggested schedule for service on van (like oil change, tire rotation, specific mileage work)

   · Inform route supervisor of any work needing to be done

   · Van keys are always to be left at home store along with company phone

   Other

   · You may be requested to help with special projects like Coats for Colorado or other company or community projects

   · Attendance at team and/or company meetings will be required

   · All employees are required to follow all rules and regulations in the company employee manual

   Company DescriptionDependable Cleaners is a privately owned and operated dry cleaning company. Our company was founded here in Colorado in 1930. We have 12 stores operating along the Colorado Front Range. Dependable Cleaners is the respected leader in the dry- cleaning industry in Colorado.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with route manager 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.

   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 route manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the route manager 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new route manager. 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a route manager?