The average salary for a Truck Driver in Los Angeles is 59,380 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 4,948 $ gross per month and 28.55 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 38,800 $ to 107,111 $. The analysis is based on 29 salary reports from workers and employers in Los Angeles. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/12/2026 | Dedicated Route Driver (High-Value Freight) | 40.0 h | 69,000 $ | 69,000 $ | 5,750 $ | 33.17 $ | I had a dedicated route hauling high-value manufacturing freight. I worked full-time, handled security procedures, and had about 9 years of driving experience. |
| 05/30/2026 | Local Parcel Truck Driver | 40.0 h | 57,500 $ | 57,500 $ | 4,792 $ | 27.64 $ | I worked full-time delivering parcels across the city. With 6 years of experience, I often did early morning starts and reported this as my gross annual income. |
| 04/09/2026 | Owner-Operator (Specialized Heavy Haul) | 45.0 h | 120,500 $ | 107,111 $ | 8,926 $ | 51.50 $ | As an owner-operator focusing on heavy haul and specialized freight, I reported this gross annual figure after expenses. I have many years in heavy transport and often work extended runs. |
| 02/21/2026 | Senior Fleet Manager | 44.0 h | 112,000 $ | 101,818 $ | 8,485 $ | 48.95 $ | I was responsible for a large fleet's operations, safety programs, and hiring. I reported this salary as a management position with about 15 years in the industry. |
| 12/16/2025 | Short-Haul Driver (Third-Shift, Part-time) | 30.0 h | 29,500 $ | 39,333 $ | 3,278 $ | 18.91 $ | I worked part-time on the third shift moving short-haul loads between warehouses. I had 2 years of experience and liked the overnight schedule. |
| 09/03/2025 | Specialty Oversized Load Driver | 40.0 h | 72,500 $ | 72,500 $ | 6,042 $ | 34.86 $ | I hauled oversized loads requiring escorts and route planning. This full-time role required certifications and I had over 10 years of experience. |
| 05/09/2025 | Expedited Freight Driver | 40.0 h | 68,800 $ | 68,800 $ | 5,733 $ | 33.08 $ | I drove expedited freight where on-time delivery was critical. I reported this as a full-time salary after 8 years of driving with consistent bonuses for fast lanes. |
| 02/27/2025 | Local Delivery Driver (Peak Seasonal) | 40.0 h | 53,200 $ | 53,200 $ | 4,433 $ | 25.58 $ | I worked full-time with guaranteed seasonal overtime during peak months. I had 5 years of experience and handled heavy delivery schedules in the LA area. |
| 11/12/2024 | Owner-Operator (Highway Freight) | 45.0 h | 98,000 $ | 87,111 $ | 7,259 $ | 41.88 $ | I've been self-employed running highway freight and reported this as my gross annual take-home after expenses. I have 14 years in trucking and work long hours during peak runs. |
| 08/05/2024 | Regional Bulk Tanker Driver | 40.0 h | 71,500 $ | 71,500 $ | 5,958 $ | 34.38 $ | I drove bulk tankers transporting liquids regionally, which required special endorsements. I reported this after 9 years of experience and full-time hours. |
| 04/18/2024 | Fleet Supervisor (Driver Manager) | 42.0 h | 89,500 $ | 85,238 $ | 7,103 $ | 40.98 $ | I managed a small fleet of drivers and handled scheduling, training, and compliance. I worked full-time in a management role and had 11 years in the industry. |
| 01/30/2024 | Tractor-Trailer Driver (Night Shift) | 38.0 h | 59,800 $ | 62,947 $ | 5,246 $ | 30.26 $ | I worked nights doing long-haul pickups and deliveries. This was a full-time position and I reported this with 6 years of experience. |
| 09/25/2023 | Flatbed Senior Driver | 40.0 h | 65,500 $ | 65,500 $ | 5,458 $ | 31.49 $ | I was a senior flatbed driver with significant load securement duties and mentoring newer drivers. I worked full-time and had about 10 years of experience. |
| 06/13/2023 | Owner-Operator (Specialized Freight) | 44.0 h | 82,000 $ | 74,545 $ | 6,212 $ | 35.84 $ | As an owner-operator focusing on specialized, high-value freight, I reported this gross annual amount after expenses. I've been self-employed for 4 years and have 12 years total experience. |
