Free driver helper and truck driver helper job description templates: delivery, moving, furniture, distribution, small business. FLSA overtime built in.
6 free driver helper templates by setting: general, delivery, moving, furniture and appliance, distribution, and small business, with the FLSA overtime, Motor Carrier, and physical-demands guidance generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
A truck driver helper, more cleanly called a driver helper, assists the driver rather than driving: loading and unloading the truck, carrying items to the door, and helping the driver finish the route. It is a common entry-level hire at small movers, distributors, and delivery firms, needs no CDL, and is almost always hourly, with one overtime wrinkle that small employers regularly get wrong.
These six templates cover the role across settings: general driver helper, delivery helper, moving helper, furniture and appliance, distribution, and small business. Each is ready to use, with the FLSA, overtime, and physical-demands guidance built in. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion, and FirstHR helps run the onboarding and store the records once you hire.
TL;DR
A driver helper assists the driver: loading, unloading, and carrying deliveries. It needs no CDL and is non-exempt by default, so overtime applies, though the Motor Carrier exemption can change that for some interstate work, never for small vehicles at or under 10,000 lbs or unload-only helpers. The closest federal occupation reports a median of $37,680 a year (about $16 to $20 an hour). Download six free templates as DOCX, by setting, with the compliance built in.
What a Driver Helper Does
A driver helper assists the driver on delivery and moving routes: riding along, loading and unloading by hand, carrying items to the delivery point, and helping the driver complete each stop safely. It is a physical, entry-level role, and the defining feature is that the helper assists rather than drives, so no CDL or driver's license is required.
There is no dedicated federal occupation code for driver helper; the closest fit is hand laborers and freight, stock, and material movers (SOC 53-7062), which the Bureau of Labor Statistics describes as manually moving freight, stock, and other materials, with no formal education requirement and on-the-job training of a month or less. The O*NET profile lists the standardized task set. The work changes by setting, which is why the templates on this page come in six versions.
Driver Helper Duties and Responsibilities
Driver helper duties cluster into four areas: loading and unloading, on the route, customer and delivery, and safety and handling. A strong job description picks the specific responsibilities from each area that match your operation, rather than listing every possible task.
Loading and unloading
Load and unload the truck by hand
Use hand trucks, dollies, and straps
Move furniture, boxes, cases, and appliances
On the route
Ride along and assist the driver
Carry items to the delivery point
Help the driver back up and stage stops
Customer and delivery
Provide friendly contact at the door
Obtain signatures and confirm deliveries
Handle items and homes with care
Safety and handling
Follow safe-lifting and team-lifting rules
Protect product, floors, and doorways
Report damage, shortages, and issues
The balance shifts by setting: a moving helper leans into heavy lifting and furniture protection, a distribution helper into unloading cases and stocking coolers. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by setting: general for the core role, delivery for parcel routes, moving for a moving crew, furniture and appliance for white-glove delivery, distribution for beverage or foodservice, and small business for a lean local operation. Use this guide to choose.
Driver Helper (General)
The core role
The head-term version: ride along, load and unload, carry items, and help the driver finish deliveries. The default for most driver helper hires. No CDL.
Delivery Helper
Parcel and local
For local parcel and package routes: load, carry to the door, verify against the manifest, and keep the route moving fast.
Moving Helper
Moving company
For a moving crew: lift, carry, pack, wrap, and protect furniture and boxes on residential and commercial moves. The most physical version.
Furniture & Appliance
White-glove
For white-glove delivery: bring furniture and appliances into the home, place and set up, and handle basic install with strong customer service.
Distribution Helper
Beverage / foodservice
For beverage or foodservice routes: unload cases and kegs, stock back rooms and coolers, and help the driver service each account fast.
Small Business
Pitches in everywhere
For a small local operation where the helper supports the driver and pitches in around the shop. The closest fit for a small employer.
Match the Template to Your Operation
The core assist-the-driver role: General. Local parcel and package routes: Delivery Helper. A moving crew lifting furniture: Moving Helper. White-glove in-home delivery and setup: Furniture & Appliance. Beverage or foodservice routes with cases and kegs: Distribution Helper. A small local operation where the helper pitches in everywhere: Small Business, the closest fit for a small employer. Every version is non-exempt by default; watch the overtime note.
