Commercial Trucking recruiters serving Nashville.
Nashville has 29% more heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers per job than the country as a whole, about 18,860 in the metro. BLS counts 658 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 Nashville.
BLS counts about 38,180 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Nashville metro, the largest group being heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (about 18,860). Relative to the size of the local economy, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.29). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Trucking hub.
CDL-A Truck Driver
Sample job description →Nashville: 18,860 employed · $60,630 median, 26th-highest of 112 metros
CDL-B Truck Driver
Sample job description →Nashville: 11,940 employed · $44,970 median, 39th-highest of 112 metros
Dispatcher / Fleet Coordinator
Nashville: 1,290 employed · $49,680 median, 48th-highest of 111 metros
Fleet Manager
Nashville: 1,680 employed · $103,750 median, 57th-highest of 112 metros
Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT)
Nashville: 3,200 employed · $62,210 median, 106th-highest of 112 metros
Diesel Mechanic / Fleet Technician
Nashville: 1,780 employed · $60,760 median, 72nd-highest of 112 metros
Logistics Coordinator
Nashville: 1,030 employed · $50,230 median, 47th-highest of 96 metros
Driver Recruiter
Nashville: 8,210 employed · $67,380 median, 80th-highest of 112 metros
Terminal Manager
Route / Delivery Supervisor
Nashville: 5,600 employed · $62,900 median, 44th-highest of 112 metros
What Commercial Trucking roles earn in Nashville.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Nashville earn a median $60,630, 3% over the $58,640 national figure, and 26th of 112 metros. Pay runs $44,600 at the tenth percentile to $83,940 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is first-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, at $62,900 against $62,890 nationally.
| Role | Nashville median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDL-A Truck DriverHeavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) | $60,630 | $44,600–$83,940 | $58,640 | +3% | 18,860 |
| CDL-B Truck DriverLight Truck Drivers (53-3033) | $44,970 | $33,620–$80,180 | $44,860 | 0% | 11,940 |
| Dispatcher / Fleet CoordinatorDispatchers (43-5032) | $49,680 | $36,030–$69,210 | $50,340 | −1% | 1,290 |
| Fleet Manager · Terminal ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $103,750 | $59,500–$186,980 | $107,230 | −3% | 1,680 |
| Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT)Compliance Officers (13-1041) | $62,210 | $44,730–$117,610 | $80,730 | −23% | 3,200 |
| Diesel Mechanic / Fleet TechnicianBus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (49-3031) | $60,760 | $45,710–$82,300 | $61,770 | −2% | 1,780 |
| Logistics CoordinatorCargo and Freight Agents (43-5011) | $50,230 | $36,720–$99,790 | $52,260 | −4% | 1,030 |
| Driver RecruiterHuman Resources Specialists (13-1071) | $67,380 | $48,380–$113,340 | $75,940 | −11% | 8,210 |
| Route / Delivery SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers (53-1047) | $62,900 | $46,170–$100,600 | $62,890 | 0% | 5,600 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Nashville 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 Nashville's commercial trucking market has changed since 2018.
The number of general freight trucking companies in Nashville rose from 413 in 2018 to 658 in 2023, up 59%, ahead of the 49% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 16%, to about 15,017 people. Average annual pay there went from $54,388 to $63,735 (+17%), slower than the 23% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General freight trucking companies: business locations | 413 | 658 | +59% |
| General freight trucking companies: employment | 12,968 | 15,017 | +16% |
| General freight trucking companies: average annual pay | $54,388 | $63,735 | +17% |
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
Nashville runs 29% more commercial trucking workers per job than the country as a whole — well 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 Nashville's commercial trucking market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Nashville ranks 18th for headcount, 24th for median pay and 21st for concentration for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | 19,460 | $63,070 | 2.40 | 595 |
| Nashville | 18,860 | $60,630 | 1.29 | 658 |
| Knoxville | 8,130 | $59,100 | 1.44 | 230 |
| Chattanooga | 4,370 | $57,440 | 1.23 | 165 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial trucking employers in Nashville, 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, Nashville metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Trucking licensing in Tennessee.
