Search for a truck driver recruiting agency and you get three different businesses wearing the same label: agencies that recruit drivers onto your payroll, staffing firms that rent you drivers on theirs, and lead platforms that sell you phone numbers. They are priced differently, they carry risk differently, and only one of them is what most carriers mean by "recruiting".
This list sorts them out. Each company is described from its own website, we say plainly what each one publishes about pricing and what it doesn't, and we put ourselves where we think we belong — at the top, for the specific job of filling permanent seats and being paid when the driver starts. Judge that claim the same way you should judge every entry: by who talks to the driver, and when the money changes hands.
How we compared them
- 01
Who talks to the driver?
Recruiting means a recruiter screens the driver by phone before you see them. If the answer is 'you do, from a list', you bought leads.
- 02
When does money change hands?
Per lead up front, per hour for the assignment, or per hire on placement. The payment trigger tells you what the company is actually selling.
- 03
Who employs the driver?
On your payroll (recruiting, direct hire) or on theirs (staffing, W-2 leasing). This decides your cost, your control and your liability.
- 04
Trucking only?
A firm that also staffs warehouses and construction sites is not wrong — but its recruiters are not on the phone with drivers all day.
- 05
Does it publish how it charges?
Nobody has to publish rates. But 'not published' is a fact you should know before the sales call.
The list
- 1How it works
CDL Agencyour company
Recruiting agency
Our company. Recruiters talk to every driver by phone, screen and interview them, and submit ready-to-hire packets to carriers whose lanes and pay fit. Paid per placed driver — half when the driver starts, half after the first 14 days — with no retainer and no per-lead fee. Placements run through Onboard, our own platform, so screening, submission, drug test and hire are tracked in one place.
Fits
- Fleets of 10–49 trucks with open seats every month and no recruiting department
- Larger fleets that need overflow, or a whole department for one terminal or lane
- Carriers that approve submissions the same day and state pay and home time plainly
Doesn't fit
- Genuinely temporary work — that is a staffing purchase, not a recruiting one
- Carriers that take a week to review a submission
- Anyone who wants a contact list to work themselves
- How you pay:
- Per placed driver, quoted per engagement; half at start, half after 14 days; no retainer
- Who employs the driver:
- The carrier (driver goes on your payroll)
- Coverage:
- All 48 contiguous states; offices in Mundelein and Romeoville, IL, Lancaster, TX, and North Miami, FL
- Trucking only:
- yes
Our own operating numbers, unaudited: 100+ drivers placed a month across our operation, 3,000+ lifetime hires, 50+ carrier partners.
- 2classarecruitinginc.com
Class A Recruiting
Recruiting agency
A third-party driver recruiting company (Centerton, AR) offering full-cycle recruiting or a supplement to an in-house team: advertising, vetting, processing, employment verifications and orientation scheduling, delivered through a Tenstreet integration. Its carriers page says "$0 upfront — you only pay once the driver is dispatched."
Fits
- Carriers already running Tenstreet who want recruiting done inside it
- Fleets that want to pay only on dispatch
- Larger fleets — its carrier logos are national names
Doesn't fit
- Carriers that want a stated per-hire figure before the call (none is published)
- Anyone who needs the driver employed by the agency
- How you pay:
- Pay once the driver is dispatched; $0 upfront (their words); per-hire figure not published
- Who employs the driver:
- The carrier
- Coverage:
- US; "national network of 350+ experienced CDL recruiters" (their claim)
- Trucking only:
- yes
The closest model to ours on this list. Replacement or guarantee terms are not published.
- 3transforce.com/carriers/direct-hire
TransForce (Driver Recruiting / direct hire)
Recruiting agency
TransForce calls itself the national leader in CDL driver recruitment, staffing, safety and compliance, and sells five carrier services: Driver Managed Workforce, Driver Staffing, Driver Recruiting (direct hire), Driver Marketing and Hire Veterans, plus CDL schools. Its direct-hire line puts drivers on your payroll under "flexible and performance based pricing" with no long-term contracts.
Fits
- Carriers that may want staffing, direct hire and marketing from one vendor
- Fleets that also hire non-CDL, mechanics, yard and warehouse staff
Doesn't fit
- Carriers that want published pricing — the direct-hire page says a payment plan is worked out with you
- Anyone who wants a trucking-only recruiter (the recruiting line covers other roles too)
- How you pay:
- "Flexible and performance based pricing"; no figures published
- Who employs the driver:
- Direct hire: the carrier. Staffing: TransForce (W-2)
- Coverage:
- US; recruiting team "has knowledge of all markets in the lower 48" (their words)
- Trucking only:
- no — one of several verticals
Also appears on our staffing list under its Driver Staffing line, which is a different purchase.
- 4globalfleetllc.com
Global Fleet LLC
Recruiting agency
A CDL-A recruiting agency (Sunny Isles Beach, FL) that matches drivers with partner carriers across dry van, reefer, flatbed, power-only and step-deck, OTR to local. Free for drivers; carriers pay a commission that "can vary depending on the difficulty of the hiring process" — experience, background, skills and pay range.
