Best & Worst Paying Trucking Jobs
Two lists every new CDL holder should read before signing an offer. Refreshed every week based on current market conditions.
Top 10 Worst-Paying Trucking Jobs
Avoid or negotiate hard
Watch for lease-purchase pitches and "cents-per-mile" advertised without the real weekly take-home.
Mega-Carrier Student / Trainee OTR
Big paid-training carriers pay bottom-of-market cents while you're still on a trainer. Sleeper-berth hours = unpaid.
Local Cash-Pay Dump / Hauler
Off-the-books gravel, demo, and yard-jockey gigs. No insurance, no PTO. Fast money, no future.
Auto-Hauler Trainee (leased-on)
Advertised at $2k+ but new drivers eat lease fees, chain damage, and slow load assignments while learning.
Amazon Relay Solo Van (owner-op)
Fuel, insurance, truck payment, and forced dispatch destroy take-home. Load-board dependent.
Regional Refrigerated Solo (mega-carrier)
Long detention, tight receivers, night deliveries. Pay hasn't kept pace with dry van since 2022.
Lease-Purchase Programs
Marketed as "be your own boss." Truck payment, forced dispatch, and maintenance escrow eat everything.
Household Goods (Moving) Driver
Seasonal, physically brutal, tip-dependent. Off-season pay drops to almost nothing.
Hotshot Owner-Op (new authority)
Load boards, low rates for 1-ton dually loads, and insurance ($8k–$15k/yr) crush margins for 12–18 months.
Bus / Motorcoach Driver (charter)
Odd hours, split shifts, seasonal. Requires passenger endorsement. Not what most CDL-A drivers signed up for.
Short-Haul P&D City Driver (non-union)
Non-union LTL with heavy touch freight. Pay hasn't kept up with union alternatives.
Top 10 Best-Paying Jobs for New CDL Holders
Aim for these
Union, private fleet, and endorsement-required work consistently pays 30–60% more than mega-carrier OTR.
Union LTL Line Haul (ABF, TForce)
Best entry point in the industry. Health, pension, seniority, mileage + hourly. Hardest to get in.
UPS Feeder
Requires internal transfer or waiting list. If you can land it, unbeatable. Some regions hire off the street.
Walmart Private Fleet
Historically needed 30 months; now hiring at 6 months in many divisions. Best-in-class pay for a mega-fleet W-2 job.
Sysco / US Foods Foodservice Delivery
Physical (hand-truck food deliveries) but home every night. Many divisions hire brand-new CDLs.
Costco Depot Driver
Very hard to get; watch their career page. Great benefits, predictable schedule.
Tanker (Fuel/Chemical) Local
Groendyke, Kenan, Quality, Superior. Endorsements pay off fast. Many hire at 3–6 months experience.
Heavy Haul / Oversize (regional)
Anderson, ATS, Daseke fleets. New drivers start on flatbed step-deck; move up as skills grow.
Auto Transport (after training)
Jack Cooper, United Road, Cassens. Rough first 6 months, but pays well once you're solo and productive.
Regional Dry Van — Small Carrier
Underrated. Small carriers with 3+ month experience often pay $0.58–$0.65/mi with real weekend home time.
USPS Contract Route (Mail Haul)
Salmon, Matheson, others. Same route every day, night driving, dependable pay. Great for stability.