Tennessee's minimum age for any CDL class is 18, and applicants under 21 are restricted to operating only within Tennessee. Self-certification is on Form SF1480, and an intrastate driver still needs medical certification; a driver hauling both intrastate and interstate must certify interstate. No Tennessee state intrastate medical waiver programme appears on the Department's CDL pages - Tennessee states that variances are renewed with FMCSA rather than with the state, so do not expect a Tennessee-issued waiver to exist. Tennessee has one state-specific restricted licence an employer will see on a contractor's driver: the Code 24 restricted CDL, published as CDL Farm Vehicles - Intrastate (Only), valid only for farm-related Class B and Class C service vehicles and not a Class A vehicle, limited to driving within 150 miles of the employer's place of business or the farm served, never outside Tennessee, and holdable for no more than 180 consecutive days in a 12-month calendar period, with an accompanying letter the driver must keep with the licence. The same state rules apply in Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga, so candidates licensed there can work in Nashville without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Driver Services. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Nashville talent.
The closest metro we cover is Huntsville, about 100 miles away, with roughly 2,570 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (0.1 times Nashville's 18,860). Nashville pays more than every metro we cover within reach ($60,630 median), which helps when recruiting people in from Birmingham at $54,460. Nashville is the largest market for this work in the region, so nearby metros tend to recruit from here rather than the other way round.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | – | 18,860 | $60,630 |
| Huntsville | 100 mi | 2,570 | $56,690 |
| Chattanooga | 113 mi | 4,370 | $57,440 |
| Louisville | 155 mi | 10,820 | $59,000 |
| Knoxville | 161 mi | 8,130 | $59,100 |
| Birmingham | 183 mi | 9,170 | $54,460 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Nashville crews.
Not commercial trucking work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Nashville in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- BNA "New Horizon" expansion - Central Core Enhancement$3B programCentral Core work through December 2027
Rebuilding the terminal hub connecting baggage claim, ticketing, garages, and security. Phased work inside an operating airport - night shifts, tight sequencing, and a premium on live-facility experience.
- Oracle campus, River NorthMulti-billion programPermitting in place, construction starting
Planned at up to 13 buildings plus a pedestrian bridge connecting to Germantown. Corporate campus construction at this scale means years of class-A MEP, curtain wall, and interior finish demand once vertical work begins.
- New Nissan Stadium$2.1BCompleting early 2027
An enclosed venue anchoring 550 acres of East Bank redevelopment. Now deep in MEP, systems, and finish phases - the highest-headcount portion of a stadium build. Large-venue superintendents and specialty systems crews are fully committed here.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Nashville market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial trucking, and what kills offers in Nashville.
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 Nashville a linehaul market or a last-mile one?
Nashville carries 18,860 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers against 11,940 light-truck drivers, 1.6 to one against a 1.8 median, 74th 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.
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 Nashville.
What do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn in Nashville?
BLS puts the Nashville median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers at $60,630 a year, 3% above the $58,640 national median. That ranks 26th of 112 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $44,600 and $83,940, a 1.9x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Tennessee, Memphis pays more, at $63,070.
Is it hard to hire heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Nashville?
Not by national standards. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make up 29% more of the Nashville workforce than they do nationally, about 18,860 people. The 658 general freight trucking companies here average about 23 employees per location. With 59% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial trucking roles pay the most in Nashville?
Of the roles we recruit for, Fleet Manager pays the most in Nashville, a $103,750 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Route / Delivery Supervisor at $62,900, 39% below it. CDL-B Truck Driver is the lowest-paid field role at $44,970. Relative to national pay, CDL-A Truck Driver is the strongest-paying role here (3% above). Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT) trails national pay the most (23% below).
How many general freight trucking companies operate in Nashville?
BLS counted 658 general freight trucking companies in Nashville in 2023, employing about 15,017 people between them. Up from 413 in 2018, a 59% increase against 49% growth nationally. That averages 23 people per location. They pay about the national average of $65,587.
Which nearby metros compete with Nashville for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Huntsville (100 miles, about 2,570, $56,690 median), Chattanooga (113 miles, about 4,370, $57,440 median) and Louisville (155 miles, about 10,820, $59,000 median). Nashville out-pays Huntsville and Chattanooga, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Nashville has one of the deeper pools of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers we cover, but the best of them are already working. Let's find the ones ready to move.
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