6 Free Driver Helper Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, an ADA-safe physical-demands section, pay, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Every template notes the non-exempt default and that no CDL is required. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
General, delivery, moving, furniture and appliance, distribution, and small business. All in one DOCX.
The head-term version: ride along, load and unload, carry items, and help the driver finish deliveries. The default for most driver helper hires. No CDL required.
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly); confirm overtime by route and vehicle
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
ABOUT THIS ROLE
At a small local business, the driver helper is the second set of hands that makes
deliveries happen: loading, unloading, carrying, and helping the driver get through
the route. The owner or driver hires directly, and the helper often pitches in
around the shop or warehouse between routes.
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is a small [industry] business hiring a Driver Helper to support our
driver on local deliveries: loading and unloading, carrying items to the customer,
and keeping the route on schedule. We value reliability, a strong work ethic, and
someone willing to help wherever the day needs it. No driver's license required.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Assist the driver with loading, unloading, and deliveries
•Carry items to homes, businesses, or job sites
•Help keep the route organized and on time
•Provide friendly customer contact at the door
•Pitch in around the shop, warehouse, or yard between routes
•Follow safe-lifting and vehicle-safety procedures
•Report damage, shortages, or issues to the driver or owner
•Keep equipment and the vehicle organized
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•No driver's license required
•Able to lift up to [50] lbs and work on your feet
•Reliable, punctual, and willing to pitch in
•Comfortable with physical work in all weather
•Friendly with customers
•Any delivery or labor experience a plus
PHYSICAL DEMANDS (essential functions)
Lifting up to [50] lbs, repeated bending and carrying, climbing stairs and in and
out of a vehicle, and standing or walking for long periods, with or without
reasonable accommodation.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
Benefits: __ (flexible for the right person)
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
FLSA, Overtime, and Screening
This is the part the generic templates skip, and for this role it is unusually important: the FLSA non-exempt default, the Motor Carrier overtime trap that small employers get wrong, ADA-safe physical-demands language, and the pre-hire screening that fits a role entering customers' homes. Get these right and the posting protects your business.
FLSA: a driver helper is non-exempt by default
Start from the default that a driver helper is non-exempt and owed overtime at one and a half times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. This is entry-level, physical, blue-collar work with no formal education requirement, and the Department of Labor is clear that the white-collar exemptions do not apply to manual laborers no matter how they are paid. The one wrinkle specific to this role is the Motor Carrier overtime exemption, covered in the next panel, which can change the answer for some interstate operations. For most small local movers, distributors, and delivery firms, the helper is simply non-exempt and hourly. Track hours accurately, pay overtime when earned, and check your state's rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
The Motor Carrier overtime trap (the part employers get wrong)
Under the Motor Carrier Act exemption, FLSA Section 13(b)(1), a driver's helper whose duties affect the safety of operation of a vehicle in interstate commerce can be exempt from overtime. But the exemption is narrower than employers assume. Per DOL Fact Sheet #19, it does not apply when the work affects the safety of vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less, and it does not apply to employees who only unload vehicles or who load but are not responsible for proper loading. In plain terms, for local or intrastate delivery, small vehicles at or under 10,000 pounds, or unload-only helpers, the worker is non-exempt and owed overtime. Several states, including California, New York, Colorado, Washington, and Massachusetts, also require overtime regardless of the federal exemption. When in doubt, pay overtime and confirm with a qualified advisor. This is general information, not legal advice.
Write physical demands ADA-safe
This role is physically demanding, so a clear, job-related physical-demands section protects you and sets honest expectations. State the real essential functions, such as lifting a specific weight (often 50 to 100 pounds), climbing stairs, bending and carrying repeatedly, and working in all weather, and frame them as essential functions performed with or without reasonable accommodation. Tying the requirements to the job rather than to a person keeps the posting aligned with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which focuses on essential functions and reasonable accommodation. Keep the ad neutral and job-related, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic. This is general information, not legal advice.
