The average salary for a Truck Driver in Houston is 61,206 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 5,101 $ gross per month and 29.43 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 28,000 $ to 120,000 $. The analysis is based on 36 salary reports from workers and employers in Houston. Part-time salaries are proportionally converted to 40 weekly hours so the values are comparable.
| Date | Job title | Weekly hours | Reported gross/year | Normalized to 40h/year | Gross/month 40h | Gross/hour 40h | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/15/2026 | Over-the-Road (OTR) Truck Driver | 40.0 h | 72,000 $ | 72,000 $ | 6,000 $ | 34.62 $ | I've been an OTR driver for ten years and currently work for a national carrier. My pay reflects recent wage increases for long-haul drivers and a steady 40 hour/week average when home. |
| 05/12/2026 | Dedicated Route Driver | 40.0 h | 68,000 $ | 68,000 $ | 5,667 $ | 32.69 $ | I run a dedicated grocery route out of Houston for a medium-sized carrier. I've been in this role four years and work a consistent 40 hour week with some overtime during peak seasons. |
| 01/09/2026 | Senior Regional Driver | 40.0 h | 74,000 $ | 74,000 $ | 6,167 $ | 35.58 $ | I have 12 years of driving experience on regional lanes and handle priority freight lanes leaving from Houston. My schedule averages 40 hours/week and pay reflects seniority and reliability. |
| 12/15/2025 | Senior Flatbed Operator | 42.0 h | 88,000 $ | 83,810 $ | 6,984 $ | 40.29 $ | I run high-value flatbed loads and coordinate special permits and escort vehicles when needed. This senior role includes leadership responsibilities and usually requires about 42 hours per week. |
| 06/30/2025 | Team Owner-Operator | 45.0 h | 135,000 $ | 120,000 $ | 10,000 $ | 57.69 $ | I run a two-driver team as an owner-operator and manage heavy OTR freight. Our combined efforts generate higher gross revenue and I report my individual share; I average about 45 hours/week coordinating operations. |
| 02/28/2025 | Owner-Operator, Dedicated Routes | 45.0 h | 120,000 $ | 106,667 $ | 8,889 $ | 51.28 $ | I run dedicated freight as an owner-operator and manage two trucks. My reported number is gross revenue; I work long hours (around 45/week) coordinating drivers and loads. |
| 10/02/2024 | Fleet Supervisor (Driver Manager) | 44.0 h | 90,000 $ | 81,818 $ | 6,818 $ | 39.34 $ | I manage a small fleet of drivers and handle scheduling and compliance. My role is management-focused and I typically work about 44 hours per week including administrative duties. |
| 08/23/2024 | Senior OTR Driver | 40.0 h | 78,000 $ | 78,000 $ | 6,500 $ | 37.50 $ | I'm a senior over-the-road driver focused on high-mileage lanes and expedited freight. My experience earns me this pay and I average a 40 hour weekly equivalent when home. |
| 04/01/2024 | Senior Hazmat Tanker Driver | 45.0 h | 95,000 $ | 84,444 $ | 7,037 $ | 40.60 $ | I am a senior tanker driver with multiple endorsements and years of hazardous materials experience. My role includes training others and occasional supervisory tasks, and I average about 45 hours/week. |
| 11/04/2023 | Intermodal Specialist | 40.0 h | 70,000 $ | 70,000 $ | 5,833 $ | 33.65 $ | I move containers between rail and truck on scheduled runs for a large operator. My experience and steady schedule bring me this salary, and I average about 40 hours per week. |
| 07/19/2023 | Driver Trainer (In-house) | 40.0 h | 75,000 $ | 75,000 $ | 6,250 $ | 36.06 $ | I train new CDL drivers for my carrier and also cover routes part of the time. This training responsibility increased my pay; I work a standard 40 hour training/drive schedule. |
| 02/10/2023 | Lead Driver / Acting Supervisor | 44.0 h | 82,000 $ | 74,545 $ | 6,212 $ | 35.84 $ | I lead a team of drivers and handle advanced scheduling and compliance work. This supervisory role keeps me busy about 44 hours/week and comes with higher pay. |
| 09/30/2022 | Delivery Driver (Small Business) | 32.0 h | 29,000 $ | 36,250 $ | 3,021 $ | 17.43 $ | I work for a small local freight business delivering appliances on a compact schedule. I'm part-time at around 32 hours/week and have been with the company three years. |
| 06/14/2022 | Private Contractor Courier (Part-time) | 20.0 h | 24,000 $ | 48,000 $ | 4,000 $ | 23.08 $ | I contract as a private courier for local businesses on a part-time basis. I average about 20 hours per week and the amount reported is my gross for the year. |
| 03/11/2022 | Intermodal Driver | 38.0 h | 63,000 $ | 66,316 $ | 5,526 $ | 31.88 $ | I move containers between ports and rail yards. My schedule is typically 38 hours a week with some early mornings. I work for a large freight operator and have six years of experience. |
| 12/05/2021 | OTR Team Driver | 40.0 h | 66,000 $ | 66,000 $ | 5,500 $ | 31.73 $ | I drive on a team with my spouse for long-haul lanes. We split driving and I report my individual annual gross here. This is a full-time 40 hour-per-week equivalent when averaged over the year. |
| 06/25/2021 | Owner-Operator (Independent) | 45.0 h | 95,000 $ | 84,444 $ | 7,037 $ | 40.60 $ | I'm self-employed as an owner-operator, leasing to multiple shippers. I work long weeks (around 45 hours on average) coordinating loads and maintenance; the revenue shown is my gross annual take before business expenses. |
