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Best Class A truck driving jobs

A Class A CDL can open plenty of doors to obtaining a trucking job. Many trucking companies are currently looking to employ more drivers for Class A truck driving jobs as shipping demands rise. 

However, choosing the company that’s best for you involves examining several aspects of the company and knowing just what you require to be a loyal employee. We’ll explore some of the best companies to work for and what you should look for when trying to make your final decision! 

Quicklook: Best Class A Truck Driving Jobs

  • Best For Drivers Only: GP Transco -Match Now
  • Best For Home Time: Fraley & Schilling -Match Now
  • Best For Drayage Drivers: Gulf Winds International -Match Now
  • Best For Owner Operators: Exxact Express -Match Now 
  • Best For OTR Drivers: Holland Enterprises  -Match Now
  • Best For Driver Support: Real Trucking  -Match Now
  • Best For New Drivers: FedEx  -Match Now

7 Best Class A Truck Driving Jobs Options

With the current driver shortage, most trucking companies are looking to hire Class A drivers to carry their loads. Here are some of the top companies to work for once you’ve secured your CDL. 

GP Transco

GP Transco

GP Transco makes deliveries within the U.S. and Canada and is the third highest-paying trucking company in the country. If you want a job where all you have to do is drive, this is ideal. You won’t have to worry about loading or unloading the freight, only driving to and from the destination. 

Best For: Drivers Only

Requirements: 

  • Trained to work with 53-foot trailer 

Experience Needed:

  • 12 months of tractor-trailer experience in the last 10 years 
  • No air brake, night driving, semi-trailer, or intrastate only restrictions 

Benefits: 

  • No driver load/unload 
  • 1 day home time for every 1 week out
  • Driver performance reviews every 6 months with possible pay increases 
  • Dedicated routes

Disadvantages: 

  • No lease program available  
  • On the road for two weeks at a time 

Salary Range: $85,000 to $95,000 per year

Fraley & Schilling 

Fraley & Schilling

Fraley & Schilling has been growing their business since 1955 and is known as an industry leader in home time. If you’re looking for a company that offers consistent weekly pay, benefits, and 24/7 support, this is the company for you. The orientation process is very accommodating with catered meals, rental cars, hands-on securement training, and $100 per day orientation pay. They treat you like family from the start. 

Best For: Home Time

Requirements: 

  • Tank vehicle endorsement

Experience Needed: 

  • Securement training for flatbed driving 
  • Six months of driving experience

Benefits: 

  • Paid time off
  • Regular pay increases
  • Lease purchase program 
  • Referral program

Disadvantages: 

  • Late-model equipment 
  • Some dispatchers are inexperienced 

Salary Range: $77,000

Gulf Winds International 

Gulf Winds

Gulf Winds International has been recognized as a top place to work. They are a global leader in drayage shipments and invest heavily in keeping their equipment updated. They offer consistent work for local and OTR drivers. 

Best For: Drayage Drivers

Requirements: 

  • Heavy and tractor-trailer training

Experience Needed: 

  • 1-year verifiable tractor-trailer experience within the past 5 years
  • No more than 2 moving violations within the past two years
  • No more than 2 preventable accidents within the past two years 
  • Combination of moving violations and accidents can’t exceed 3 within last 2 years 

Benefits: 

  • Consistent year-round freight 
  • Local driving  
  • 24/7 Dispatch 
  • Updated equipment

Disadvantages: 

  • Lower pay than other trucking companies 
  • Poor communication with dispatch 

Salary Range: $74,164 per year

Exxact Express

Exxact Express

Exxact Express partners with owner-operators to provide prompt and courteous service to their clients. The dispatchers have worked as owner-operators themselves and understand in-depth the needs of their teams. Their unique insight will help you set and meet your business goals.

