Commercial Trucking recruiters serving Dayton.
About 4,660 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers work in the Dayton metro, at a $59,490 median. BLS counts 204 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 Dayton.
BLS counts about 9,650 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Dayton metro, the largest group being heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (about 4,660). Relative to the size of the local economy, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.94). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Trucking hub.
CDL-A Truck Driver
Sample job description →Dayton: 4,660 employed · $59,490 median, 46th-highest of 112 metros
CDL-B Truck Driver
Sample job description →Dayton: 2,580 employed · $42,200 median, 73rd-highest of 112 metros
Dispatcher / Fleet Coordinator
Dayton: 420 employed · $49,180 median, 61st-highest of 111 metros
Fleet Manager
Dayton: 600 employed · $97,980 median, 88th-highest of 112 metros
Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT)
Dayton: 610 employed · $68,120 median, 93rd-highest of 112 metros
Diesel Mechanic / Fleet Technician
Dayton: 810 employed · $62,730 median, 46th-highest of 112 metros
Logistics Coordinator
Dayton: 40 employed · $59,980 median, 11th-highest of 96 metros
Driver Recruiter
Dayton: 2,160 employed · $69,030 median, 72nd-highest of 112 metros
Terminal Manager
Route / Delivery Supervisor
Dayton: 1,600 employed · $62,710 median, 49th-highest of 112 metros
The roles behind most of our Dayton, OH searches in this trade: CDL-B Truck Driver and CDL-A Truck Driver.
What Commercial Trucking roles earn in Dayton.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Dayton earn a median $59,490, level with the $58,640 national figure, and 46th of 112 metros. Pay runs $41,670 at the tenth percentile to $75,400 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists, at $62,730 against $61,770 nationally.
| Role | Dayton median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDL-A Truck DriverHeavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) | $59,490 | $41,670–$75,400 | $58,640 | +1% | 4,660 |
| CDL-B Truck DriverLight Truck Drivers (53-3033) | $42,200 | $27,370–$92,950 | $44,860 | −6% | 2,580 |
| Dispatcher / Fleet CoordinatorDispatchers (43-5032) | $49,180 | $31,930–$77,090 | $50,340 | −2% | 420 |
| Fleet Manager · Terminal ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $97,980 | $58,090–$166,040 | $107,230 | −9% | 600 |
| Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT)Compliance Officers (13-1041) | $68,120 | $45,960–$117,890 | $80,730 | −16% | 610 |
| Diesel Mechanic / Fleet TechnicianBus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (49-3031) | $62,730 | $47,740–$79,040 | $61,770 | +2% | 810 |
| Logistics CoordinatorCargo and Freight Agents (43-5011) | $59,980 | $40,220–$81,710 | $52,260 | +15% | 40 |
| Driver RecruiterHuman Resources Specialists (13-1071) | $69,030 | $45,560–$119,890 | $75,940 | −9% | 2,160 |
| Route / Delivery SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers (53-1047) | $62,710 | $43,610–$83,340 | $62,890 | 0% | 1,600 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Dayton 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 Dayton's commercial trucking market has changed since 2018.
The number of general freight trucking companies in Dayton rose from 154 in 2018 to 204 in 2023, up 32%, behind the 49% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went down 3%, to about 3,407 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $55,784 to $71,607 (+28%), faster than the 23% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General freight trucking companies: business locations | 154 | 204 | +32% |
| General freight trucking companies: employment | 3,501 | 3,407 | −3% |
| General freight trucking companies: average annual pay | $55,784 | $71,607 | +28% |
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
Dayton runs 6% 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 Dayton's commercial trucking market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Dayton ranks 74th for headcount, 43rd for median pay and 56th 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 Dayton, the pool is about the national norm for its size, and local employers have trimmed headcount. That usually means experienced people are available but cautious, so the stability of the job matters as much as the rate.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Dayton metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Nearby markets competing for Dayton talent.
The closest metro we cover is Cincinnati, about 45 miles away, with roughly 13,820 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (3.0 times Dayton's 4,660). Indianapolis pays the most nearby, a $61,980 median, 4% above Dayton. That is the number any Dayton offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Indianapolis has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton | – | 4,660 | $59,490 |
| Cincinnati | 47 mi | 13,820 | $60,590 |
| Columbus | 65 mi | 16,110 | $61,720 |
| Indianapolis | 104 mi | 20,480 | $61,980 |
| Louisville | 134 mi | 10,820 | $59,000 |
| Akron | 168 mi | 4,740 | $60,210 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Dayton crews.
Not commercial trucking work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Dayton in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Convergence Research Center (Wright-Patterson AFB)$250MGroundbreaking underway; first building potentially complete 2027
A 43.5-acre research campus developed by Synergy under a federal enhanced use lease - a hub for academia, government, and industry collaboration on aerospace and defense research.
- Kettering Health Greene County investment$40M ($25M new medical center + $15M hospital renovation)Groundbreaking April 2026, complete late 2028
A new Xenia medical center plus renovations at Greene Memorial Hospital - healthcare-grade MEP work across two facilities.
- Citywide Dayton development wave$1.3B+ across two dozen+ projectsOngoing
Private and public partners investing in Dayton at a level not seen in many years - the broadest capital-project signal in this metro.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Dayton market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial trucking, and what kills offers in Dayton.
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 Dayton a linehaul market or a last-mile one?
Dayton carries 4,660 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers against 2,580 light-truck drivers, 1.8 to one against a 1.8 median, 56th 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 Dayton.
What do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn in Dayton?
BLS puts the Dayton median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers at $59,490 a year, about the same as the $58,640 national median. That ranks 46th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $41,670 and $75,400, a 1.8x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Ohio, Columbus pays more, at $61,720.
Is it hard to hire heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Dayton?
It is about average. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are as common in Dayton as they are nationally (location quotient 0.94), with about 4,660 in the metro. The 204 general freight trucking companies here average about 17 employees per location. With 32% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial trucking roles pay the most in Dayton?
Of the roles we recruit for, Fleet Manager pays the most in Dayton, a $97,980 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Diesel Mechanic / Fleet Technician at $62,730, 36% below it. CDL-B Truck Driver is the lowest-paid field role at $42,200. Relative to national pay, Logistics Coordinator is the strongest-paying role here (15% above). Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT) trails national pay the most (16% below).
How many general freight trucking companies operate in Dayton?
BLS counted 204 general freight trucking companies in Dayton in 2023, employing about 3,407 people between them. Up from 154 in 2018, a 32% increase against 49% growth nationally. That averages 17 people per location. They pay an average of $71,607, 9% above the $65,587 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Dayton for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Cincinnati (47 miles, about 13,820, $60,590 median), Columbus (65 miles, about 16,110, $61,720 median) and Indianapolis (104 miles, about 20,480, $61,980 median). Cincinnati 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.
204 general freight trucking companies in Dayton are drawing on the same 4,660 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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