Pre-hire screening: background, drug test, and MVR notes
Because driver helpers enter homes and businesses and handle customers' property, many employers run a background check, and a drug test is common in transportation and delivery work. A driver helper does not need a CDL or a driver's license, since they assist rather than drive, so a commercial motor vehicle record is usually not required for the helper specifically. If your operation might ever have the helper drive a company vehicle, that changes the analysis and you would need to check licensing and motor vehicle record requirements. Decide which screens apply to your business, disclose and authorize them properly, and follow federal and state background-check rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
The Overtime Exemption Is Narrower Than Employers Think
Under the Motor Carrier Act exemption (DOL Fact Sheet #19), a driver's helper can be exempt from overtime in interstate commerce, but not when the work affects vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less, and not for helpers who only unload. For local, small-vehicle, or unload-only work, the helper is non-exempt and owed overtime, and several states require it regardless.
Driver helper roles start from reliability, physical capability, and a strong work ethic, with experience as a plus rather than a requirement. Scale the requirements to the version and your operation.
Requirement
What to look for
Education
None required; on-the-job training of a month or less
License
No CDL or driver's license required (helper assists, not drives)
Experience
Entry-level; delivery, moving, or labor experience a plus
Physical
Able to lift 50 to 100 lbs and work on your feet all day
Reliability
Punctual, dependable, and team-oriented
Screening
Background check and drug test where the setting requires
Classification
Non-exempt by default; confirm overtime by route and vehicle
Keep the posting neutral and job-related, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
Driver Helper Pay
Driver helpers are paid hourly, with pay varying by industry, region, and whether the work is seasonal. Set your range using government data as a baseline, then adjust for your local market.
Median Near $37,680 a Year (BLS)
The closest federal occupation, hand laborers and freight, stock, and material movers (SOC 53-7062), had a median wage of $37,680 a year in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under $29,780 and the highest 10 percent over $50,970 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Title-level market data for driver helper clusters around $16 to $20 an hour.
Pay tends to run higher in distribution and white-glove delivery than in seasonal parcel work, and higher in high-wage states. The occupation is projected to grow about 4 percent over the decade, with roughly 1,008,300 openings a year, most to replace people who move on, so a competitive, transparent pay range helps a small employer attract reliable helpers against constant turnover. National compensation surveys are a useful cross-reference for local detail.
Hiring for a Small Operation (No HR)
For a small mover, distributor, or delivery firm, hiring a driver helper is a recurring, often seasonal job that pairs an hourly, physical role with a lean, HR-free team, and one real overtime trap. Here is what actually matters.
You run a small crew, and the helper is your second set of hands, not a department hire
Most published driver helper templates are generic boilerplate or written for large parcel operations. That is not where most of these hires happen. The role lives at small local movers, furniture and appliance dealers, beverage and foodservice distributors, junk-removal and local delivery firms, often in the five-to-fifty-employee range, where the owner or the driver hires directly with no HR department. The helper rides the route, loads and unloads, carries items in, and frequently pitches in around the shop between runs. The closest federal occupation, hand laborers and material movers, reports a median around $37,680 a year and needs no formal education, with on-the-job training of a month or less. The small-business version of the template above is written for exactly that. Pick it, fill in the brackets, and post.
The overtime rules are a genuine trap, and small employers get them wrong
The single biggest compliance mistake with this role is overtime. Employers hear that drivers and driver's helpers can be exempt under the Motor Carrier Act and assume their helper is too. In reality, for local or intrastate delivery, for vehicles at or under 10,000 pounds, or for a helper who only unloads, the worker is non-exempt and owed overtime, and several states require overtime regardless. Getting this wrong means back pay and penalties. FirstHR does not calculate overtime or run payroll, and it is not a wage-and-hour advisor, so pair it with your payroll provider and, when the classification is genuinely unclear, a qualified advisor. What FirstHR does handle is the people side: a clear offer letter that states the hourly, non-exempt terms in writing, e-signature, and document storage, so the classification you decide on is documented from day one.
These roles turn over and get hired in batches, so onboarding repeats constantly
Driver helper roles are entry-level, physical, and high-turnover, often hired in seasonal batches, and the closest occupation has over a million openings a year nationally, many to replace people who move on. That makes a fast, repeatable hire-to-onboard process worth building once. FirstHR's onboarding wizard and task workflows turn the sequence into a checklist that runs the same way every time: offer accepted and signed, I-9 and W-4 completed, safety and safe-lifting training assigned and acknowledged, any background check or drug screen tracked, and equipment and route orientation done, with an at-a-glance view of who is cleared to ride. The applicant tracking piece for posting and managing candidates is coming soon. For a small mover or distributor hiring against constant turnover, that consistency gets a new helper productive on the truck on day one, with the mobile-friendly self-service portal built for deskless workers who never sit at a computer.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and a quick, repeatable onboarding. Because the role is physical, deskless, and turns over fast, a smooth process pays off every single time.
