How to hire a truck driver-over-the-road

How to hire a truck driver-over-the-road, step by step

Here's a step-by-step truck driver-over-the-road hiring guide:

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

What does a truck driver-over-the-road do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a truck driver-over-the-road, 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

   A truck driver-over-the-road's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, truck driver-over the roads 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.

   This list presents truck driver-over-the-road salaries for various positions.

   Type of Truck Driver-Over-The-Road	Description	Hourly rate
   Truck Driver-Over-The-Road	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	$24-45
   Over The Road Driver	Over the road, (OTR) drivers are the truckers driving the big semi-trailer truck that hauls all types of goods to their destinations across the states. Their journey typically begins with loading the freight onto the trailer, requiring them to lift heavy materials and load the cargo properly to avoid shifting while in transit... Show more	$20-42
   Company Driver	A company driver helps an organization with all transport-related duties and ensures that these are carried out on time. Company drivers transport and deliver goods, equipment, products, and staff members to locations required by the organization... Show more	$21-44

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CDL
   • OTR
   • PET
   • Hazmat
   • Work Ethic
   • Customer Service
   • Safety Regulations
   • GPS
   • FMCSA
   • Macro
   • On-Time Delivery
   • Landing Gear
   • General Freight
   • DOT Regulations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Experience in semi driving, logging, managing bills of lading, light maintenance, vehicle inspections.
   • Ensure on-time delivery of LTL freight.
   • Transport HazMat products using proper placards and following require routes.
   • Transport basic HAZMAT cargo and ensure trailer are correctly labele.
   • Read maps or GPS to follow written or verbal geographic directions.
   • Maintain the cleanliness of the company vehicle as required by your location.

   More truck driver-over-the-road duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the truck driver-over-the-road job description is a good way to get more applicants. A truck driver-over-the-road 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 truck driver-over-the-road in Alabama may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level truck driver-over-the-road. Additionally, a truck driver-over-the-road with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average truck driver-over-the-road salary

   $69,158yearly

   $33.25 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level truck driver-over-the-road salary

   $50,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 29, 2025

   Average truck driver-over-the-road salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$85,058	$41
   2	Oregon	$81,543	$39
   3	Massachusetts	$79,482	$38
   4	New York	$79,363	$38
   5	Nevada	$79,336	$38
   6	New Jersey	$78,595	$38
   7	Connecticut	$78,577	$38
   8	Maryland	$77,219	$37
   9	Delaware	$77,212	$37
   10	Pennsylvania	$76,665	$37
   11	California	$76,346	$37
   12	Colorado	$76,018	$37
   13	Minnesota	$74,885	$36
   14	Illinois	$73,912	$36
   15	Maine	$73,740	$35
   16	Michigan	$73,457	$35
   17	Missouri	$73,193	$35
   18	Tennessee	$73,099	$35
   19	Wisconsin	$72,816	$35
   20	Georgia	$72,213	$35

   Average truck driver-over-the-road salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Walmart	$89,595	$43.07	40
   2	Covenant	$84,557	$40.65	23
   3	Tyson Foods	$80,931	$38.91
   4	Jm	$79,775	$38.35	1
   5	Target	$79,460	$38.20	3
   6	The Dart Network	$77,141	$37.09	9
   7	Sherwin-Williams	$75,546	$36.32	12
   8	Alliance Transportation Group	$73,922	$35.54
   9	Penske Truck Leasing	$73,712	$35.44	195
   10	American Furniture Warehouse	$73,535	$35.35
   11	Ryder System	$71,740	$34.49	587
   12	Q	$71,429	$34.34
   13	Schneider National	$70,944	$34.11	2
   14	Werner Enterprises	$70,692	$33.99	4
   15	Woodfield Country Club	$70,231	$33.76	5
   16	Crete Carrier	$69,190	$33.26	25
   17	Express Auto	$68,877	$33.11
   18	Acuity Brands	$68,678	$33.02
   19	Schwan's	$68,210	$32.79	47
   20	Diamond Chemical	$67,621	$32.51

4. Writing a truck driver-over-the-road job description

   A good truck driver-over-the-road 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 truck driver-over-the-road job description:

   Truck driver-over-the-road job description example

   We are seeking an OTR Truck Driver to join our team! Our drivers all enjoy NO touch freight and 75% drop and hook. We offer FULL benefits and generous home time. We want you to be a successful part of our family and will do whatever it takes to help you achieve that!
   Responsibilities: Safely operate a heavy or tractor-trailer truck Load and unload cargo Properly track and document activity log Report any issues or incidents to dispatch Inspect truck before and after trip Qualifications: Previous experience in truck driving or other related fields Commercial driver's license Ability to handle physical workload Strong work ethic We have freight between Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas City, MO, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Georgia, California, Oregon, and Washington. We will NEVER ask you to do anything without compensation. We are different, and we will prove it to you. We treat everyone here with respect, honesty, courtesy, and professionalism. We will get you home and will honor our commitment to you! Apply or Call today to learn why WTL is the best career move for Company DescriptionAs a regional driver for Wenger Truck Line in Davenport, IA, we guarantee you will never be more than a day’s drive from home.
   
   Our regional drivers stay in the upper Midwest operating area, servicing our customers with superior on-time service. Our region includes Iowa; Kansas City, MO; Indiana; Minnesota; Wisconsin; Illinois; Michigan; Ohio; and sometimes a relay back and forth on I-80 in Nebraska.
   
   Most of our regional fleet can expect to get home every weekend for at least 36 to 48 hours. The vast majority of this freight is drop and hook and 100% no touch.
   
   All drivers enjoy full benefits and extra pay for anything we ask you to do. All miles are paid, loaded and empty, at .45 – .50.
   
   We have six paid holidays per year and guarantee to get you home for Christmas. Orientation is paid at $100 per day for three days plus lunch and dinner, lodging and transportation.
   
   We pay for extra stops and offer break down pay, layover pay, detention pay and extra pay for city work. The minimum pay per truckload is $75.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit truck driver-over the roads, 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 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 truck driver-over-the-road

   Once you've decided on a perfect truck driver-over-the-road 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.

   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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