| 03/22/2021 | Dedicated Freight Driver | 40.0 h | 60,000 $ | 60,000 $ | 5,000 $ | 28.85 $ | I drive a dedicated regional freight route for a national carrier. I have consistent hours and benefits; the job is about 40 hours per week and this reflects my annual pay. |
| 11/20/2020 | Team Driver (Company) | 40.0 h | 62,000 $ | 62,000 $ | 5,167 $ | 29.81 $ | I drive as part of a company team doing dedicated freight lanes. Experience of six years and team scheduling give me this annual pay at roughly 40 hours/week. |
| 08/30/2020 | Regional Truck Driver | 40.0 h | 57,000 $ | 57,000 $ | 4,750 $ | 27.40 $ | I run regional routes across the southwest and have about eight years of experience. Pay improved in recent years and this reflects my current full-time wage for a 40 hour schedule. |
| 01/20/2020 | Relief Driver (Part-time) | 18.0 h | 16,000 $ | 35,556 $ | 2,963 $ | 17.09 $ | I work relief shifts filling in for full-timers on short notice. This is a part-time gig (around 18 hours/week) and the salary reflects the annual gross for those hours. |
| 09/15/2019 | Flatbed Truck Driver | 40.0 h | 52,000 $ | 52,000 $ | 4,333 $ | 25.00 $ | I load, tarpaulin and secure heavy freight on flatbeds. After seven years driving I make this salary at a mid-sized carrier and frequently work 40 hours plus occasional weekend loads. |
| 06/05/2019 | Fuel Tanker Driver | 40.0 h | 54,000 $ | 54,000 $ | 4,500 $ | 25.96 $ | I transport fuel across regional routes and maintain safety compliance. I've been with the carrier six years and work a standard 40 hour schedule with occasional on-call shifts. |
| 04/14/2019 | Lead Driver | 42.0 h | 62,000 $ | 59,048 $ | 4,921 $ | 28.39 $ | I act as lead driver for a small team, mentoring new hires and handling priority routes. I've been in this supervisory role for three years and average 42 hours per week. |
| 01/12/2019 | Owner-Operator (Single Truck) | 45.0 h | 85,000 $ | 75,556 $ | 6,296 $ | 36.32 $ | I'm an owner-operator running a single truck across regional lanes. I handle maintenance and bookings myself which adds hours; this gross reflects a busy year in 2019. |
| 12/01/2018 | Hazmat Driver (Senior) | 42.0 h | 58,000 $ | 55,238 $ | 4,603 $ | 26.56 $ | I supervise hazardous material runs and maintain required certifications. I'm a senior driver with extensive training; my role includes some site supervision and typically runs about 42 hours/week. |
| 11/06/2018 | Freelance Owner-Operator | 45.0 h | 78,000 $ | 69,333 $ | 5,778 $ | 33.33 $ | I freelance as an owner-operator on various short and medium hauls. I manage bookings and maintenance and averaged about 45 hours/week during this reporting year. |
| 07/07/2018 | Regional Delivery Driver | 40.0 h | 50,000 $ | 50,000 $ | 4,167 $ | 24.04 $ | I handle regional deliveries for a regional carrier. I have five years experience and work about 40 hours a week; compensation has been steady but lower than national OTR roles. |
| 05/20/2018 | Tanker Driver (Hazmat Endorsement) | 40.0 h | 48,000 $ | 48,000 $ | 4,000 $ | 23.08 $ | I hold a hazmat endorsement and drive fuel tankers regionally. I've been doing this for five years; the work is steady and safety-sensitive which helped my pay climb to this level. |
| 12/29/2017 | CDL-A Entry Level Driver | 40.0 h | 28,000 $ | 28,000 $ | 2,333 $ | 13.46 $ | I'm in my first year as a CDL-A driver on regional training runs. This full-time position pays entry-level wages and my schedule is a standard 40 hours/week with on-the-job training. |
| 11/02/2017 | Long-Haul Truck Driver | 40.0 h | 42,000 $ | 42,000 $ | 3,500 $ | 20.19 $ | I'm an early-career long-haul driver with three years of commercial experience. I run OTR lanes out of Houston and typically work a standard 40 hour week when home, with extended weeks on the road. |
| 08/03/2017 | Shuttle Driver (Part-time) | 30.0 h | 26,000 $ | 34,667 $ | 2,889 $ | 16.67 $ | I shuttle pallets between warehouse docks on a part-time contract. I have four years on the job and average 30 hours per week, which is what this salary represents. |
| 10/22/2016 | Courier Driver (Part-time) | 20.0 h | 18,000 $ | 36,000 $ | 3,000 $ | 17.31 $ | I pick up and deliver small parcels in the metro area on a part-time basis. I have limited experience and average about 20 hours per week, which matches this annual gross income. |
| 09/18/2016 | Local Driver (Full-time) | 40.0 h | 30,000 $ | 30,000 $ | 2,500 $ | 14.42 $ | I drive local routes for a regional warehouse and have two years experience. This full-time position is a straight 40 hour schedule and the annual gross I report here. |
| 08/12/2016 | Warehouse Shuttle Driver (Full-time) | 38.0 h | 29,000 $ | 30,526 $ | 2,544 $ | 14.68 $ | I shuttle loads between warehouse docks as a full-time employee. The job is steady and I average about 38 hours per week, which matches the annual gross I report. |
| 07/10/2016 | Local Delivery Driver (Part-time) | 25.0 h | 22,000 $ | 35,200 $ | 2,933 $ | 16.92 $ | I work part-time delivering food and small freight for a small logistics shop. I've been here two years and handle local routes only, no overnight. This is a part-time role and my hours average about 25/week. |
Houston is one of the country’s most active freight hubs, anchored by Port Houston, a vast petrochemical complex along the Ship Channel, two Class I railroads, and a large airport cargo system. For truck drivers, the Houston area typically offers a steady mix of local, regional, and long-haul opportunities tied to containers, chemicals, consumer goods, construction materials, and oilfield-related freight.
