Texas and California have the two largest groups of working heavy and tractor-trailer drivers in the country (BLS, May 2025).
But carriers hiring CDL drivers in Texas, California, Chicago or Atlanta still see few applications and fewer that fit their lanes. Lane, endorsements, equipment, and home time decide which driver profiles are relevant, so set those before you search by location.
This guide shows what each market asks of a carrier, from Gulf Coast and border freight in Texas to port freight in California, rail-linked freight in Chicago and interstate crossroads freight in Atlanta, and how to find qualified CDL-A driver profiles in each.
How many CDL drivers work in each of these four markets?
BLS counted 209,680 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers in Texas, 205,090 in California, 84,200 in Illinois, and 74,840 in Georgia in May 2025. The count excludes self-employed owner-operators.
| State | Drivers (BLS, May 2025) | Where freight concentrates (general industry context) |
| Texas | 209,680 | Houston and the Gulf Coast, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio and the Laredo border corridor |
| California | 205,090 | Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, Inland Empire warehousing, Central Valley agriculture |
| Illinois | 84,200 | Chicago rail and intermodal yards and the I-80, I-90 and I-55 corridors |
| Georgia | 74,840 | Atlanta distribution, Port of Savannah freight, and the I-75, I-85 and I-20 corridors |
BLS groups all heavy and tractor-trailer drivers together and does not break out CDL-A. Read these numbers as the size of each market, not as a count of the drivers you can reach.
Looking for CDL drivers by state beyond these four? BLS publishes the full state table with employment and location quotients.
Where can carriers find qualified CDL drivers in Texas?
Start with the metros where your lanes begin: Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and the Laredo border corridor. Texas has the largest group of working heavy and tractor-trailer drivers in the country, so the sharper question is fit. Endorsements, run type, and home time decide who is relevant to your fleet.
How do I recruit CDL-A drivers in Texas?
Define the lane first, then search by location. Name the run type (dedicated, regional, or OTR), the equipment, required endorsements, and home time, then narrow by metro. Texas hubs sit hundreds of miles apart, so a driver based near Houston and one based near El Paso are not interchangeable for the same lane.
Specify these for a Texas search:
- Hazmat (H), Tanker (N), or X endorsements for Gulf Coast fuel and chemical freight.
- Dry van, reefer, or flatbed experience that matches the freight you haul.
- Home-time terms that fit the distance between your terminal and your drop points.
- Border-region freight experience if your lanes run through Laredo or the Rio Grande Valley.
Enter these as filters, and each profile’s match score reflects how closely it fits.
What should carriers know before hiring CDL drivers in California?
California’s driver market is nearly as large as Texas, but equipment rules shape the job. CARB’s Clean Truck Check program applies to heavy-duty trucks operating in the state, including trucks registered elsewhere. A driver assigned to California lanes should know the truck’s compliance status before dispatch.
A port drayage lane, an Inland Empire warehouse shuttle, and a Central Valley produce haul each ask for a different run type, equipment, and home time. Write the criteria for the lane you actually run. A broad “California driver” search is less likely to surface profiles that fit your lane.
- Reefer experience for produce and temperature-controlled freight.
- Local or regional home-time terms for port and warehouse lanes.
- Clean Truck Check compliance for the truck the driver will run, which stays with the vehicle owner or the entity CARB lists as responsible.
Set the run type, equipment, and home-time terms as filters before you review match scores.
How do I find CDL-A drivers in Chicago?
Chicago is a rail and intermodal hub, so freight moves on short local runs and long outbound lanes at the same time. Decide which one your fleet runs, then search by Chicago-area location with run type and home-time terms already set.
BLS counted 84,200 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers in Illinois in May 2025, with a location quotient of 1.04. That means drivers make up a slightly larger share of Illinois jobs than the national average.
- Drop-and-hook or yard experience for terminal-based regional lanes.
- Winter driving experience if your lanes cross the Great Lakes region
- Clear home-time terms, since local and OTR lanes call for different schedules.
Set the Chicago-area location, run type, and home time as filters, and the match score shows how closely each profile fits.
Where do carriers find CDL-A drivers in Atlanta and Georgia?
Atlanta sits where I-75, I-85, and I-20 meet, and Georgia’s port freight feeds regional distribution. Georgia employed 74,840 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers in May 2025, with a location quotient of 1.15. Drivers make up a larger share of jobs there than they do nationally.
Carriers running Southeast regional lanes often compete on lane clarity. State the destinations, the weekly miles, and the home-time terms, then let location and equipment narrow the profiles.
- Port and container freight experience if you run Savannah lanes.
- Regional dry van or reefer experience for Southeast distribution.
- A location filter that matches where you dispatch from, not only the Atlanta metro
Set the location you dispatch from, plus run type and equipment, as filters before you read match scores.
