Commercial Trucking recruiters serving Akron.
About 4,740 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers work in the Akron metro, at a $60,210 median. BLS counts 264 business locations of general freight trucking companies across the metro. Below: local pay for every role we staff and the nearby markets competing for the same people.
Positions we recruit for in Akron.
BLS counts about 9,650 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Akron metro, the largest group being heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (about 4,740). Relative to the size of the local economy, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.12). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Trucking hub.
CDL-A Truck Driver
Sample job description →Akron: 4,740 employed · $60,210 median, 34th-highest of 112 metros
CDL-B Truck Driver
Sample job description →Akron: 2,600 employed · $40,280 median, 95th-highest of 112 metros
Dispatcher / Fleet Coordinator
Akron: 380 employed · $48,650 median, 65th-highest of 111 metros
Fleet Manager
Akron: 630 employed · $101,480 median, 69th-highest of 112 metros
Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT)
Akron: 600 employed · $74,200 median, 69th-highest of 112 metros
Diesel Mechanic / Fleet Technician
Akron: 790 employed · $61,010 median, 68th-highest of 112 metros
Logistics Coordinator
Akron: 130 employed · $48,130 median, 69th-highest of 96 metros
Driver Recruiter
Akron: 1,800 employed · $69,900 median, 70th-highest of 112 metros
Terminal Manager
Route / Delivery Supervisor
Akron: 1,520 employed · $61,460 median, 69th-highest of 112 metros
The roles behind most of our Akron, OH searches in this trade: CDL-B Truck Driver and CDL-A Truck Driver.
What Commercial Trucking roles earn in Akron.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Akron earn a median $60,210, level with the $58,640 national figure, and 34th of 112 metros. Pay runs $39,680 at the tenth percentile to $77,350 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is first-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, at $61,460 against $62,890 nationally.
| Role | Akron median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDL-A Truck DriverHeavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) | $60,210 | $39,680–$77,350 | $58,640 | +3% | 4,740 |
| CDL-B Truck DriverLight Truck Drivers (53-3033) | $40,280 | $28,280–$56,630 | $44,860 | −10% | 2,600 |
| Dispatcher / Fleet CoordinatorDispatchers (43-5032) | $48,650 | $34,510–$76,320 | $50,340 | −3% | 380 |
| Fleet Manager · Terminal ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $101,480 | $60,310–$181,730 | $107,230 | −5% | 630 |
| Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT)Compliance Officers (13-1041) | $74,200 | $46,010–$122,850 | $80,730 | −8% | 600 |
| Diesel Mechanic / Fleet TechnicianBus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (49-3031) | $61,010 | $46,170–$77,810 | $61,770 | −1% | 790 |
| Logistics CoordinatorCargo and Freight Agents (43-5011) | $48,130 | $40,090–$96,590 | $52,260 | −8% | 130 |
| Driver RecruiterHuman Resources Specialists (13-1071) | $69,900 | $45,810–$124,080 | $75,940 | −8% | 1,800 |
| Route / Delivery SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers (53-1047) | $61,460 | $42,870–$87,550 | $62,890 | −2% | 1,520 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Akron metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide. A metro ranking counts only the metros where BLS publishes that occupation.
How Akron's commercial trucking market has changed since 2018.
The number of general freight trucking companies in Akron rose from 218 in 2018 to 264 in 2023, up 21%, behind the 49% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went down 20%, to about 3,733 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $55,723 to $64,215 (+15%), slower than the 23% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General freight trucking companies: business locations | 218 | 264 | +21% |
| General freight trucking companies: employment | 4,673 | 3,733 | −20% |
| General freight trucking companies: average annual pay | $55,723 | $64,215 | +15% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Free Commercial Trucking hiring resources.
