FREE DRIVER GUIDE
The CDL-A Job Offer Checklist
23 questions to ask any carrier before you accept an OTR job — so you know the real pay, miles, home time and contract terms before you show up to orientation.
How to use it: keep this open (or printed) when you talk to a recruiter. Tick each question once you have a clear answer, and write the answer on the line. Compare two or three offers side by side before you decide.
PART 1
Pay & Miles
01 How exactly am I paid — per mile, percentage of the load, hourly, or a weekly salary?
Different pay types can't be compared until you turn them into a realistic weekly number (see the box below).
02 Are miles paid on practical (route) miles or household-goods (HHG / "short") miles?
HHG miles are usually shorter than the miles you actually drive, so the same CPM can mean less money.
03 What CPM or rate would I start at, and what decides it?
Ask whether experience, lane, endorsements or equipment change the rate — and when it goes up.
04 What do drivers on this account actually average in paid miles per week — not the best week?
"Up to 3,000 miles" is a ceiling. Ask for the typical number over the last few months.
05 Is there a weekly minimum or guaranteed pay — and what cancels it?
Many guarantees only apply if you're available all week and don't refuse loads. Get the conditions.
06 When and how do I get paid, and when will my first full paycheck arrive?
Weekly direct deposit is common. Ask about the payroll cutoff day and orientation-week pay.
07 What raises or bonuses exist (safety, fuel, tenure), and exactly how are they earned?
A bonus that's hard to qualify for shouldn't be counted as part of your pay.
Compare offers the right way
Turn every offer into one number: realistic weekly pay. Use the miles drivers actually average, not the maximum.
Weekly pay = rate per mile × average paid miles per week + extra pay you'll really get
Example with made-up numbers — a higher CPM isn't always the better job:
Offer A: $0.60/mile × 2,500 miles$1,500 / week
Offer B: $0.65/mile × 2,200 miles$1,430 / week
PART 2
Extra Pay
08 Do you pay detention? After how many hours, how much per hour, and is there a cap?
Waiting at shippers and receivers is some of the most common unpaid time.
09 Is there layover pay if I'm stuck waiting for a load?
Ask how much per day and when it starts.
10 Do you pay for breakdowns and time in the shop?
Without breakdown pay, a bad truck can cost you days of income.
11 Is there extra-stop pay and pay for drop-and-hook or live unloads?
Multi-stop loads add hours. Find out if those hours are paid.
12 Is there any extra pay for tarping, hazmat, or other special loads?
Only matters if you'll haul them — but ask so you're not surprised.
13 If there's a sign-on bonus, how is it paid out — and do I owe it back if I leave early?
Many bonuses are paid in installments over months. Ask for the payout schedule.
PART 3
Home Time & Life on the Road
14 What is the exact home-time policy — how many weeks out, how many days home?
"Flexible home time" means nothing until you know the numbers.
15 Can I take the truck home, or where do I park it when I'm home?
A long drive to a terminal or drop yard eats into your home time.
16 What is the pet and rider policy, and are there deposits or fees?
Ask about size/breed limits and rider age requirements if they apply to you.
17 What truck will I drive — year, automatic or manual, APU or inverter, assigned or slip-seat?
Comfort and reliability affect both your rest and your miles.
18 What lanes and regions will I run, and how often into places I'd rather avoid?
For example: the Northeast, big-city deliveries, or Canada.
PART 4
Contracts & Red Flags
19 Is this a W-2 company driver job, or 1099 / lease?
Ask directly. It changes your taxes, your expenses and who carries the risk.
20 Will I sign a training or school repayment agreement? How much, and does it reduce over time?
Know exactly what you'd owe if you leave, and when that amount drops.
21 If it's lease-purchase: who controls my freight, what are the weekly deductions, and what happens if I walk away?
Ask about escrow, maintenance funds and any balloon payment. Get the full contract before you sign.
22 How long is orientation, is it paid, and are travel and hotel covered?
Ask who books travel and whether any costs come back to you if you don't stay.
23 What comes out of my check besides taxes?
Benefits, escrow, equipment, cash-advance fees — ask for a sample settlement or pay stub.
Want a recruiter to ask these for you?
CDL Transportation Group matches experienced CDL-A OTR drivers with vetted carriers — and gets the answers before you commit. Free for drivers, always.
Apply Now →
cdltransportationgroup.com · paul@cdltransportationgroup.com
This checklist is general information to help you evaluate job offers. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Pay examples are illustrations only.