10 of the Most Popular Types of Transportation Jobs in 2026

See what kind of roles similar to Transportation jobs are hiring now

Top Types Of Transportation Jobs

• Cdl Truck Driver

  Salary range: $60,000 - $86,500

  A CDL truck driver job is a position in the trucking industry that requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL). This means that you must already have their CDL, or be far along enough in the process of earning it that you will have it at the start of employment. CDL trucks require special licenses for operation because of their bulk. Drivers must be able to maneuver these trucks for miles at a time, often in heavy traffic. The driver must be alert and follow all roadway safety regulations. They are responsible for such duties as loading and unloading heavy cargo, tracking their mileage, fuel, toll expenses, ensuring delivery, and maintaining their trucks. CDL truck drivers must legally take breaks, as their most important duty is to practice safe driving habits.

• Non Cdl Truck Driver

  Salary range: $65,000 - $84,500

  Non Cdl Truck Driver is a popular job search query. Most salaries for Non Cdl Truck Driver jobs pay between $65,000 (25th percentile) and $84,500 (75th percentile) annually. Take a look at the variety of open positions nationwide for Non Cdl Truck Driver job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• Cdl

  Salary range: $66,000 - $88,000

  A CDL job involves the operation of a large vehicle or piece of machinery, which requires a valid commercial driver’s license. There are three different classes of this license. Class A certifies a truck driver to operate vehicles whose gross weight exceeds 26,000 pounds, such as tractor-trailers, flatbeds, and tankers. Class B licenses allow someone to operate buses or box trucks, such as a furniture delivery truck or large package delivery vehicles. Class C licenses are for hazardous material transportation and passenger vans that carry 16 or more people. Positions that require a CDL often require a clean driving record and additional qualifications and skills.

• Truck Driver

  Salary range: $39,500 - $66,000

  A truck driver transports goods and materials. They usually go in and out of manufacturing plants, and distribution and retail centers, working day and night shifts. Truck drivers are a vital component of nearly every industry. A truck driver job usually requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL). CDL trucks need special licenses to operate because of their large size. Truck drivers must be able to maneuver these trucks for miles at a time, often in heavy traffic. It is essential to be alert and follow all roadway safety regulations. Driving a tractor-trailer is very different from driving a traditional vehicle; the driver needs to have superb anticipation to keep the load from shifting on a curve, or to maneuver steep grades properly. The trucks themselves have many gears, sometimes as many as eighteen, in the transmission. Trucks also weigh significantly more than cars and are typically between seventy to eighty feet long, which is why a truck driver has to be specially trained to drive these larger vehicles.

• Driving

  Salary range: $36,000 - $45,000

  Driving is a popular job search query. Most salaries for Driving jobs pay between $36,000 (25th percentile) and $45,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Driving job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Transportation Specialist

  Salary range: $69,000 - $98,500

  A transportation specialist coordinates the transportation of people, products, or materials. This job is available in a wide variety of industries. The job duties of a specialist who works in people-oriented sectors may be required to coordinate line schedules with passengers and drivers. Those that work with the materials or products often coordinate a multitude of routes across many different transportation companies or carriers. A transportation specialist may also perform basic mechanical checks, have customer service duties, or assess efficiency.

• Dispatcher

  Salary range: $35,500 - $49,500

  Dispatchers are utilized in a wide variety of industries to be the hub of communications for a company or organization. They answer phone calls and then communicate with the necessary mobile units in response to a request. From trucking to emergency services, they ensure that the appropriate people or products get to the right place at the right time. Due to the nature of the job, dispatchers—particularly those that work in emergency services—must be able to remain calm and clear-headed, especially in emergency situations.

• Camion

  Salary range: $45,500 - $128,500

  Camion is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Camion jobs pay between $45,500 (25th percentile) and $128,500 (75th percentile) annually. There are lots of open positions nationwide for Camion job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• Bus Driver

  Salary range: $34,000 - $46,500

  Bus drivers transport passengers from one location to another. School bus drivers chauffeur students from bus stops to school and back again. City bus drivers transport passengers between different city locales. Some bus drivers may choose to operate long-distance vehicles that provide rides across state or national borders, or may drive chartered trips or sightseeing tours. It is a bus driver’s job to welcome passengers aboard their vehicle, collect payment (if applicable), and ensure that everyone is transported safely to their destination.

• Local Owner Operator Truck Driver

  Salary range: $60,000 - $222,000

  A local owner-operator truck driver transports cargo around the region in which they operate. In this position, you own or lease your truck, and you work on an independent basis with different clients. Your duties include maintaining your vehicle, building relationships with clients, and locating new contract opportunities. When you have a contract, you plan the route and delivery schedule, if necessary. On some jobs, you load and unload the cargo at pick-up and delivery points, but many clients have their own warehouse workers. As a local driver, your transportation responsibilities focus on one area, so you do not usually take multi-day trips.