Commercial Trucking recruiters serving Cape Coral-Fort Myers.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are scarcer in Cape Coral-Fort Myers than in most of the country, 24% fewer per job, so the roughly 3,050 who work here are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 199 business locations of general freight trucking companies across the metro. Below: local pay for every role we staff, the state licensing rules that apply and the nearby markets competing for the same people.
Positions we recruit for in Cape Coral-Fort Myers.
BLS counts about 7,050 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro, the largest group being heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (about 3,050). Relative to the size of the local economy, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.76). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Trucking hub.
CDL-A Truck Driver
Sample job description →Cape Coral-Fort Myers: 3,050 employed · $48,950 median, 104th-highest of 112 metros
CDL-B Truck Driver
Sample job description →Cape Coral-Fort Myers: 2,510 employed · $40,820 median, 88th-highest of 112 metros
Dispatcher / Fleet Coordinator
Cape Coral-Fort Myers: 420 employed · $48,520 median, 68th-highest of 111 metros
Fleet Manager
Cape Coral-Fort Myers: 340 employed · $87,210 median, 108th-highest of 112 metros
Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT)
Cape Coral-Fort Myers: 710 employed · $72,480 median, 77th-highest of 112 metros
Diesel Mechanic / Fleet Technician
Cape Coral-Fort Myers: 470 employed · $62,010 median, 55th-highest of 112 metros
Logistics Coordinator
Cape Coral-Fort Myers: 160 employed · $51,110 median, 41st-highest of 96 metros
Driver Recruiter
Cape Coral-Fort Myers: 1,220 employed · $64,770 median, 96th-highest of 112 metros
Terminal Manager
Route / Delivery Supervisor
Cape Coral-Fort Myers: 1,020 employed · $62,370 median, 51st-highest of 112 metros
What Commercial Trucking roles earn in Cape Coral-Fort Myers.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Cape Coral-Fort Myers earn a median $48,950, 17% under the $58,640 national figure, and 104th of 112 metros. Pay runs $38,120 at the tenth percentile to $64,600 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is first-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, at $62,370 against $62,890 nationally.
| Role | Cape Coral-Fort Myers median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDL-A Truck DriverHeavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) | $48,950 | $38,120–$64,600 | $58,640 | −17% | 3,050 |
| CDL-B Truck DriverLight Truck Drivers (53-3033) | $40,820 | $30,760–$54,040 | $44,860 | −9% | 2,510 |
| Dispatcher / Fleet CoordinatorDispatchers (43-5032) | $48,520 | $34,300–$65,510 | $50,340 | −4% | 420 |
| Fleet Manager · Terminal ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $87,210 | $51,210–$160,700 | $107,230 | −19% | 340 |
| Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT)Compliance Officers (13-1041) | $72,480 | $43,480–$140,500 | $80,730 | −10% | 710 |
| Diesel Mechanic / Fleet TechnicianBus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (49-3031) | $62,010 | $46,420–$78,010 | $61,770 | 0% | 470 |
| Logistics CoordinatorCargo and Freight Agents (43-5011) | $51,110 | $45,390–$74,560 | $52,260 | −2% | 160 |
| Driver RecruiterHuman Resources Specialists (13-1071) | $64,770 | $42,250–$103,980 | $75,940 | −15% | 1,220 |
| Route / Delivery SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers (53-1047) | $62,370 | $44,860–$83,360 | $62,890 | −1% | 1,020 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Cape Coral-Fort Myers 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 Cape Coral-Fort Myers's commercial trucking market has changed since 2018.
The number of general freight trucking companies in Cape Coral-Fort Myers rose from 117 in 2018 to 199 in 2023, up 70%, ahead of the 49% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 39%, to about 887 people. Average annual pay there went from $50,453 to $57,822 (+15%), slower than the 23% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General freight trucking companies: business locations | 117 | 199 | +70% |
| General freight trucking companies: employment | 639 | 887 | +39% |
| General freight trucking companies: average annual pay | $50,453 | $57,822 | +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
Cape Coral-Fort Myers runs 24% fewer commercial trucking workers per job than the country as a whole — below the national concentration. Fewer per job means the people you want are already working, and usually for someone who would rather keep 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 Cape Coral-Fort Myers's commercial trucking market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Cape Coral-Fort Myers ranks 90th for headcount, 93rd for median pay and 74th for concentration for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. Pay here is among the lowest we see, which makes relocation offers from higher-paying metros a real retention risk.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 29,060 | $51,580 | 0.78 | 2,275 |
| Tampa | 15,840 | $50,560 | 0.83 | 1,086 |
| Orlando | 15,420 | $50,250 | 0.82 | 1,342 |
| Jacksonville | 13,100 | $55,630 | 1.29 | 765 |
| Lakeland | 7,820 | $57,090 | 2.22 | 412 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | 3,050 | $48,950 | 0.76 | 199 |
| North Port-Sarasota | 2,930 | $50,890 | 0.65 | 208 |
| Port St. Lucie | 2,060 | $48,590 | 0.91 | 146 |
| Deltona-Daytona | 1,910 | $47,660 | 0.66 | 183 |
| Pensacola | 1,710 | $47,950 | 0.68 | 108 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne | 1,690 | $48,460 | 0.52 | 117 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial trucking employers in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, the local pool is thin but growing. Expect a mix of local candidates and people recruited in from nearby metros, and budget for relocation on senior roles.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Trucking licensing in Florida.
