How to hire a transportation director

How to hire a transportation director, step by step

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

What does a transportation director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your transportation director 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 director 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a transportation director 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 a transportation director that fits the bill.

   This list presents transportation director salaries for various positions.

   Type of Transportation Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Transportation Director		$14-41
   Logistics Manager	The person in charge of coordinating, purchasing, and distributing products in a supply chain is called logistics manager. Logistic managers are supply specialists that are responsible for the overall supply chain management... Show more	$25-50
   Fleet Manager	A fleet manager is responsible for monitoring the delivery processes, including the maintenance and registration of delivery vehicles, recruiting delivery drivers, and regularly inspecting the vehicle's engine to boost optimal performance for efficient deliveries. Fleet managers purchase the vehicles, negotiating contracts with trusted manufacturers, and try to keep minimal costs without compromising quality... Show more	$14-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • DOT
   • Logistics
   • CDL
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Transportation Services
   • Transportation Operations
   • Payroll
   • OSHA
   • Fleet Operations
   • TMS
   • Federal Regulations
   • Safety Rules
   • Private Fleet
   • Safety Standards

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage RFP process to outsource truck maintenance resulting in headcount reduction of 32, and total savings of $880K annually.
   • Manage inventory of inbound ocean containers, coordinate and schedule TL operations, supervise yard hostlers and manage outbound trailer traffic.
   • Perform OSHA forklift and domestic HAZMAT shipping training per regulatory guidelines.
   • Convert fleet on-board computer system from Cadec to GPS base Xata.
   • Install time-management Synovia GPS tracking and cameras on all school buses provide constant security to passengers.
   • Develop routing procedures for LTL, truck load, air freight, partial package, and inter modal shipments.

   More transportation director duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, transportation directors' average salary in utah is 42% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level transportation directors earn 65% less than senior-level transportation directors.
   • Certifications. A transportation director 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 transportation director's salary.

   Average transportation director salary

   $51,314yearly

   $24.67 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level transportation director salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average transportation director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$66,788	$32
   2	New Jersey	$62,124	$30
   3	Massachusetts	$58,392	$28
   4	Pennsylvania	$57,483	$28
   5	North Carolina	$56,559	$27
   6	California	$55,604	$27
   7	Washington	$54,972	$26
   8	Indiana	$52,934	$25
   9	Maryland	$52,786	$25
   10	Ohio	$51,639	$25
   11	Texas	$51,294	$25
   12	Illinois	$50,991	$25
   13	Arizona	$49,582	$24
   14	Michigan	$48,570	$23
   15	Iowa	$47,220	$23
   16	Nebraska	$46,889	$23
   17	Florida	$46,739	$22
   18	Georgia	$46,452	$22
   19	Louisiana	$45,938	$22
   20	South Carolina	$45,247	$22

   Average transportation director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Zulily	$108,646	$52.23
   2	Ernst & Young	$96,535	$46.41
   3	GPAC	$80,138	$38.53
   4	Halff Associates	$75,870	$36.48	10
   5	PFS	$71,049	$34.16
   6	Xpress Global Systems	$64,968	$31.23
   7	VHB	$61,382	$29.51	16
   8	City of Los Angeles	$60,852	$29.26
   9	The Dart Network	$60,566	$29.12
   10	La Kretz Innovation Campus	$60,230	$28.96
   11	Tighe & Bond	$58,680	$28.21
   12	Monroe County	$58,664	$28.20
   13	Patrick Industries	$56,814	$27.31	1
   14	Sysco	$55,477	$26.67	64
   15	Cano Health	$54,087	$26.00
   16	Baltimore County Public Schools	$53,942	$25.93
   17	Executive Alliance	$53,557	$25.75
   18	Ascension Michigan	$52,202	$25.10
   19	Contech Engineered Solutions	$51,953	$24.98
   20	Califia Farms	$51,881	$24.94

4. Writing a transportation director job description

   A job description for a transportation director 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 transportation director job description:

   Transportation director job description example

   **Paid Relocation To: Millsboro, DE**
   
   Responsible for on time and damage free delivery of all Mountaire refrigerated poultry to end customers, distribution warehouses, third party freezers and intra-company transfers to Mountaire operations. Responsible for all activity and performance of company owned, dedicated freight, and non-contract truckload carriers engaged in the delivery of Mountaire poultry for domestic sale. Responsible for all (*regulatory compliance) for Mountaire-owned and leased equipment and drivers; including Live Haul, Feed Haul, Breeder and Hatchery operations. Oversees all areas of Fleet Operations including DOT regulatory compliance, vehicle and equipment purchasing and maintenance, selection and performance management of Fleet Operations Managers and Dispatch Manager, Feed, Grain, Live, Breeder and Hatchery facilities driver's performance and schedules.
   
   **Duties/Activities Required by Job**
   
   + Responsible for on time damage free delivery of Mountaire refrigerated product to Multiple internal/external customers through Company and third party providers. Oversees all areas of Fleet Operations including DOT regulatory compliance, vehicle and equipment purchasing and maintenance, selection and performance management of Fleet Operations Managers and Dispatch Manager. Manages third party agreements for Dressed and Live Haul.
   
   + Works with Accounting to establish budgets, capital and M&R plans. Works with Risk to establish third party contracts and legal on legal matters. Responsible for financial planning/forecasting for area of responsibility.
   
   + Safety / Fleet Operations- Responsible for all regulatory/DOT compliance for Mountaire-owned and leased equipment and drivers; including Live Haul, Feed Haul, Breeder and Hatchery operations. Oversees all safety programs for Fleet Operations. Responsible for oversight on Company safety and environmental programs.
   
   + Established Metrics-reports, analysis, recommend changes for improvement
   
   + People Management - provides overall direction and support to the Transportation team to achieve operational and safety goals. Guides training & development activities related to Transportation Operations to develop competence and commitment.
   
   **Educations/Experience Requirements**
   
   + Bachelors Degree or Higher in Related Discipline; Business Administration, Logistics, Supply Chain
   
   + 10 or more years Transportation, Logistics or Supply Chain experience
   
   + Supply Chain, Logistics, Transportation Certifications -Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM)- (CLTD) Certification (Certified in Logistics, Transportation and Distribution).
   
   **ABOUT US**
   
   Are you looking for more than just a job? The culture at Mountaire is one of our greatest strengths and most valued assets. We maintain the same core values and family-focused work environment that we've operated with since day one. You will find that your peers, supervisor and team members are genuinely committed to, not only your success, but also working together to provide high-quality products to our customers. We are a service to one another and to our customers, demonstrating operational excellence and outstanding performance.
   
   **ABOUT THE TEAM**
   
   **Mountaire Overview**
   
   Mountaire Corporation and its two operating affiliates, Mountaire Farms Inc. and Mountaire Farms of Delaware, Inc. (collectively, "Mountaire Farms" or "Mountaire"), are agricultural food production and processing companies providing competitive jobs to almost 10,000 dedicated employees at facilities in Arkansas, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. Now the fourth largest chicken company in the United States, we are still family owned and fully committed to giving back to the communities where we do business. At Mountaire Farms, our culture is what defines us. It sets us apart from our competition and reinforces what we stand for. Supporting each other, uplifting each other, and helping each other succeed -- that's the Mountaire way! Our vision is to provide growth, stability, and opportunities for our people, our customers, and our communities by profitably delivering wholesome quality chicken.
   
   **Total Compensation**
   
   Mountaire also offers an amazing total compensation package! A few examples of our benefits that may be offered to you are: eight paid holidays, Medical Plans with free onsite Health and Wellness Centers, Dental and Vision Programs, Employee Assistance Program for you and your family, Retirement Planning with 401(k), Profit Sharing, Employee Discounted Chicken Sales, Employee Discounts with partners (Car Purchase, Phone Plans, & Shopping), Tuition Reimbursement at up to $6,000 annually, and many exciting career development programs!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find transportation directors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any transportation directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level transportation directors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with transportation director 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.

   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 director

   Once you've decided on a perfect transportation director 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.

   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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new transportation director. 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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How much does it cost to hire a transportation director?