| 02/07/2023 | Local Delivery Driver (Part-time) | 20.0 h | 22,000 $ | 44,000 $ | 3,667 $ | 21.15 $ | I worked part-time delivering for a local wholesale distributor. I reported this salary after about 1.5 years; I prefer the limited hours. |
| 11/29/2022 | Refrigerated Team Driver | 45.0 h | 62,000 $ | 55,111 $ | 4,593 $ | 26.50 $ | I ran a refrigerated trailer as part of a two-driver team. We covered long regional hauls and I reported this after a year in that role with 6 total years driving. |
| 08/02/2022 | Regional Driver (Higher Mileage) | 44.0 h | 59,500 $ | 54,091 $ | 4,508 $ | 26.01 $ | I drove higher-mileage regional routes and worked extended weeks during peak seasons. I reported this while working full-time and had 7 years of experience. |
| 03/15/2022 | Heavy Equipment Transport Driver | 40.0 h | 56,800 $ | 56,800 $ | 4,733 $ | 27.31 $ | I hauled oversized and heavy equipment. The role required specialized training and extra responsibility; I had 9 years of experience and worked full time. |
| 11/21/2021 | Delivery Driver (Box Truck) | 40.0 h | 43,200 $ | 43,200 $ | 3,600 $ | 20.77 $ | I worked full-time driving a box truck for deliveries across LA. I had three years of experience and handled last-mile deliveries and customer drop-offs. |
| 09/06/2021 | Owner-Operator (Independent) | 42.0 h | 61,500 $ | 58,571 $ | 4,881 $ | 28.16 $ | I was self-employed as an owner-operator running regional lanes. This is my gross annual take-home reported after expenses for the year; I had about 8 years in trucking. |
| 04/29/2021 | Local Shuttle Driver (Part-time) | 25.0 h | 25,800 $ | 41,280 $ | 3,440 $ | 19.85 $ | I worked part-time moving freight between a couple of distribution points in the city. I had about 1 year of experience and preferred the shorter schedule. |
| 12/17/2020 | Hazmat-Endorsed Driver | 40.0 h | 50,200 $ | 50,200 $ | 4,183 $ | 24.13 $ | I held a hazmat endorsement and was paid a bit more for specialized loads. I had five years of experience when I reported this and worked full-time. |
| 06/08/2020 | Long-Haul Driver (Class A) | 40.0 h | 48,500 $ | 48,500 $ | 4,042 $ | 23.32 $ | I was a long-haul driver working for a medium-sized carrier. I had around 7 years of experience and did cross-country trips with occasional layovers. |
| 11/03/2019 | Regional Truck Driver (Team Driver) | 45.0 h | 47,000 $ | 41,778 $ | 3,481 $ | 20.09 $ | I was part of a two-person team running regional lanes. We worked longer shifts and I reported this as my full annual gross after about 6 years driving. |
| 07/19/2019 | Flatbed Truck Driver | 40.0 h | 43,500 $ | 43,500 $ | 3,625 $ | 20.91 $ | I drove flatbed loads and reported this as a full-time salary with 5 years of experience. Loads were often heavy and required securement knowledge. |
| 10/02/2018 | Local Route Driver | 36.0 h | 41,900 $ | 46,556 $ | 3,880 $ | 22.38 $ | I was a full-time local route driver for a small business and had been doing the route for about a year. The work included customer interaction and frequent stops. |
| 03/11/2018 | Refrigerated Truck Driver (Reefer) | 38.5 h | 40,250 $ | 41,818 $ | 3,485 $ | 20.10 $ | I reported this salary while working full-time hauling refrigerated loads. I had 4 years of driving experience and handled perishable freight. |
| 05/22/2017 | Linehaul Driver (Class A) | 40.0 h | 38,800 $ | 38,800 $ | 3,233 $ | 18.65 $ | I was a full-time linehaul driver for a regional carrier and had been with them for 3 years. Much of my work was local pickups and nighttime runs. |
| 09/14/2016 | Local Delivery Truck Driver (CDL B) | 35.0 h | 36,500 $ | 41,714 $ | 3,476 $ | 20.05 $ | I worked full-time for a small local delivery company delivering goods around LA. I had about 2 years of experience when I reported this and did mostly short routes with occasional overtime. |