The metropolitan road network—Interstates 10, 45, and 69/US-59, plus Loop 610, Beltway 8, and the Grand Parkway (SH-99)—supports dense distribution clusters on the east side near the port and along the northwest and north corridors. This layout, combined with population growth and ongoing industrial development, often translates to consistent hiring for CDL holders across multiple niches.
Port Houston has reported strong container volumes in recent years at Bayport and Barbours Cut terminals, which generally fuels demand for drayage and intermodal drivers. The Houston Ship Channel expansion (often referred to as Project 11) is underway to deepen and widen the channel; while timelines can shift, the project is expected to improve vessel flow and long-term freight capacity, which may support trucking activity tied to exports and imports.
Beyond the port, the region’s petrochemical corridor—from Pasadena and Deer Park to Baytown and La Porte—generates regular movements of plastics, resins, and industrial feedstocks. Tanker and hazmat work remains a common specialty, and many employers in the area prefer or require endorsements such as Tanker (N) and HazMat (H), plus a TWIC card for terminal access. On the west and north sides of the metro, growing warehouse/distribution parks linked to e-commerce and retail create steady runs for LTL carriers, foodservice distributors, and parcel networks. Air cargo at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) also contributes to time-sensitive linehaul and local pickup-and-delivery operations.
Rail intermodal plays a notable supporting role. Union Pacific’s major yards in Houston and BNSF’s intermodal facility in the Pearland area help connect containers and trailers to highway carriers, encouraging demand for drivers experienced with chassis work and terminal procedures. Seasonality can affect volumes, and severe weather occasionally causes temporary disruptions, but the overall market for CDL drivers in Houston is generally resilient due to its diverse freight base.
Truck drivers in Houston can find opportunities with national fleets, regional specialists, and local carriers that serve the port, chemical plants, retailers, and foodservice customers. Companies that often hire CDL drivers in the Houston area include:
Houston’s scale means drivers can typically choose among several paths: local port drayage with daily home time; LTL pickup-and-delivery or linehaul; regional dry van or reefer; specialized tanker and hazmat; flatbed for steel, pipe, and construction materials; and project cargo linked to the energy sector. Drayage roles often require a TWIC card and familiarity with container chassis and terminal systems. Chemical hauling and fuel delivery commonly call for HazMat and Tanker endorsements and comfort with strict safety procedures.
New drivers can enter through company-sponsored training, third-party schools, or local community college programs. Houston Community College, San Jacinto College, and Lone Star College offer commercial truck driving training that can prepare candidates for the CDL skills test and endorsements. Many employers in the area provide finishing programs or on-the-job mentorship for recent CDL graduates, especially for van and LTL roles.
As supply chains evolve, experience with electronic logging devices, intermodal systems, and safe handling of hazardous materials can widen job options. Drivers who build a clean safety record may progress into higher-responsibility assignments, dedicated routes, lead driver or trainer roles, or dispatch and operations positions. Owner-operators and small fleets also find opportunities in Houston, particularly in port drayage, regional van, and specialized tanker work, depending on market cycles and compliance requirements.
Overall, the Houston trucking market is characterized by its diversity: port-driven imports and exports, energy and chemicals, retail and food distribution, and robust rail and air cargo linkages. That mix typically supports consistent hiring and clear advancement paths for professional truck drivers who want to build a long-term career in the region.
The average salary for a Truck Driver in Houston is 61,206 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 5,101 $ gross per month.
Part-time and full-time reports are normalized to a 40-hour workweek so salary reports can be compared fairly.
You can find more comparisons on the profession overview for Truck Driver and the city overview for Houston. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.
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