Send the offer
Confirm the role, hourly pay, and schedule in writing, with the non-exempt classification you decided on stated clearly.
Screen and collect paperwork
Run any background check or drug screen, then complete the I-9, W-4, and state new-hire reporting before the first ride.
Train on safety and lifting
Assign safe-lifting, vehicle-safety, and any handling training, and keep the signed acknowledgments on file.
Store the records
Keep the I-9, screening results, and training acknowledgments organized against each employee profile, ready when you need them.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new helper a structured start. FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, e-signatures, training acknowledgments, and onboarding workflow in one place so a small operation can manage the full process, including the I-9 and any screening or training records, from one mobile-friendly system built for deskless workers. FirstHR is an HR and onboarding platform; it does not run payroll, calculate overtime, or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
How to Write a Driver Helper Job Description
A strong driver helper posting picks the right version, lists the real duties, writes physical demands ADA-safe, and classifies pay and overtime correctly. Here is the process the templates are built around.
1
Pick the version
General, delivery, moving, furniture and appliance, distribution, or small business. Each fits a different operation. Choose the one that matches yours.
2
List the real duties
Group them into loading and unloading, on the route, customer and delivery, and safety and handling, scoped to your business.
3
Write physical demands ADA-safe
State the real lifting weight, stairs, and weather as essential functions performed with or without reasonable accommodation, and note no CDL is required.
4
Classify pay and overtime correctly
A driver helper is non-exempt by default. Watch the Motor Carrier overtime trap for interstate work, set an hourly range, and confirm by route and vehicle.
5
Add EEO and apply steps
Include an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions, then bridge into screening, onboarding, and the I-9 and training trail.
The detail most generic templates skip is overtime: the Motor Carrier exemption is narrow, and most small-operation helpers are non-exempt. State the classification, write physical demands ADA-safe, and let FirstHR handle the offer, e-signature, screening records, and training once you hire.
Key Takeaways
A driver helper assists the driver, loading, unloading, and carrying deliveries, and needs no CDL or driver's license.
Use the version that matches the operation: general, delivery, moving, furniture and appliance, distribution, or small business.
A driver helper is non-exempt by default; the Motor Carrier overtime exemption is narrow and never covers small vehicles at or under 10,000 lbs or unload-only helpers.
Write physical demands as ADA-safe essential functions: lifting 50 to 100 lbs, stairs, and weather, with or without reasonable accommodation.
The closest federal occupation reports a median near $37,680 a year; driver helper market data runs about $16 to $20 an hour.
It is a physical, deskless, high-turnover role often hired in batches, so a repeatable mobile-friendly onboarding process pays off every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a truck driver helper do?
A truck driver helper, also called a driver helper or driver's helper, assists the driver rather than driving. Day to day, that means riding along on the route, loading and unloading the truck by hand and with hand trucks or dollies, carrying items into homes, businesses, or job sites, helping the driver back up and stage deliveries, obtaining signatures, and following safe-lifting and vehicle-safety procedures. It is a hands-on, physical, entry-level role that usually requires no CDL or driver's license, since the helper assists rather than drives. The exact work shifts by setting: a delivery helper handles parcels on local routes, a moving helper lifts and carries furniture, a furniture and appliance helper handles white-glove in-home delivery and setup, and a distribution helper unloads cases and kegs for beverage or foodservice routes. This page includes general, delivery, moving, furniture, distribution, and small-business templates.
What are a driver helper's duties and responsibilities?
