How to hire a truck loader

How to hire a truck loader, step by step

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

What does a truck loader do?

Post a truck loader job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your truck loader 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 truck loader 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 truck loader's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, truck loaders 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.

   Here's a comparison of truck loader salaries for various roles:

   Type of Truck Loader	Description	Hourly rate
   Truck Loader		$13-20
   Material Handler/Forklift Operator	A material handler and forklift operator is responsible for transporting and storing various kinds of goods, even including fragile or hazardous shipments. The duties and location will vary depending on the line of work or industry involved... Show more	$13-21
   Material Handler	Material handlers are responsible for moving products, storing items, and managing supplies to proper shelf categories. A material handler also documents deliveries and ensures that all items for shipment are correct and free of any damage... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Pallets
   • Load Trucks
   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • Customer Orders
   • Safety Standards
   • Hand Trucks
   • Delivery Truck
   • Safety Procedures
   • Safety Rules
   • RF Scanner
   • EX
   • Assembly Line
   • Semi Trailers
   • Conveyor Belts

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Prepare pallets by following prescribe stacking arrangement and properly tagging pallets.
   • Load designated items onto a pallet and bring selected items to their designate loading area
   • Move inventory in support of logistics management.

   More truck loader duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average truck loader salary

   $16.71hourly

   $34,749 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level truck loader salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average truck loader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$42,085	$20
   2	Washington	$40,719	$20
   3	North Dakota	$40,352	$19
   4	California	$39,180	$19
   5	Colorado	$38,716	$19
   6	Wisconsin	$37,683	$18
   7	Kansas	$37,158	$18
   8	Illinois	$34,437	$17
   9	Nevada	$34,373	$17
   10	Indiana	$34,165	$16
   11	Oregon	$33,101	$16
   12	Texas	$32,620	$16
   13	Florida	$32,542	$16
   14	North Carolina	$31,740	$15
   15	Oklahoma	$30,652	$15
   16	Nebraska	$30,400	$15

   Average truck loader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Kemps	$44,162	$21.23	3
   2	Dairy Farmers of America	$43,805	$21.06	24
   3	United Natural Foods	$42,958	$20.65	4
   4	SF-Marin Food Bank	$42,821	$20.59
   5	Olympic Steel	$41,296	$19.85	7
   6	US Foods	$41,094	$19.76	39
   7	U.S. Silica	$41,074	$19.75	2
   8	Continental Carbonic Products	$40,562	$19.50
   9	Cargill	$40,153	$19.30	26
   10	Praxair	$39,228	$18.86
   11	Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co	$39,135	$18.81	28
   12	Tempur Sealy International	$38,991	$18.75	9
   13	Bimbo Bakeries	$38,706	$18.61
   14	Oriental Trading	$38,476	$18.50	1
   15	Foley Products	$38,437	$18.48
   16	U.S. Venture	$38,414	$18.47	59
   17	Staples	$38,153	$18.34	27
   18	Henry Schein	$38,004	$18.27	12
   19	Fortune International Group	$37,772	$18.16
   20	ACCO Brands	$37,709	$18.13

4. Writing a truck loader job description

   A truck loader 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 truck loader job description:

   Truck loader job description example

   The heavy equipment operator is responsible for operating heavy equipment in an efficient, safe and appropriate manner in order to minimize the risk of injury, property damage or loss of life while supporting mining activities. Heavy equipment may include rock truck, packer, rubber tire backhoe, dozer, excavator, scraper, grader and other pieces of equipment. Duties include but are not limited to:
   Up to $25.00 hour! Eligible for monthly production bonus!
   
   Operates all equipment in an efficient manner and for its intended use while supporting mining activities Conducts pre-operational checks on equipment and cleans, lubricates and refills equipment as necessary: notifies the supervisor or foreman of all damaged or unsafe equipment or tools. Operates heavy equipment such as backhoes, dozers, loaders and graders to excavate, move, load and grade earth, rock, gravel or other materials during mining related activities Operates heavy equipment to move, load and unload materials and supplies. Cleans heavy equipment as schedules and/or required, including removing personal belongings and trash from cab and wiping up spills etc. Interacts with internal or external customers in a professional, courteous and respectful manner that contributes toward a positive and productive worksite.
   
   Experience and Skills
   Must have experience operating at least some of the following equipment: rock truck, packer, rubber tire backhoe, dozer, excavator (Caterpillar, Hitachi, John Deer and/or Komatsu mini 50's to 800's), and single motor scraper. Experience operating single engine 621 (G/F) Caterpillar scrapers, D6 (R/T) or D8 (T) Caterpillar or 650 John Deer dozers or 14-140 (H) graders is considered an asset. Sound understanding of safety regulations, safe work practices and work procedures and be capable of assisting in maintaining safe work sites. Good vision and spatial ability. Good eye-hand coordination and good manual dexterity. Physical strength and stamina. Ability to work independently or as part of a team. Basic small hand and power tool knowledge is considered an asset. Previous sand/gravel mining experience is a plus
   
   Pre-employment drug test/background check will be conducted
   
   We are an equal opportunity employer
   
   Job Benefits
   Health Insurance Life Insurance Dental Insurance 401(k)

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with truck loader 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 loader

   Once you've found the truck loader 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a truck loader?