CDL Truck Driver Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
A commercial license is the ticket to the best-paid driving work in Los Angeles: Class A drivers on local LTL routes post $33 to $41 an hour, and ready-mix drivers with a Class B earn about $31. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring and how to earn your CDL locally.
Current CDL driver Openings in Los Angeles, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
CDL Truck Driver Work in Los Angeles
Los Angeles CDL jobs split into two kinds of license. Class A drivers pull tractor-trailers out of terminals and distribution centers in Gardena, Santa Fe Springs, Commerce, Downey and the City of Industry, with most local routes running home daily rather than over the road. Class B drivers run single heavy trucks such as concrete mixers, which pour on job sites from Westchester near LAX to the industrial district south of downtown.
The endorsements on your license matter as much as the class. LTL freight carriers want hazmat, tank and doubles endorsements because city drivers pull double trailers and mixed freight through the port and warehouse corridor along the 710 and the 105. Heavy trucks here must pass California's Clean Truck Check emissions program, and every employer must query the federal Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse before you start and once a year after that.
Top Los Angeles Employers Hiring CDL Truck Drivers
These employers had Class A or Class B driver openings in the Los Angeles area on their own career sites when this guide was checked:
- Saia - the LTL carrier hires Class A local city drivers at its Gardena terminal and requires hazmat, tank and doubles endorsements.
- XPO - the LTL carrier hires home-daily Class A night drivers in Santa Fe Springs and gives new hires 90 days to add hazmat, tank and doubles.
- Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling - the bottler hires union Class A route drivers in Sylmar and the City of Industry and transport drivers in Downey.
- CalPortland - the cement and concrete producer hires ready-mix drivers with a Class A or Class B, air brakes and a tank endorsement at two Los Angeles plants.
- UNFI - the grocery wholesaler hires full-time Class A delivery drivers at its Commerce distribution center.
- Sysco - the foodservice distributor hires Class A local delivery drivers for its Walnut-based Sysco Los Angeles operation.
CDL Truck Driver Salaries in Los Angeles
- Entry level: about $23 to $29 an hour for newer Class A and Class B drivers on delivery routes.
- Experienced: roughly $29 to $35 an hour with one or more years of Class A experience.
- Senior / top progression: about $35 to $41 an hour on endorsed LTL and transport routes.
These are estimates based on BLS 2025 data for the Los Angeles metro, where the median for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers is $29.01 an hour, and on pay ranges employers here post under California's pay transparency law. Endorsements and route type move pay most: Saia posts $33.75 to $38.50 for endorsed city drivers, XPO steps from $33.45 to $41.38, and the Reyes Coca-Cola transport route in Downey posts $38.18.
How to Become a CDL Truck Driver in Los Angeles
The California Department of Motor Vehicles issues the license. Start with a Class C, pass a DOT medical exam, pass the knowledge tests and get a commercial learner's permit, which you must hold for 14 days before the skills test. Federal Entry-Level Driver Training from a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry is required for a first Class A or Class B and for the hazmat, passenger and school bus endorsements, and California adds at least 15 hours behind the wheel. You can drive within California at 18, but interstate and hazmat work require 21. Long Beach City College runs a four-week, 160-hour Class A program for $5,595, and El Camino College in Torrance offers Class A truck driver training through community education.
What the Job Involves
CDL drivers inspect the truck and trailer before and after each shift, couple and uncouple trailers, and drive dispatched routes or fixed delivery stops. They track hours on an electronic logging device, secure loads, back into tight docks, and on delivery routes unload product with a pallet jack or hand truck. Ready-mix drivers also manage the drum and chute on the job site.
Skills Employers Look For
- California Class A or Class B CDL with a current medical card
- Hazmat, tank and doubles endorsements for LTL work
- Clean driving record with no recent DUI or serious violations
- Pre-trip and post-trip inspections and ELD logging
- Backing and docking in tight urban yards
- Physical stamina for loading, unloading and chute work
Career Path and Advancement
Many Los Angeles drivers start with a Class B on a delivery or ready-mix truck, then upgrade to Class A and add endorsements to qualify for LTL city routes in Gardena and Santa Fe Springs. From there the ladder runs to transport routes, driver trainer, dispatcher and terminal supervisor. Some drivers move into port drayage or buy their own truck as owner operators.
Related Careers in Los Angeles
If CDL driving interests you, these related Los Angeles roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Class A and Class B CDL in California?
A Class A covers combination vehicles over 26,000 pounds, such as tractor-trailers. A Class B covers single vehicles over 26,000 pounds, such as concrete mixers, dump trucks and buses. A Class A lets you drive most Class B trucks too, so it opens more Los Angeles jobs.
How much does it cost to get a CDL in Los Angeles?
The DMV charges $100 for an original Class A or B application, plus the cost of a DOT medical exam and Entry-Level Driver Training. Long Beach City College's 160-hour Class A program costs $5,595, and the college says limited funding is available.
Which endorsements pay the most in Los Angeles?
Hazmat, tank and doubles together are the most valuable, because LTL carriers such as Saia and XPO require them for city drivers who post $33 to $41 an hour. Adding a tank, doubles or hazmat endorsement costs $59 at the DMV.
Can I get a CDL job in Los Angeles without experience?
It is harder. Most Class A local routes here, including Reyes Coca-Cola and Saia, ask for at least one year of tractor-trailer experience. CalPortland's ready-mix postings ask for the license, endorsements and a clean record rather than a set number of years, and many drivers build experience on a delivery route first.
Are Los Angeles CDL jobs home daily?
Most are. LTL carriers, bottlers, grocery and foodservice distributors and ready-mix producers in Los Angeles run local routes, and XPO advertises its Santa Fe Springs Class A jobs as home daily. Some night routes run 12 to 14 hours a day.
Ready to apply? Browse all CDL Truck Driver jobs in Los Angeles, CA on LocalJobPage and apply today.