Fits
- Small and mid-size carriers hiring CDL-A company drivers
- Carriers that want first candidates quickly — the site claims initial candidates within two days
Doesn't fit
- Carriers that want a stated fee before the call
- Anyone who needs guarantee or replacement terms in writing up front (not published)
- How you pay:
- Commission per hire, varies by difficulty; figure not published
- Who employs the driver:
- The carrier
- Coverage:
- US, 48 states, "coast-to-coast network" (their words)
- Trucking only:
- yes
- 5avatarfleet.com/driver-recruiting-services
Avatar (Recruiting Services)
Recruiting agency
Managed recruiting from Avatar's professional-services team in two tiers: Recruiting Services Plus (inbound lead vetting, outbound lead generation, DOT application assistance) and Recruiting Services Max (adds phone screens, pre-employment screening orders and interview booking). Sold alongside its DriverHub software, on "transparent all-in, per-driver pricing" quoted by sales.
Fits
- Carriers that want their own recruiting team extended rather than replaced
- Fleets that already run, or want, Avatar's software
Doesn't fit
- Carriers that want a trucking-only vendor — Avatar also serves bus companies and private fleets
- Anyone who wants to pay on placement (pricing is per driver, not stated as per hire)
- How you pay:
- "All-in, per-driver pricing", quote from sales; no figures published
- Who employs the driver:
- The carrier
- Coverage:
- Not stated
- Trucking only:
- no — one of several verticals
- 6platinumdrivers.com
Platinum Drivers
Staffing agency
A "driver recruiting, staffing and placement agency" for CDL and non-CDL drivers — direct hire, temp-to-perm or temporary — with offices across Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and Florida. Verifies three years of employment and ten years of driving history and delivers a complete driver qualification file.
Fits
- Carriers in the South and Southwest that may want temp, temp-to-perm and direct hire from one firm
- Fleets that value a delivered DQ file
Doesn't fit
- Carriers that need to know who employs the driver before the call (the site doesn't state it)
- Anyone who wants published pricing
- How you pay:
- Not published
- Who employs the driver:
- Not stated on the site
- Coverage:
- Claims all areas of the US; offices in TX, AZ, CO, LA, TN, GA, NC, FL
- Trucking only:
- yes
Listed here because its direct-hire line is recruiting; its temp lines are staffing, and it appears on our staffing list too.
- 7truckker.com
Truckker
Marketplace / lead platform
A Canadian driver-staffing marketplace: carriers post jobs and are matched to verified drivers for temporary, temp-to-perm, leased or direct-hire roles. Publishes subscription tiers for direct hires — Essential $499/mo (2 hires, $3,500 each additional), Professional $999/mo (5 hires), Enterprise $2,900/mo (25 hires) — with currency not stated.
Fits
- Ontario and Canadian carriers that want a self-serve platform with published tiers
- Fleets that want temporary and direct-hire in one marketplace
Doesn't fit
- US carriers — the signup region dropdown reads "Ontario Only" even though a /us page advertises nationwide service; check before you rely on it
- Anyone who wants a recruiter on the phone with the driver
- How you pay:
- Published: $499 / $999 / $2,900 per month tiers plus per-additional-hire fees; temp placements at "standard mark-ups"
- Who employs the driver:
- Not stated
- Coverage:
- "Canada wide" per marketing; signup says Ontario only; a US page claims nationwide
- Trucking only:
- yes
The only company on this list that publishes prices. Its screening requires a CVOR abstract, an Ontario document — another sign of where it actually operates.
- 8cdlworker.com
CDL Worker
Recruiting agency
Calls itself "the most reliable CDL driver recruitment agency" and also sells dispatch, marketing and accounting services. The site is largely driver-facing — job listings with pay ranges for hiring states east of the Rockies — and says every carrier posting with it is background-checked.
Fits
- Carriers in the Midwest, East and South looking for driver-facing exposure
- Small carriers that may also want dispatch or back-office help
Doesn't fit
- Carriers that want a described recruiting process and fee model (not published anywhere we could find)
- Anyone outside its stated hiring states
- How you pay:
- Not published
- Who employs the driver:
- The carrier
- Coverage:
- Midwest, East and South — "east of the Rockies" (IL, IA, WI, MN, MI, IN, OH, KY, TN, MO, WV listed)
- Trucking only:
- yes
Side by side
The same facts as the cards, in one table. "Not published" means the company's website doesn't say — we didn't guess.
