How to hire a transportation aide

How to hire a transportation aide, step by step

Here's a step-by-step transportation aide hiring guide:

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

What does a transportation aide do?

Post a transportation aide job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your transportation aide 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 transportation aide 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

   A transportation aide's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, transportation aides 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 transportation aides and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Transportation Aide	Description	Hourly rate
   Transportation Aide	Nursing assistants, sometimes called nursing aides, help provide basic care for patients in hospitals and residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes. Orderlies transport patients and clean treatment areas... Show more	$11-17
   PRN	A PRN or a "pro re nata" employee is responsible for covering a shift or a specific situation, especially during short-staffing or the need to complete a particular task. The PRNs often work for a medical industry without a regular or full-time commitment, having the freedom to manage their time and take multiple assignments from different organizations... Show more	$8-42
   Hospital Corpsman	Hospital corpsmen are U.S. Navy enlisted medical specialists who perform the initial treatment during combat... Show more	$11-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Customer Service
   • CPR
   • Patient Transport
   • Good Communication
   • Rehabilitation
   • Compassion
   • Home Health
   • Transport Residents
   • Stretchers
   • Radiology
   • Medical Equipment
   • Vital Signs
   • Patient Safety

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Perform CPR and respond to code blue pages as necessary.
   • Train and certify to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid procedures.
   • Transport clients to and from various destinations, schedule appointments, transfer clients on and off stretchers and wheel chairs.
   • Assist nurse in the care of patients to include: wind care, catheters, Accu-checks, bathing and cleaning patients.
   • Provide safe and timely transportation of patients, medical records, and laboratory specimens to designate areas of the hospital
   • Monitor patients during transport communicating with the appropriate individuals relate to arrival and departure times in order to facilitate scheduling.

   More transportation aide duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your transportation aide job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A transportation aide 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 transportation aide in New Mexico may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level transportation aide usually earns less than a senior-level transportation aide. Additionally, a transportation aide 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 transportation aide salary

   $14.33hourly

   $29,815 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level transportation aide salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average transportation aide salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$35,451	$17
   2	Indiana	$33,290	$16
   3	Ohio	$32,139	$15
   4	Nevada	$31,916	$15
   5	Rhode Island	$31,312	$15
   6	New Jersey	$30,638	$15
   7	Oregon	$30,150	$15
   8	Minnesota	$30,040	$14
   9	New York	$30,018	$14
   10	California	$29,306	$14
   11	Michigan	$29,000	$14
   12	Arizona	$28,971	$14
   13	Maryland	$28,939	$14
   14	Colorado	$28,813	$14
   15	Missouri	$27,996	$13
   16	Illinois	$24,710	$12
   17	South Carolina	$22,280	$11
   18	Florida	$21,800	$10

   Average transportation aide salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Lifespan	$35,931	$17.27
   2	Roswell Park	$35,282	$16.96	1
   3	New York State Restaurant Association	$34,328	$16.50
   4	Oregon Health & Science University	$33,526	$16.12	4
   5	Hackensack Meridian Health	$32,902	$15.82	80
   6	Fairview Health Services	$32,517	$15.63	61
   7	Virginia Hospital Center	$32,298	$15.53	6
   8	Cheshire Academy	$32,231	$15.50	2
   9	The Henry Ford	$32,012	$15.39
   10	St. Charles Health System	$31,611	$15.20	14
   11	Buena Vista University	$31,497	$15.14	3
   12	Cleveland Clinic	$31,489	$15.14	78
   13	Allina Health	$31,431	$15.11	13
   14	Yale New Haven Health	$31,374	$15.08	56
   15	Cayuga Medical Center	$31,238	$15.02	18
   16	St. Peter's Health	$31,193	$15.00
   17	Trinity Health	$31,143	$14.97	380
   18	Southcoast Health	$31,108	$14.96	16
   19	Park Nicollet Medical Center Inc	$31,049	$14.93
   20	Beaumont Health	$31,008	$14.91	1

4. Writing a transportation aide job description

   A good transportation aide job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a transportation aide job description:

   Transportation aide job description example

   Join the Cleveland Clinic team, where you will work alongside passionate caregivers and provide patient-first healthcare. Cleveland Clinic is recognized as the No. 4 hospital in the nation, according to the U.S. and World News Report. At Cleveland Clinic, you will work alongside passionate and dedicated caregivers, receive endless support and appreciation, and build a rewarding career with one of the most respected healthcare organizations in the world.
   
   Under the direct supervision of the Transportation Supervisor, the Patient Transporter is responsible for the safe, timely and accurate transport of patients, medical equipment and patient-related items to their destinations. The Patient Transporter performs these duties along with volunteers and other employees involved with patient transporting to all areas of Akron General Medical Center.
   
   Cleveland Clinic provides what matters most: career growth, delivering world-class care to our patients, continuous learning, exceptional benefits and working for an organization that offers many long-term career paths. Join us and experience a culture where opportunities to advance and the support to get there go hand-in-hand.
   
   Transports patients and their personal property using wheelchairs, carts, and beds through the admission, discharge, and transfer procedures.
   
   Transports patients with or without IV's and with or without oxygen to and from physical therapy, occupational therapy, radiology, radiation oncology, physiology and other departments, including the morgue as necessary.
   
   Cleans, sanitizes and accounts for transportation equipment, wheelchairs, patient carts, etc. Stores equipment in designated areas. Provides wheelchairs for ACC and other areas as needed. Provides wheelchairs for visitors.
   
   Is responsible for restocking of portable oxygen tanks i to ensure adequate supply of oxygen for patient use during transport.
   
   Responds to all transport requests with a sense of urgency. Activates and completes tasks at the start or end location via phone system.
   
   Notifies nursing personnel, clinician, technician or reception upon arrival for patient. Completes required logs and forms including the Critical Information form. Verifies correct patient identification through appropriate means (i.e. armband, chart, pager, DOB, etc.), verifies proper mode of transportation and confirms standard precautions.
   
   Assists nursing (or directly) in bedding patient or moving patient from bed into wheelchair or onto stretcher, etc. Consults with nursing personnel before lifting and transferring patient and obtains assistance when necessary.
   
   Completes transport quickly and efficiently and immediately notifies dispatcher when assignments are initiated, completed, or when delays/cancellations are encountered. Proactively notifies Dispatch of patient delays or extensive wait times in patient holding areas.
   
   Understands and applies knowledge of basic patient transport concepts, infection control practices, and proper body mechanics for lifting and moving patients. Utilizes proper body mechanics when lifting and transferring patients to and from wheelchairs, stretchers or beds, etc.
   
   Performs similar or less skilled work as assigned by the department's management. Adherence to work rules is required.
   Other duties as assigned
   Education: High school graduate or equivalent.
   Certifications: None required
   Complexity of Work: Maintains competencies specific to patient population served. Ability to work safely near but not with radioactive substances. Able to follow instructions and at times requiring minimal supervision.
   Work Experience: Demonstrated interest aptitude and ability to work involving patient care genuine concern for an individual's welfare.
   Physical Requirements: Ability to lift and transfer patients requiring much assistance with minimal help.
   Personal Protective Equipment: Follows standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right transportation aide for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your transportation aide job on Zippia to find and recruit transportation aide candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting transportation aides 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 to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to 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 transportation aide

   Once you've decided on a perfect transportation aide candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new transportation aide. 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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