Los Angeles sits at the center of one of the world’s busiest logistics corridors. The Port of Los Angeles and the neighboring Port of Long Beach handle a large share of America’s containerized imports, LAX is a major air-cargo gateway, and an extensive freeway network connects the city to the Inland Empire’s distribution centers and to markets across the West. In this environment, truck drivers in Los Angeles typically find steady opportunities across port drayage, intermodal, less-than-truckload (LTL), foodservice delivery, construction materials, and municipal services.
Hiring demand in Los Angeles often rises and falls with freight cycles, retail seasons, and import volumes. After supply-chain disruptions in recent years, many shippers and carriers have stabilized operations, and port activity has generally remained strong, which can support consistent local and regional driving jobs. E‑commerce, grocery distribution, and last-mile networks also create ongoing needs for short-haul and P&D (pickup and delivery) drivers across the metro area.
The regulatory environment in California shapes the market. AB 5 limits many independent contractor arrangements, so drayage and regional fleets have leaned more toward employee-driver models. Environmental rules from the California Air Resources Board and the ports’ Clean Truck programs are pushing toward cleaner technology; drayage trucks registering with state systems are increasingly expected to be zero-emission over time, with long-term phase-in targets that are subject to updates. Employers in Los Angeles therefore value drivers who can adapt to appointment systems, electronic logging devices, and evolving equipment, including electric and natural gas trucks.
Most openings in Los Angeles focus on home-daily or short regional routes. Companies frequently look for safe driving records, current medical cards, and familiarity with dense urban traffic. Additional endorsements can expand options:
Because Los Angeles traffic and port congestion can be challenging, many employers emphasize route planning, defensive driving, and customer service skills. Seasonal peaks often arrive late summer through the holidays as retail imports and parcel volumes grow.
Drivers in Los Angeles can find roles with national carriers, local drayage providers, distributors, and public services. The following organizations are active in the region and frequently hire CDL drivers:
Rail intermodal yards run by BNSF and Union Pacific also generate consistent local truck movements through partner carriers.
Los Angeles offers a broad ladder of roles for new and experienced drivers. Entry points include local P&D, drayage, or shuttle runs between warehouses and rail ramps. With additional endorsements and experience, drivers can move into fuel tanker work, high-volume LTL linehaul, or specialized flatbed and heavy-haul supporting construction and infrastructure projects across the county.
Common advancement paths include becoming a driver trainer, yard hostler lead, dispatcher, or moving into operations and safety coordination. Because California’s rules influence equipment choices, drivers who are comfortable with telematics, route optimization tools, and alternative-fuel or electric trucks can stand out. For those considering independent ownership, it is important to review AB 5 requirements and carrier policies, especially in port drayage, where many companies have shifted to employee-driver or dedicated-carrier arrangements.
Overall, the combination of the ports, LAX, major freeways, and a dense base of shippers and distributors means truck drivers in Los Angeles generally see consistent opportunities. Candidates with clean records, strong customer service, and the right endorsements are well positioned to navigate the region’s complex—but opportunity-rich—freight market.
The average salary for a Truck Driver in Los Angeles is 59,380 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 4,948 $ 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 Los Angeles. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.
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