| Company | Model | Who employs the driver | How you pay | Coverage | Trucking only | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. CDL Agency (us) | Recruiting agency | The carrier (driver goes on your payroll) | Per placed driver, quoted per engagement; half at start, half after 14 days; no retainer | All 48 contiguous states; offices in Mundelein and Romeoville, IL, Lancaster, TX, and North Miami, FL | Yes | Permanent CDL seats at fleets that want hires, not activity |
| 2. Class A Recruiting | Recruiting agency | The carrier | Pay once the driver is dispatched; $0 upfront (their words); per-hire figure not published | US; "national network of 350+ experienced CDL recruiters" (their claim) | Yes | Tenstreet carriers that want recruiting on an outcome basis |
| 3. TransForce (Driver Recruiting / direct hire) | Recruiting agency | Direct hire: the carrier. Staffing: TransForce (W-2) | "Flexible and performance based pricing"; no figures published | US; recruiting team "has knowledge of all markets in the lower 48" (their words) | No | Fleets that want one large vendor for recruiting and staffing |
| 4. Global Fleet LLC | Recruiting agency | The carrier | Commission per hire, varies by difficulty; figure not published | US, 48 states, "coast-to-coast network" (their words) | Yes | CDL-A company-driver seats at smaller carriers |
| 5. Avatar (Recruiting Services) | Recruiting agency | The carrier | "All-in, per-driver pricing", quote from sales; no figures published | Not stated | No | Fleets that want recruiting services bundled with recruiting software |
| 6. Platinum Drivers | Staffing agency | Not stated on the site | Not published | Claims all areas of the US; offices in TX, AZ, CO, LA, TN, GA, NC, FL | Yes | Southern and Southwestern fleets that want staffing and placement in one vendor |
| 7. Truckker | Marketplace / lead platform | Not stated | Published: $499 / $999 / $2,900 per month tiers plus per-additional-hire fees; temp placements at "standard mark-ups" | "Canada wide" per marketing; signup says Ontario only; a US page claims nationwide | Yes | Canadian carriers comfortable with a marketplace |
| 8. CDL Worker | Recruiting agency | The carrier | Not published | Midwest, East and South — "east of the Rockies" (IL, IA, WI, MN, MI, IN, OH, KY, TN, MO, WV listed) | Yes | Regional exposure to drivers rather than an outsourced recruiting department |
Questions people ask
What is the best truck driver recruiting agency?
For permanent seats paid on outcome, we say CDL Agency — and we know who is writing this. Class A Recruiting also pays on dispatch and integrates with Tenstreet; TransForce's direct-hire line is the choice if you want a large vendor for staffing and recruiting together. Judge any agency, including us, by who talks to the driver, when the money changes hands, and whether it publishes how it charges.
How much do truck driver recruiting agencies charge?
Most don't publish it. Of the eight companies here, only Truckker publishes prices ($499–$2,900 a month tiers plus per-hire fees, aimed at Canadian carriers). CDL Agency charges a placement fee quoted per engagement, paid half when the driver starts and half after 14 days, with no retainer. Class A Recruiting says you pay once the driver is dispatched; Global Fleet charges a commission that varies by difficulty; the rest quote on a call.
What is the best way to recruit truck drivers?
Publish the exact pay, the home-time rule and the truck; get a human on the phone within minutes of a driver's interest; make the offer inside 48 hours; onboard in two or three days; then manage the first 90 days as part of the hire. The first carrier to call wins about 73% of the time. If nobody in your office can live on the phone, that is the job a recruiting agency does — the full method is at cdlagency.com/blog/truck-driver-recruiting.
What is the easiest trucking company to get hired at?
For a driver, the carriers that hire fastest are the ones that state pay and home time in the posting and call back the same day — size has little to do with it. Recruiting agencies are free for drivers: the carrier pays. If you hold a CDL-A and want to be matched rather than apply to twenty postings, cdlagency.com/drivers gets you a recruiter callback.
What is the difference between a recruiting agency and a staffing agency?
A recruiting agency places the driver on your payroll and is paid once, per hire. A staffing agency employs the driver and bills you an hourly markup for as long as they work — the right tool for temporary needs and the expensive way to fill a permanent seat. TransForce and Platinum Drivers sell both; we compare the two models at cdlagency.com/blog/cdl-staffing-agency-vs-recruiting-agency and list staffing agencies separately at cdlagency.com/best-cdl-staffing-agencies.
Do truck driver recruiting agencies charge drivers?
No. Every agency on this list is paid by the carrier; Global Fleet, CDL Worker and CDL Agency all state on their sites that placement is free for drivers. If a 'recruiter' asks a driver for money, it is not a recruiting agency.
Keep reading
- How to recruit truck drivers in 2026 — the step-by-step guide
- CDL staffing agency vs recruiting agency: what fleets actually need
- The best CDL staffing agencies in 2026 (and when not to use one)
- The 26 metros we recruit for, with FMCSA carrier counts and BLS pay
- Our honest case for being the best recruiting agency in Chicago
- How pay-per-driver recruiting works
Written by
Andrius Pletniovas — Founder, CDL Agency
Andrius Pletniovas (Andrius Digital) is the founder of CDL Agency, a truck-driver recruiting and marketing company that has placed 3,000+ CDL drivers for 50+ carriers across the U.S. He writes about driver recruiting, retention, and the trucking market from running the agency every day.
More about Andrius →Official personal website →