Definitive Guide to Commercial Trucking · 2026 Commercial Trucking Salary Guide · 3-Step Interview Guide for Commercial Trucking
Akron runs 12% more commercial trucking workers per job than the country as a whole — above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Akron's commercial trucking market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Akron ranks 72nd for headcount, 31st for median pay and 36th for concentration for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | 16,110 | $61,720 | 1.10 | 866 |
| Cincinnati | 13,820 | $60,590 | 0.95 | 698 |
| Cleveland | 11,970 | $58,970 | 0.88 | 768 |
| Akron | 4,740 | $60,210 | 1.12 | 264 |
| Dayton | 4,660 | $59,490 | 0.94 | 204 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial trucking employers in Akron, the pool is deep but local employers have been cutting headcount. Experienced people are here, and some will be open to a move, so a clear offer and a defined path up usually beat a higher posted rate.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Akron metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Nearby markets competing for Akron talent.
The closest metro we cover is Cleveland, about 30 miles away, with roughly 11,970 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (2.5 times Akron's 4,740). Pay is close across the region: medians run from $57,880 in Pittsburgh to $61,720 in Columbus, against $60,210 here. Detroit has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | – | 4,740 | $60,210 |
| Cleveland | 30 mi | 11,970 | $58,970 |
| Pittsburgh | 91 mi | 14,620 | $57,880 |
| Columbus | 110 mi | 16,110 | $61,720 |
| Detroit | 117 mi | 25,780 | $59,120 |
| Dayton | 168 mi | 4,660 | $59,490 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Akron crews.
Not commercial trucking work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Akron in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Akron 2026 Capital Budget$341.9M2026 fiscal year
Water/sewer infrastructure (including the Northside Interceptor Tunnel and $23.5M Brittain Road Reservoir replacement), $53M+ in transportation projects, and a multi-year Stubbs Justice Center renovation.
- East End & Goodyear HQ redevelopmentUndisclosed (400-acre site)Phase II ongoing
A 642,000 sq ft consolidated Goodyear world headquarters already built, with Phase II reimagining the original 1.4 million sq ft Goodyear Headquarters and Goodyear Hall as a mixed-use "live, work, play" district.
- NEO-SMART advanced manufacturing initiative$160M (NSF grant)10-year initiative
Aims to create or retain 20,000 jobs regionally and train 12,000 workers in new materials and manufacturing.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Akron market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial trucking, and what kills offers in Akron.
The 4 credentials that gate the work and the 4 things that most often end a commercial trucking offer are the same in every market, kept in one place: Commercial Trucking credentials and offer risks, each linked to the body that issues it. What is local is the licensing rule above and the pay further up this page.
Is Akron a linehaul market or a last-mile one?
Akron carries 4,740 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers against 2,600 light-truck drivers, 1.8 to one against a 1.8 median, 54th of 112 on that ratio.
Neither end dominates, so the pool depends more on which roles you are filling than on the size of the metro.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (53-3032) against light truck drivers (53-3033), across the 112 metros BLS publishes both series for.
Frequently asked - Commercial Trucking hiring in Akron.
What do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn in Akron?
BLS puts the Akron median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers at $60,210 a year, about the same as the $58,640 national median. That ranks 34th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $39,680 and $77,350, a 1.9x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other Ohio metro we cover pays more for this work.
Is it hard to hire heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Akron?
It is about average. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are as common in Akron as they are nationally (location quotient 1.12), with about 4,740 in the metro. The 264 general freight trucking companies here average about 14 employees per location. With 21% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial trucking roles pay the most in Akron?
Of the roles we recruit for, Fleet Manager pays the most in Akron, a $101,480 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Route / Delivery Supervisor at $61,460, 39% below it. CDL-B Truck Driver is the lowest-paid field role at $40,280. CDL-B Truck Driver trails national pay the most (10% below).
How many general freight trucking companies operate in Akron?
BLS counted 264 general freight trucking companies in Akron in 2023, employing about 3,733 people between them. Up from 218 in 2018, a 21% increase against 49% growth nationally. That averages 14 people per location. They pay about the national average of $65,587.
Which nearby metros compete with Akron for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Cleveland (30 miles, about 11,970, $58,970 median), Pittsburgh (91 miles, about 14,620, $57,880 median) and Columbus (110 miles, about 16,110, $61,720 median). Cleveland has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
264 general freight trucking companies in Akron are drawing on the same 4,740 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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