Commercial Trucking recruiters serving Sacramento.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are scarcer in Sacramento than in most of the country, 24% fewer per job, so the roughly 10,960 who work here are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 1,227 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 Sacramento.
BLS counts about 22,660 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Sacramento metro, the largest group being heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (about 10,960). 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 →Sacramento: 10,960 employed · $60,810 median, 22nd-highest of 112 metros
CDL-B Truck Driver
Sample job description →Sacramento: 7,010 employed · $46,340 median, 25th-highest of 112 metros
Dispatcher / Fleet Coordinator
Sacramento: 1,360 employed · $50,550 median, 35th-highest of 111 metros
Fleet Manager
Sacramento: 1,410 employed · $114,990 median, 26th-highest of 112 metros
Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT)
Sacramento: 2,820 employed · $95,220 median, 10th-highest of 112 metros
Diesel Mechanic / Fleet Technician
Sacramento: 1,190 employed · $72,660 median, 17th-highest of 112 metros
Logistics Coordinator
Sacramento: 280 employed · $54,820 median, 35th-highest of 96 metros
Driver Recruiter
Sacramento: 5,360 employed · $80,950 median, 15th-highest of 112 metros
Terminal Manager
Route / Delivery Supervisor
Sacramento: 3,500 employed · $63,240 median, 40th-highest of 112 metros
The roles behind most of our Sacramento, CA searches in this trade: CDL-A Truck Driver and CDL-B Truck Driver.
What Commercial Trucking roles earn in Sacramento.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Sacramento earn a median $60,810, 4% over the $58,640 national figure, and 22nd of 112 metros. Pay runs $44,000 at the tenth percentile to $81,030 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists, at $72,660 against $61,770 nationally.
| Role | Sacramento median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDL-A Truck DriverHeavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) | $60,810 | $44,000–$81,030 | $58,640 | +4% | 10,960 |
| CDL-B Truck DriverLight Truck Drivers (53-3033) | $46,340 | $36,290–$83,080 | $44,860 | +3% | 7,010 |
| Dispatcher / Fleet CoordinatorDispatchers (43-5032) | $50,550 | $38,370–$80,330 | $50,340 | 0% | 1,360 |
| Fleet Manager · Terminal ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $114,990 | $70,450–$181,470 | $107,230 | +7% | 1,410 |
| Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT)Compliance Officers (13-1041) | $95,220 | $59,280–$153,970 | $80,730 | +18% | 2,820 |
| Diesel Mechanic / Fleet TechnicianBus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (49-3031) | $72,660 | $48,710–$94,410 | $61,770 | +18% | 1,190 |
| Logistics CoordinatorCargo and Freight Agents (43-5011) | $54,820 | $40,540–$81,690 | $52,260 | +5% | 280 |
| Driver RecruiterHuman Resources Specialists (13-1071) | $80,950 | $51,270–$132,290 | $75,940 | +7% | 5,360 |
| Route / Delivery SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers (53-1047) | $63,240 | $45,710–$97,500 | $62,890 | +1% | 3,500 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Sacramento 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 Sacramento's commercial trucking market has changed since 2018.
The number of general freight trucking companies in Sacramento rose from 500 in 2018 to 1,227 in 2023, up 145%, ahead of the 49% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 52%, to about 6,394 people. Average annual pay there went from $50,350 to $61,224 (+22%), in step with the 23% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General freight trucking companies: business locations | 500 | 1,227 | +145% |
| General freight trucking companies: employment | 4,218 | 6,394 | +52% |
| General freight trucking companies: average annual pay | $50,350 | $61,224 | +22% |
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
Sacramento 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 Sacramento's commercial trucking market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Sacramento ranks 36th for headcount, 20th for median pay and 74th for concentration for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 61,270 | $60,340 | 0.74 | 6,548 |
| Riverside | 40,230 | $60,580 | 1.77 | 3,204 |
| San Francisco | 16,450 | $66,450 | 0.52 | 1,040 |
| Sacramento | 10,960 | $60,810 | 0.76 | 1,227 |
| San Diego | 10,440 | $59,780 | 0.51 | 645 |
| Stockton | 10,110 | $60,470 | 2.63 | 1,016 |
| Fresno | 8,170 | $55,740 | 1.29 | 949 |
| Bakersfield | 7,050 | $57,690 | 1.57 | 718 |
| San Jose | 5,360 | $70,730 | 0.36 | 285 |
| Modesto | 3,510 | $58,330 | 1.36 | 378 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial trucking employers in Sacramento, 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, Sacramento metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Nearby markets competing for Sacramento talent.
The closest metro we cover is Stockton, about 45 miles away, with roughly 10,110 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (0.9 times Sacramento's 10,960). San Jose pays the most nearby, a $70,730 median, 16% above Sacramento. That is the number any Sacramento offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. San Francisco has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento | – | 10,960 | $60,810 |
| Stockton | 44 mi | 10,110 | $60,470 |
| Modesto | 71 mi | 3,510 | $58,330 |
| San Francisco | 75 mi | 16,450 | $66,450 |
| San Jose | 89 mi | 5,360 | $70,730 |
| Reno | 111 mi | 4,170 | $63,790 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Sacramento crews.
Not commercial trucking work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Sacramento in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Regional logistics and industrial developmentRolling private investment2025-2029
Sacramento's land and power cost advantage over the Bay Area continues to pull distribution and light industrial development into the corridor. Steady tilt-up, electrical distribution, and sitework demand.
- Sacramento International Airport terminal programPhased capital planOngoing through 2030
Terminal and landside expansion. Phased work in an operating airport, with the usual premium on night-shift-capable crews and live-facility experience.
- UC Davis Health California Tower$3.75BTopped out February 2026, opens to patients 2030
A 14-story, ~1M sq ft hospital tower. Structural completion means the project is entering its MEP and interior fit-out years - the phase that consumes the most mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and finish headcount. OSHPD/HCAI-experienced field leadership is the binding constraint.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Sacramento market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial trucking, and what kills offers in Sacramento.
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 Sacramento a linehaul market or a last-mile one?
Sacramento carries 10,960 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers against 7,010 light-truck drivers, 1.6 to one against a 1.8 median, 77th 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 Sacramento.
What do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn in Sacramento?
BLS puts the Sacramento median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers at $60,810 a year, 4% above the $58,640 national median. That ranks 22nd of 112 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $44,000 and $81,030, a 1.8x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within California, San Jose pays more, at $70,730.
Is it hard to hire heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Sacramento?
Yes. Sacramento has 24% fewer heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 10,960 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 1,227 general freight trucking companies here average about 5.2 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 145% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial trucking roles pay the most in Sacramento?
Of the roles we recruit for, Fleet Manager pays the most in Sacramento, a $114,990 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Diesel Mechanic / Fleet Technician at $72,660, 37% below it. CDL-B Truck Driver is the lowest-paid field role at $46,340. Relative to national pay, Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT) is the strongest-paying role here (18% above).
How many general freight trucking companies operate in Sacramento?
BLS counted 1,227 general freight trucking companies in Sacramento in 2023, employing about 6,394 people between them. Up from 500 in 2018, a 145% increase against 49% growth nationally. That averages 5.2 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $61,224, 7% below the $65,587 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Sacramento for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Stockton (44 miles, about 10,110, $60,470 median), Modesto (71 miles, about 3,510, $58,330 median) and San Francisco (75 miles, about 16,450, $66,450 median). San Francisco has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. San Francisco pays 9% more, which is where Sacramento employers tend to lose people.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers this scarce in Sacramento, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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