Florida's floor is 18, and a driver under 21 is restricted to intrastate operation only; F.S. 316.302(4) separately bars anyone under 18 from operating a commercial motor vehicle at all. Florida's intrastate medical relief is statutory rather than a waiver programme: F.S. 316.302(2)(i) exempts a driver who operates only intrastate from the federal vision standard at 391.41(b)(10) where the driver has had no convictions under s. 322.61 - Florida's CDL disqualification section for specified serious and major offences - in the two years before applying, is otherwise qualified under 49 CFR part 391, and carries a physical examination form dated within the past 24 months; ordinary moving violations not reached by s. 322.61 do not defeat eligibility. Florida also runs its own intrastate hours of service for non-placarded loads: no driving beyond 12 hours after 10 consecutive hours off, none after the 16th hour, and none after 70 hours in 7 consecutive days or 80 in 8 for a carrier operating every day, reset by 34 consecutive hours off - so a Florida intrastate log is not a federal 11-and-14 log. Florida adopts 49 CFR parts 382-386 and 390-397 for intrastate carriers as they existed on December 31, 2023. The same state rules apply in Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, North Port-Sarasota, Lakeland, Deltona-Daytona, Palm Bay-Melbourne, Port St. Lucie and Pensacola, so candidates licensed there can work in Cape Coral-Fort Myers without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Cape Coral-Fort Myers talent.
The closest metro we cover is North Port-Sarasota, about 40 miles away, with roughly 2,930 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (1.0 times Cape Coral-Fort Myers's 3,050). Lakeland pays the most nearby, a $57,090 median, 17% above Cape Coral-Fort Myers. That is the number any Cape Coral-Fort Myers offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Miami has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | – | 3,050 | $48,950 |
| North Port-Sarasota | 38 mi | 2,930 | $50,890 |
| Tampa | 101 mi | 15,840 | $50,560 |
| Lakeland | 102 mi | 7,820 | $57,090 |
| Port St. Lucie | 111 mi | 2,060 | $48,590 |
| Miami | 122 mi | 29,060 | $51,580 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Cape Coral-Fort Myers crews.
Not commercial trucking work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Cape Coral-Fort Myers in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) terminal expansionUndisclosedCompleting December 2027
14 new gates, a new TSA checkpoint, and new concessions - sustained airport-facility construction demand.
- Lee Health Fort Myers hospital$824MOpening fall 2028
260-bed capacity with 236 private patient rooms, plus a medical office complex, ambulatory surgery center, and employee child development center. One of the largest single healthcare capital projects in the region's history.
- Cape Coral Yacht Club rebuild$22.7M first phase approved; total project budget unsettled (estimates have ranged $164M-$300M, and as of May 2026 city council said it could not commit to a figure without a funding mechanism)~2 years for the current phase
A new community center and parking garage as part of Hurricane Ian recovery. Demolition of prior structures is largely complete.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Cape Coral-Fort Myers market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial trucking, and what kills offers in Cape Coral-Fort Myers.
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 Cape Coral-Fort Myers a linehaul market or a last-mile one?
Cape Coral-Fort Myers runs close to even: 3,050 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers against 2,510 light-truck drivers, 1.2 to one, 102nd of 112 on that ratio.
The driving here is mostly last-mile and service, so a Class A search competes for a smaller resident pool than the total implies and often reaches outside the metro.
Nationally it is 2.1 to one.
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 Cape Coral-Fort Myers.
What do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
BLS puts the Cape Coral-Fort Myers median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers at $48,950 a year, 17% below the $58,640 national median. That ranks 104th of 112 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Most of the market sits between $38,120 and $64,600, a 1.7x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Florida, Lakeland pays more, at $57,090.
Is it hard to hire heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
Yes. Cape Coral-Fort Myers has 24% fewer heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 3,050 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 199 general freight trucking companies here average about 4.5 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 70% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial trucking roles pay the most in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
Of the roles we recruit for, Fleet Manager pays the most in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, an $87,210 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Route / Delivery Supervisor at $62,370, 28% below it. CDL-B Truck Driver is the lowest-paid field role at $40,820. Fleet Manager trails national pay the most (19% below).
How many general freight trucking companies operate in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
BLS counted 199 general freight trucking companies in Cape Coral-Fort Myers in 2023, employing about 887 people between them. Up from 117 in 2018, a 70% increase against 49% growth nationally. That averages 4.5 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $57,822, 12% below the $65,587 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Cape Coral-Fort Myers for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are North Port-Sarasota (38 miles, about 2,930, $50,890 median), Tampa (101 miles, about 15,840, $50,560 median) and Lakeland (102 miles, about 7,820, $57,090 median). Tampa has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Lakeland pays 17% more, which is where Cape Coral-Fort Myers employers tend to lose people.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers this scarce in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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