Which federal rules apply to hiring in all four markets?
Three federal items apply everywhere: your own driver qualification steps, FMCSA’s non-domiciled CDL rule, and English language proficiency enforcement. These steps stay with the carrier. Confirm current status before you hire.
| Item | Status as of October 29, 2026 | Why it matters when hiring |
| DQ file, MVR and Clearinghouse query | Carrier responsibilities under FMCSA rules | Complete your DQ file steps, including the MVR and the pre-employment Clearinghouse query, for every hire, wherever the driver is based. |
| Non-domiciled CDL rule (91 FR 7044) | Final rule effective March 16, 2026. New and renewed non-domiciled CDLs are limited to H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 visa holders. The rule has been challenged in court, so check its current status before you hire. | Check the credential type and expiration on any non-domiciled CDL |
| English language proficiency | Inspectors can place a driver out of service for failing English proficiency. FMCSA has proposed a rule to codify this (91 FR 51422). | Roadside enforcement can sideline a driver mid-lane |
General information, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your compliance counsel or FMCSA.
How does FreightPro help carriers find qualified CDL-A driver profiles by region?
FreightPro lets you set your lane criteria once, then shows relevant CDL-A driver profiles for the location you set, ranked by AI match. Each profile carries what the driver wants next, including pay, lanes, and home time, so you can judge fit before you call.
With 120K+ CDL-A drivers on FreightPro, the lane-first search this guide describes is built into one tool.
| What this guide says to define | How FreightPro handles it |
| Run type, equipment, endorsements, experience | You set them as filters once and reuse them in every region |
| Home time and pay | Drivers’ expectations are on the profile before you call |
| Location | You set the location that matches your lanes |
| Fit to your lane | Profiles are ranked by AI match, with a match score on each. |
How a search works
| Step | What you do | What you see |
| 1 | Sign up and set your lane criteria | Profiles for CDL-A drivers in the location you set |
| 2 | Review the ranked profiles | A match score on each profile, drawn from 25+ AI match criteria, including the filters you set. |
| 3 | Unlock the profiles you want | The driver’s phone number |
| 4 | Call the driver | Drivers may be on the road, so plan for call-backs |
A Chicago carrier running regional dedicated lanes would set the Chicago area as location, regional as run type, weekly home time, and the endorsements the freight requires. The match score shows how closely each profile fits those terms. It does not predict who will answer or accept.
What to know before you choose a platform
- Search by the driver you need: Set your lane criteria and see relevant CDL-A driver profiles ranked by AI match. Each profile lists the driver’s experience, endorsements, equipment, run type, and pay and home-time expectations.
- You still run your own checks: FreightPro does not run MVR or Clearinghouse checks. Complete the required steps for each hire, as covered in the federal rules table above.
- AI-powered matching, backed by our human team: FreightPro pairs AI-powered matching with support from our human team. Drivers also use the FreightPro app for jobs, truck-focused navigation, and a community of drivers.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I hire CDL-A drivers in Texas if my terminal is in another state?
Yes. Interstate carriers hire drivers across state lines routinely. What decides the fit is the lane: the driver’s location, home-time expectations, and run type should match how you dispatch. Set those in your filters, then complete your own driver qualification steps before the driver runs a load.
2. Do California rules change how I hire CDL-A drivers?
Driver qualification rules stay federal, but California adds equipment rules. CARB’s Clean Truck Check applies to heavy-duty trucks operating in the state, including trucks registered elsewhere. Make sure the truck a new driver is assigned meets it, and confirm details with CARB or your compliance counsel.
3. How do I find CDL-A drivers with Hazmat or Tanker endorsements in Houston?
Set the endorsement in your criteria first, then narrow by Houston-area location and run type. Gulf Coast fuel and chemical freight often calls for Hazmat (H), Tanker (N), or the combined X endorsement. Confirm each endorsement on the driver’s CDL during your own qualification review.
4. Should I look for local or OTR CDL-A drivers in Chicago?
Choose by lane. Dedicated or regional lanes out of Chicago suit drivers who want regular home time, while long outbound freight suits drivers who want miles. State the run type and home-time terms in your criteria so match scores reflect how you actually dispatch.
5. Can I still hire a driver who holds a non-domiciled CDL?
Possibly, but check the credential first. FMCSA’s final rule, effective March 16, 2026, limits new and renewed non-domiciled CDLs to H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 visa holders, and states are not required to cancel valid existing ones. A legal challenge has been filed, so confirm current status with your compliance counsel.
6. How do I find CDL-A drivers in Georgia outside Atlanta?
Widen your location filter to the hubs you dispatch from, such as Savannah, Macon, or Columbus, and keep run type and home time fixed. Georgia’s port and interstate freight reach well beyond Atlanta, so a driver near your actual terminal often fits better than one inside the metro.