Best For: Owner-Operators

Requirements: 

  • Current medical certificate
  • 23 years of age
  • No more than three employers in the past 12 months
  • No more than 1 serious moving violation in the last 36 months
  • Clean motor vehicle report (MVR) 
  • Pre-employment screening program (PSP) records

Experience Needed: 

  • 12 months of verifiable experience within the last 36 months 

Benefits: 

  • 401(k) 
  • Paid vacations  
  • Employer-paid life insurance 
  • Pay starting at up to $0.50 per mile

Disadvantages: 

  • Unsteady schedule  

Salary Range: $200,000 to $275,000 per year

Holland Enterprises

Holland Entreprises Inc

If you enjoy long drives and don’t require much home-time, Holland Express is the right company. You’ll be comfortable in their trucks that are less than 3 years old and equipped with refrigerators, freezers, satellite tv, radio service, and much more. Your comfort and safety are a priority when you drive with Holland.

Best For: OTR Drivers

Requirements: 

  • 23 years of age
  • Out for a minimum of 3 weeks at a time

Experience Needed: 

  • Minimum 2 years experience 

Benefits: 

  • Full medical benefits paid by the company after 2 years
  • No-touch freight  
  • 401K with 75% company match up to 6% of your compensation 
  • New equipment

Disadvantages: 

  • Difficult to get time off 

Salary Range: $75,000 to $102,000 per year

Real Trucking

Real Trucking

Real Trucking is very responsive to the needs of its drivers. Their dispatchers are experienced professionals who also work weekends, so you are never left without proper assistance. Drivers report that they are treated respectfully and supplied with everything they need to make their trip comfortable. 

Best For: Driver Support

Requirements: 

  • 23 years of age
  • Active as a driver in the past 6 months
  • Clean MVR and PSP record
  • No accidents within 3 years
  • No DUI/criminal record

Experience Needed: 

  • 1-year of verifiable tractor-trailer experience 

Benefits:

  • Sign-up and referral bonuses 
  • Recognized as one of the safest carriers in North America
  • Consistent loads  
  • Direct deposit offered 
  • 24/7 support with professional dispatchers

Disadvantages: 

  • Some tractors are old 

Salary Range: $95,000 to $105,000 per year

FedEx

FedEx logo

Known for its reliability and stability, FedEx is one of the best trucking companies to drive for. In their Driver Apprentice program, you can train to become a skilled combination tractor-trailer operator. They take great care and time to ensure you have the knowledge and ability to gain the endorsement needed to become a top earner. 

Best For: New Drivers

Requirements: 

  • Clean license
  • Double triple endorsement 
  • Pass criminal background check, physical, and drug screening

Experience Needed: 

  • 1 year of experience driving a commercial vehicle in the U.S.

Benefits: 

  • Monthly incentives
  • Stock options  
  • Annual bonuses 
  • Tuition reimbursement

Disadvantages: 

  • Seasonal volume increase is intense 
  • Varying routes 
  • Can be treated as just a number in such a large company

Salary Range: $91,000 to $135,000 per year

What Is a Class A Truck Driving Job?

Class A truck driving jobs are for those who hold a Class A classification on their commercial driver’s license (CDL). They can drive and tow trucks exceeding 10,000 pounds.

What Vehicles Require a Class A CDL?

The following are vehicles a Class A driver can legally operate:

  • Tank vehicles
  • Tractor-trailers
  • Livestock carriers
  • Truck and trailer combinations
  • Flatbeds

How To Search for Class A Trucking Driving Jobs

Trucking companies will put their best foot forward when courting you for employment. Signing with the first company that tells you what you want to hear would be a mistake. 

Research the hundreds of companies looking for drivers and choose the one best for you. You may not find everything you’re looking for, but some options will meet most of your needs, whether sufficient home time, benefits, and pay. The research will also save time and money as you’ll avoid the cycle of going from company to company searching for Class A truck driving jobs.

There are a few things to consider about trucking companies when you begin your search for Class A truck driving jobs. Here’s what to keep in mind as you compare different businesses.

Pay

A few factors go into determining how much you’ll make as a truck driver. Trucking companies consider your years of experience, the type of job you’ll be doing, and any certifications or endorsements you have. Most truckers are paid based on a cents-per-mile pay structure. 

Regional drivers typically earn $0.37 to $0.55 per mile, while over-the-road (OTR) drivers can make $0.44 to $0.55 per mile. When you have a trucking job with a dedicated route, the pay can be between $0.58 to $0.78 per mile. 

