How to hire a transportation officer

How to hire a transportation officer, step by step

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

What does a transportation officer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a transportation officer, 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

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

   This list shows salaries for various types of transportation officers.

   Type of Transportation Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Transportation Officer		$13-43
   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
   Security Manager	Security managers are responsible for creating a safe environment for everyone and implementing policies to prevent emergencies. They ensure the safety of employees and assets of the company as well as its facilities... Show more	$35-79

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CDL
   • Restraints
   • CPR
   • Patrol
   • Transport Inmates
   • Emergency Situations
   • Logistical Support
   • Vehicle Maintenance
   • Direct Supervision
   • Incident Reports
   • Correctional Facilities
   • Law Enforcement Agencies
   • Combat
   • Medical Appointments

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all mortuary affairs support for decease USN, USMC, USCG and DOD civilians in the CENTCOM area.
   • Manage profit and loss accountability by adhering to budgets and KPI's and maximizing profitability.
   • Conduct combat logistics patrols through enemy occupy territory and lead logistics convoys through multiple enemy attacks.
   • Manage inventory of inbound ocean containers, coordinate and schedule TL operations, supervise yard hostlers and manage outbound trailer traffic.
   • Play fundamental role for business obtaining ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 health and safety certifications.
   • Perform a variety of seminars, workshops and training on HAZMAT safety and environmental issues.

   More transportation officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the transportation officer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A transportation officer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a transportation officer in Hawaii may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level transportation officer. Additionally, a transportation officer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average transportation officer salary

   $50,972yearly

   $24.51 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level transportation officer salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average transportation officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$63,950	$31
   2	New York	$60,937	$29
   3	North Carolina	$58,247	$28
   4	Maryland	$53,706	$26
   5	Wisconsin	$53,543	$26
   6	New Mexico	$51,755	$25
   7	Texas	$51,143	$25
   8	Virginia	$50,767	$24
   9	Minnesota	$50,763	$24
   10	Kansas	$50,642	$24
   11	Washington	$50,288	$24
   12	Arizona	$50,041	$24
   13	Florida	$45,597	$22
   14	Colorado	$42,410	$20
   15	Oklahoma	$40,937	$20
   16	Montana	$39,187	$19

   Average transportation officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Baptist Health	$92,334	$44.39	10
   2	Bering Straits	$76,179	$36.62	11
   3	Washington State University	$55,557	$26.71
   4	Assets Protection Inc	$52,115	$25.06	59
   5	NANA	$52,007	$25.00	53
   6	1 8 3 Lanes	$50,784	$24.42
   7	General Security	$50,129	$24.10	9
   8	Fort Bend County	$50,033	$24.05	7
   9	City of Hampton	$49,973	$24.03	1
   10	The GEO Group	$45,496	$21.87	123
   11	State of West Virginia	$45,081	$21.67	9
   12	State Of South Dakota	$45,049	$21.66	12
   13	State Bar of Michigan	$44,624	$21.45	12
   14	Management & Training	$43,145	$20.74	19
   15	State Of Illinois - Illinois Student Assistance Commission	$42,494	$20.43	66
   16	Texas Department of Transportation	$41,872	$20.13	9
   17	Allied Universal	$38,446	$18.48
   18	City of Las Cruces Government	$38,366	$18.45	1
   19	G4s Secure Solutions International Inc.	$37,805	$18.18
   20	Gilbert Chamber of Commerce	$37,314	$17.94

4. Writing a transportation officer job description

   A transportation officer 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 transportation officer job description:

   Transportation officer job description example

   Allied Universal , North America's leading security and facility services company, provides rewarding careers that give you a sense of purpose. While working in a dynamic, diverse and inclusive workplace, you will be part of a team that fuels a culture that will reflect in our communities and customers we serve. We offer medical, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, 401K, employee assistance programs, company discounts, perks and more for all full-time positions!
   ARMED INMATE TRANSPORTATION OFFICERS NEEDED!!!
   
   FULL TIME POSITION ( VARIOUS SHIFTS )
   
   $17.51 / HOUR
   
   Inmate Transport - transport of Inmates in the custody of client to other locations in-county. (medical appt, courts, jail facilities)
   
   As an Armed Security Officer you will serve and safeguard clients in a range of industries such as Commercial Real Estate, Healthcare, Education, Government and more.
   
   Responsibilities:
   
   * Provide customer service to our clients by carrying out safety and security procedures, site-specific policies and when appropriate, emergency response activities
   * Respond to incidents and critical situations in a calm, problem solving manner
   * Conduct regular and random patrols around the business and perimeter. Working environments and conditions may vary by client site.
   
   Minimum Requirements:
   
   * Be at least 21 years of age for armed roles
   * Possess a high school diploma or equivalent, or 5 years of verifiable experience
   * As a condition of employment, applicants will be subject to a background investigation in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws. Allied Universal will consider qualified applications with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable laws.
   * As a condition of employment, applicants will be subject to a drug screen to the extent permitted by law.
   * Participate in industry specific security/safety training programs
   * Licensing requirements are subject to state and/or local laws and regulations and may be required prior to employment.
   * A valid driver's license will be required for driving positions only
   
   Perks and Benefits:
   
   * Health insurance and 401k plans for full-time positions
   * Flexible part time and full-time schedules that fit with your personal life goals
   * Ongoing paid training programs and career growth opportunities
   * Employee discounts through our perks program to your favorite restaurants, entertainment venues and much more…
   
   Allied Universal is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status or relationship/association with a protected veteran, or any other basis or characteristic protected by law. For more information: www.aus.com
   
   If you have any questions regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Diversity and Inclusion, have difficulty using the online system and require an alternate method to apply, or require an accommodation at any time during the recruitment and/or employment process, please contact our local Human Resources department. To find an office near you, please visit: www.aus.com/offices.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit transportation officers, 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 transportation officer

   Once you've decided on a perfect transportation officer 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is 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 transportation officer?