How to hire a traffic clerk

How to hire a traffic clerk, step by step

Here's a step-by-step traffic clerk hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your traffic clerk job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a traffic clerk for hire on a part-time basis or as a 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 traffic clerk 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 traffic clerk salaries for various roles:

   Type of Traffic Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Traffic Clerk	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$11-19
   Receiving Lead	A Receiving Lead's job covers the direction and coordination of receiving and other warehouse processes under the established operating operations. Receiving leads provide the work assignments of their staff daily... Show more	$13-24
   Shipping	When it comes to shipping, a worker is primarily in charge of processing deliveries while ensuring accuracy and timeliness. One of their responsibilities revolves around processing information, maintaining an accurate record of all transactions, inspecting goods, and organizing an efficient transport of goods... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Shipping Receiving
   • Data Entry
   • Customer Service
   • Outbound Shipments
   • WMS
   • Space Availability
   • Shipment Data
   • Freight Carriers
   • Outbound Freight
   • LTL
   • BOL
   • Outbound Loads
   • Customer Orders
   • Purchase Orders

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage comprehensive truckload and LTL logistical information for customers and trucking carriers.
   • File BOL's for inbound and outbound loads to maintain audit standards.
   • Work on AS400 to adjust and close food orders.
   • Analyze and direct routing for LTL or T/L shipments, follow up T/L shipments for delivery dates.
   • Maintain clean and sanitary operating environment; responsible for maintaining cleanliness of receiving area including loading dock and trash areas.
   • Coordinate shipments of LCL cargo going to Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala and Honduras.

   More traffic clerk duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, traffic clerks' average salary in south dakota is 43% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level traffic clerks earn 41% less than senior-level traffic clerks.
   • Certifications. A traffic clerk 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 traffic clerk's salary.

   Average traffic clerk salary

   $15.39hourly

   $32,011 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level traffic clerk salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

   Average traffic clerk salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$35,099	$17
   2	New York	$33,650	$16
   3	Washington	$31,572	$15
   4	Colorado	$31,146	$15
   5	Pennsylvania	$31,129	$15
   6	New Jersey	$30,781	$15
   7	Nevada	$30,177	$15
   8	Wisconsin	$29,959	$14
   9	Florida	$29,805	$14
   10	Louisiana	$29,595	$14
   11	Puerto Rico	$29,554	$14
   12	Illinois	$29,124	$14
   13	Ohio	$28,900	$14
   14	Missouri	$28,153	$14
   15	Texas	$28,009	$13
   16	Oklahoma	$27,564	$13
   17	South Carolina	$27,506	$13
   18	Kansas	$26,993	$13
   19	Tennessee	$26,750	$13
   20	Nebraska	$26,719	$13

   Average traffic clerk salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Occidental Petroleum	$36,941	$17.76
   2	DHL	$34,855	$16.76
   3	Yusen Logistics	$33,062	$15.90
   4	Lineage Logistics	$32,826	$15.78	28
   5	Constellation Brands	$32,680	$15.71
   6	Randstad North America, Inc.	$32,593	$15.67	22
   7	Crossroads Diversified Services	$32,555	$15.65
   8	Holman Distribution	$32,425	$15.59	3
   9	Walmart	$32,063	$15.41	31
   10	Robert Half	$31,880	$15.33	564
   11	SIMOS Insourcing Solutions	$31,237	$15.02
   12	ManpowerGroup	$31,229	$15.01	56
   13	Kelly Services	$31,137	$14.97	30
   14	Legacy International	$29,568	$14.22	1
   15	Ace Hardware	$29,411	$14.14	12
   16	RESOURCE	$28,396	$13.65
   17	PeopleReady	$27,870	$13.40	23
   18	Dot Foods	$27,451	$13.20	1
   19	Staff Management	$27,235	$13.09	5
   20	AtWork	$27,011	$12.99	3

4. Writing a traffic clerk job description

   A job description for a traffic clerk 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 traffic clerk job description:

   Traffic clerk job description example

   The Traffic Clerk II is responsible for ensuring the integrity of shipped and received goods by verifying and maintaining records of all incoming and outgoing shipments to and from the warehouse.
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
   
   Examine contents and compares with records, such as manifests, invoices, bills of lading and other records to verify accuracy of incoming or outgoing shipment.
   Prepare material for shipping ensuring freight is properly packed, labeled and staged in designated areas with relevant documentation. Record shipment data, such as weight, space availability, damages, or discrepancies.
   Reports damages, shortages, or nonconformance of material and/or documents to specifications.
   Route material to designated areas in the warehouse using work devices, such as hand jack, hi-lo, packaging equipment. Maintain cleanliness and orderliness of warehouse and cargo.
   Operate forklifts in loading and offloading trucks.
   Complete on-hand process in accordance with company regulations, including use of a computer, use scanning devices and produce inventory and shipping reports.
   
   Education and Experience:
   
   High School Diploma and or GED, plus 3-5 years of warehouse experience is required.
   Forklift Certification is required
   
   The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.
   
   Benefits
   Yusen offers a generous Employee Benefits Package including:
   
   Medical, Dental, and Vision beginning the 1st of the month following start date
   401k with a company match
   Flexible Spending Accounts, Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance, Short & Long Term Disability, Tuition Assistance Program, Commuter Benefits, vacation, and much more.
   
   Any and all benefits offered are subject to the eligibility requirements, terms, and provisions set forth in the respective policies and plan documents, which you may request from Human Resources.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit traffic clerks, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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 traffic clerk

   Once you've selected the best traffic clerk 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new traffic clerk. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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