Other trucking companies with in-state routes pay drivers an hourly rate. That rate may include other tasks like loading and unloading the freight, interacting with customers, and accepting payments. An example would be a driver for a grocery store chain. With an hourly trucking job, you have the opportunity to earn overtime. 

Some trucking companies also offer incentives for safe driving and early or regular on-time delivery. What you’re hauling can also earn extra money. Carrying refrigerated and hazardous materials often pay more than other loads.

Rates vary among trucking companies, so be sure to research and ask questions about each one’s pay scale before signing up to be a driver. 

Benefits 

Many full-time OTR and entry-level truck driving positions come with a benefits package similar to most occupations. They usually offer health care, paid vacation time, retirement plans, and life insurance. 

However, this is not always the case. Depending on the company, you might be responsible for some, if not all, of your medical expenses. And any time away from the trucking job may not be compensated. 

If you have a family, you want to add them to your benefits package. Check if medications that are currently prescribed and specialists you or your family need to see frequently are covered under the plan. If not, your out-of-pocket costs will sky-rocket, so be sure the trucking job meets all of your benefits needs. 

Safety

What kind of safety measures does the trucking company offer? As a truck driver, you spend a lot of time on the road, and the vehicle needs to have features that improve your safety. Some trucking companies have older vehicles that don’t have the same high-tech safety equipment as the newer fleets.

OTR drivers may encounter dangerous routes, and installing collision warning systems is a safety precaution the company should take. Driver alert systems, rear-view cameras, and artificial intelligence (AI) systems can save lives when they are a part of your daily safety features. 

The trucking companies should also supply personal protection equipment. Those hauling hazardous materials, loading and unloading trucks, and other high-risk activities need cut-proof gloves, steel toe boots, high visibility vests, goggles, and more to keep themselves and their haul safe. 

Home Time 

Whether you’re an OTR, regional, or local truck driver, spending time at home should be a concern when researching trucking companies. There will be companies who attract drivers by stating they’ll only have you on the road for a week when in reality, you could be on the road for two to three weeks at a time. Senior drivers are typically given the first pick, and if you’re a new truck driver, you will have to work your way up the ladder.

Taking care of an elderly parent or child custody agreements can play a huge part in deciding how much time you spend at home. If you have these or other obligations, research your home options thoroughly and find out if priority is given to certain drivers over others.

Equipment 

Truck drivers spend a lot of time inside their vehicle, so it needs to be comfortable for those long stretches of road you’ll cover. Dash mounts and cushioned seat covers may not seem like a big deal, but they are two of the most important pieces of equipment you will use. 

A hands-free mount for your electronic logging device (ELD) is a safe way to view your route and keep in touch with your dispatch team. A comfortable seat cover supports your back, and one with a massage feature relieves tension while driving. 

Parking and resting at a truck stop are not uncommon for a truck driver, and vehicles equipped with sleeper cabs come with many of the conveniences of home. You’ll have a bed, mini-fridge, microwave, television, and other items to make the trip easier. Depending on the climate you’re driving in, heating or cooling equipment is also supplied. 

Support

Whether on or off the road, you want to work for a trucking company that provides 24/7 support. Trucking companies that don’t hire enough dispatchers to manage their drivers will have disgruntled employees. The dispatchers will be overwhelmed and unable to send timely help to drivers experiencing mechanical failures and other common difficulties.

Support also comes from the company supplying the proper equipment and tools to get the job done. The best way to gather information on the level of support given is to ask other drivers or look at the discussion forums. 

Class A Drivers Are in Demand

The best truck driving jobs for Class A drivers are the ones that offer consistent support and flexibility. There is such a huge need for Class A drivers that you will find many employers willing to work around your schedule.

Make sure you don’t settle for the first offer you get. Be diligent and research the company’s rates and reputation as good pay shouldn’t be the only deciding factor when making a final choice. 

FAQ

What Is the Highest Paying Truck Driving Job?

Owner-operators currently make an average of $221,000 per year.

Why Do Team Truck Drivers Make More Money?

A team of drivers can cover more miles in a shorter time frame. Therefore, freight that’s delivered faster can command a higher rate. 

Can I Make 100k Driving a Truck?

It can take a few years to earn $100,000 driving for trucking companies, but owner-operators can easily earn the same amount working for themselves.

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