Truck Driver Jobs in Houston, TX
Heavy truck drivers in Houston earned a 2025 median of about $27 an hour, and local LTL and tanker jobs posted this fall pay well above that. Here are the current openings, followed by the carriers and distributors hiring, what the work pays, and how to get your CDL.
Current truck driver Openings in Houston, TX
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Truck Driver Work in Houston
Houston's trucking market runs on three freight engines in one metro: the Port of Houston container terminals at Barbours Cut and Bayport, the refineries and chemical plants along the Ship Channel through Pasadena, Deer Park and Baytown, and a food and beverage distribution base anchored by Sysco's Houston headquarters. That mix shapes the jobs. Local delivery drivers run grocery and restaurant routes across the Loop and the suburbs, LTL city drivers work out of terminals across the metro, and tanker drivers haul chemicals out of plants from the Ship Channel down into Brazoria County.
Chemical hauling is what sets Houston apart. Tank carriers here expect hazmat and tanker endorsements, and drivers who enter port and plant facilities need a TWIC card. Katy Freeway traffic and hurricane season are part of the job.
Top Houston Employers Hiring Truck Drivers
These employers had Houston-area CDL driver postings on their own careers sites this month:
- Sysco - the Houston-based foodservice distributor hires CDL A local delivery drivers for Sysco Houston, and its Sygma Network subsidiary hires Class A delivery drivers in Houston.
- Saia - the LTL carrier hires local city drivers in Houston with hazmat, tanker and doubles endorsements, posted at $31.10 to $35.85 an hour.
- Schneider - hires tanker drivers who live within 150 miles of Houston, plus van, intermodal and dedicated drivers out of the Houston area.
- Ben E. Keith - the food distributor hires local CDL A route drivers at its Missouri City distribution center.
- Quality Carriers - the chemical tank carrier hires Class A company drivers with tanker and hazmat endorsements and a TWIC card out of its Angleton terminal in Brazoria County.
- Werner Enterprises - hires home-daily drivers in Houston, including a no-touch Houston to San Antonio run.
Truck Driver Salaries in Houston
- Entry level: about $18 to $24 an hour, or roughly $38,000 to $50,000 a year, for newly licensed Class A drivers.
- Experienced: roughly $25 to $34 an hour, or $52,000 to $70,000 a year, for local delivery, regional and dedicated drivers.
- Senior / specialized: about $35 an hour and up, with tanker and hazmat drivers posted at $75,000 to $94,000 a year at Houston-area carriers.
These are estimates based on federal wage data for the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro (the 2025 median for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers was $27.33 an hour, about $56,840 a year) and pay posted by Houston employers. Endorsements move pay the most: hazmat, tanker and doubles open the best LTL and chemical jobs. Some jobs pay hourly, others by the mile or week, and tank carriers often add sign-on bonuses.
How to Become a Truck Driver in Houston
Commercial driver licenses in Texas are issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). You can drive within Texas at 18, but interstate driving requires you to be 21. First-time Class A or Class B applicants must complete federal Entry-Level Driver Training with a provider listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry, hold a commercial learner permit for at least 14 days, and then pass the skills test. Hazmat and tanker endorsements carry their own testing, and port work requires a TWIC card from the TSA. Locally, San Jacinto College runs a Professional Truck Driver Class A CDL program at its Central Campus in Pasadena, and Lone Star College offers a Truck Driver CDL award at its LSC-Transportation and Global Logistics Technology Center, which is also a DPS third-party testing site.
What the Job Involves
Truck drivers move freight safely and on schedule. A typical day includes a pre-trip inspection, logging hours on an electronic logging device, driving the route, backing into docks, checking paperwork at pickup and delivery, and a post-trip inspection. Delivery drivers also unload product by hand truck or pallet jack, while tanker drivers load and unload liquid cargo under strict safety procedures.
Skills Employers Look For
- A valid Class A CDL and a clean driving record
- Hazmat, tanker or doubles and triples endorsements
- A current DOT medical card and the ability to pass drug screening
- Safe backing and city driving in heavy traffic
- Electronic logging device and hours-of-service knowledge
- A TWIC card for port and plant access
Career Path and Advancement
Many Houston drivers start with a large carrier or a dedicated account to build their first year of experience, then move to local LTL, food distribution or chemical tank work for better pay and home time. Adding hazmat and tanker endorsements is the clearest pay step in this market. From there the path runs to driver trainer, dispatcher, safety and compliance roles, terminal management, or running your own truck as an owner-operator.
Related Careers in Houston
If driving interests you, these Houston guides cover close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a CDL in Houston?
Get a commercial learner permit from the Texas Department of Public Safety, complete Entry-Level Driver Training with a registered provider, hold the permit for at least 14 days and then pass the skills test. San Jacinto College and Lone Star College both run CDL training programs in the Houston area.
How much do truck drivers make in Houston?
The 2025 median for heavy truck drivers in the Houston metro was about $27 an hour, or roughly $56,840 a year. New drivers usually start lower, LTL city driving has been posted at $31 to $36 an hour, and tanker drivers with hazmat endorsements can earn $75,000 to $94,000 a year.
Do I need a TWIC card to drive in Houston?
You need a TWIC card from the TSA to enter secure areas of port and maritime facilities, which covers much of the work around the Port of Houston and the Ship Channel. Chemical tank carriers often require one after hire. The card is valid for five years.
Can I drive a truck at 18 in Texas?
Yes, but only within Texas. Drivers 18 to 20 can hold an intrastate CDL, while crossing state lines requires you to be 21 or older.
Are there home-daily truck driving jobs in Houston?
Yes. Local delivery, LTL city driving and many dedicated accounts in Houston get drivers home every day. Regional and tanker jobs often mean home weekly or every other week.
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