How to hire a trash truck driver

How to hire a trash truck driver, step by step

Here's a step-by-step trash truck driver hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your trash truck driver 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 trash truck driver 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 trash truck driver 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 trash truck driver that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of trash truck drivers.

   Type of Trash Truck Driver	Description	Hourly rate
   Trash Truck Driver	Heavy and tractor–trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. Most tractor–trailer drivers are long-haul drivers and operate trucks with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) capacity—that is, the combined weight of the vehicle, passengers, and cargo—exceeds 26,000 pounds... Show more	$13-22
   CDL Driver	A CDL driver is responsible for the transportation of goods from the manufacturing warehouse to specific store locations. CDL drivers' duties include inspecting the items before and after the delivery to ensure that the orders are correct with the right quantity, providing proof of delivery from the receiving customers, following the delivery schedule and report any delays immediately, monitoring the vehicle's engine for efficiency, and escalating concerns of incorrect deliveries and defective items... Show more	$19-46
   Driver	Drivers are responsible for safely transporting people, packages, or goods from one destination to another. They should be familiar with the different routes that may be taken to reach the desired goal... Show more	$10-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CDL
   • Trash Truck
   • Safety Checks
   • Disposal Site
   • Landfill
   • DOT
   • Garbage Truck
   • Pre-Trip Inspections
   • Hoisting
   • Vehicle Logs
   • Property Damage
   • Routine Maintenance
   • Yard Waste
   • Residential Buildings

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and expedite the secure transportation and accountability of logistic materials and HAZMAT chemicals to commercial, state and government facilities.
   • Complete delivery and pickup paperwork promptly and accurately, returning say paperwork to the appropriate facility personnel.
   • Perform maintenance on heavy equipment, run backhoe and do interior painting.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, trash truck drivers' average salary in kentucky is 41% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level trash truck drivers earn 40% less than senior-level trash truck drivers.
   • Certifications. A trash truck driver 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 trash truck driver's salary.

   Average trash truck driver salary

   $36,899yearly

   $17.74 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level trash truck driver salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

4. Writing a trash truck driver job description

   A good trash truck driver 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 trash truck driver job description:

   Trash truck driver job description example

   Be in a growing company, come work with 5280 Community Waste Solutions, LLC as a Concierge Trash Collector!

   5280 Community Waste Solutions is a local company and strives for a culture of excellence while having a positive impact on the world.
   Take a look at the owner explaining the strong sense of teamwork at 5280 Community Waste Solutions:

   www.CWS5280.com

   
   Pay: Starts at $20 an hour (part time position)
   Paid training.

   5280 Community Waste Solutions LLC is a local company with leadership that listens and is accessible. 5280 CWS trust and respect their employees without micro managing their nightly shifts. All while providing challenging work with authority & autonomy to solve issues.
   
   Hours and Available Shifts: Looking for multiple candidates to fill shifts, each candidate will work 3-5 of the following shifts: (part time position)

   • MORNINGS: Saturday from 8:30am-10:30am
   • EVENINGS: Sunday - Thursday (No Friday's) from 7pm-9pm

   Description: Employees will walk around the apartment complex, pick up bags of trash and/or recycling from the doorstep of each unit and take the trash to the onsite compactor/bin.

   • Change out and replace collection bags at all on-site pet waste collection stations
   • Light janitorial duties
   • Other duties as assigned

   Requirements for this Position:

   · Ability to lift and transport up to 50 pounds

   · Walk long distances during shift

   · Climb multiple flights of stairs while carrying trash items

   · Ability to pass a background check

   · Smart Phone capable of downloading App for clocking in/out

   · Ability to work outdoors in all types of weather conditions

   Commonly Asked Questions:

   · What type of position is this: W4

   · Do I need a CDL: NO

   · Do I need to provide my own truck: NO - The majority of the apartment communities we service, the trash is walked to the onsite compactor/bin by the employee.

   All offers of employment will be contingent on successful background screening.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right trash truck driver 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 trash truck driver job on Zippia to find and recruit trash truck driver candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting trash truck drivers 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.

   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 trash truck driver

   Once you've found the trash truck driver candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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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