A driver helper's duties cluster into four areas. Loading and unloading: loading and unloading the truck by hand, using hand trucks, dollies, and straps, and moving furniture, boxes, cases, and appliances. On the route: riding along and assisting the driver, carrying items to the delivery point, and helping the driver back up and stage stops. Customer and delivery: providing friendly contact at the door, obtaining signatures and confirming deliveries, and handling items and homes with care. Safety and handling: following safe-lifting and team-lifting rules, protecting product, floors, and doorways, and reporting damage and shortages. The weighting changes by setting, a moving helper leans into heavy lifting and furniture protection while a distribution helper leans into unloading cases and stocking coolers, so a strong job description picks the responsibilities that match the specific role rather than listing every possible task.
Does a driver helper need a CDL or driver's license?
No. A driver helper assists the driver and does not drive the truck, so no commercial driver's license and usually no driver's license at all is required. This is one of the defining features of the role and a reason it is accessible as an entry-level job, the helper rides along, loads and unloads, and carries items, while the driver handles the vehicle. Major parcel operations are explicit that their driver helpers do not drive and need no driver's license. If your operation might ever have the helper drive a company vehicle, even occasionally, that changes things and you would need to check the appropriate license class and pull a motor vehicle record. As written, the templates on this page assume a true helper who does not drive, which is the standard arrangement. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is a driver helper exempt or non-exempt from overtime?
A driver helper is non-exempt by default and owed overtime, but there is one role-specific wrinkle worth understanding. The starting point is that this is entry-level, physical, blue-collar work that does not qualify for the white-collar exemptions, so the helper is non-exempt and entitled to overtime at one and a half times their regular rate over 40 hours a week. The wrinkle is the Motor Carrier Act exemption under FLSA Section 13(b)(1), which can exempt a driver's helper whose duties affect the safety of operation of a vehicle in interstate commerce. However, per DOL Fact Sheet #19, that exemption does not apply when the work affects vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less, or to helpers who only unload, and several states require overtime regardless. So for most local, intrastate, small-vehicle, or unload-only helpers, the answer is non-exempt and owed overtime. When the classification is genuinely unclear, pay overtime and confirm with a qualified advisor. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the Motor Carrier overtime exemption, and does it apply to my helper?
The Motor Carrier Act exemption, FLSA Section 13(b)(1), allows certain motor carrier employees, including driver's helpers whose duties affect the safety of operation of a vehicle in interstate commerce, to be exempt from federal overtime. It exists because the Department of Transportation, not the Department of Labor, regulates hours of service for those workers. For a small employer, the key point is how narrow it actually is. Per DOL Fact Sheet #19, the exemption does not apply in any workweek where the work affects the safety of vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less, and it does not apply to employees who only unload vehicles or who load but are not responsible for proper loading. It also requires genuine interstate commerce, not purely local delivery. So a helper on local routes, on small vehicles, or doing unload-only work is generally non-exempt and owed overtime, and states like California, New York, Colorado, Washington, and Massachusetts require overtime regardless. Treat the exemption as the exception, not the rule, and confirm with a qualified advisor. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a truck driver helper make?
Driver helpers are paid hourly, with pay varying by region, industry, and whether the work is seasonal. The closest federal occupation, hand laborers and freight, stock, and material movers (SOC 53-7062), had a median wage of $37,680 a year in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under $29,780 and the highest 10 percent over $50,970. Title-level market data for driver helper specifically clusters in a similar band, commonly around $16 to $20 an hour, roughly $33,000 to $42,000 a year, reflecting its entry-level nature. Pay tends to run higher in distribution and white-glove delivery than in seasonal parcel work, and higher in high-wage states. For a posting, benchmark to your local market and the experience level you need, set an hourly range, and account for overtime where it applies. National compensation surveys are a useful cross-reference. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do small businesses hire driver helpers, and how is the role different?
Yes, small businesses are the core employers of driver helpers. Local moving companies, furniture and appliance dealers, beverage and foodservice distributors, junk-removal firms, and local delivery operations, many in the five-to-fifty-employee range, hire helpers to support their drivers, and the owner or driver usually hires directly with no HR department. At that size the helper is a hands-on second set of hands who rides the route, loads and unloads, carries items in, and often pitches in around the shop or warehouse between runs. That is different from a large parcel operation, where the role is narrow and seasonal and handled by a recruiting department. Writing the posting as if the helper will join a big structured operation sets the wrong expectation, so the small-business version of the template is written for a versatile helper at a small local operation. Set the pay as hourly and non-exempt, be honest about the physical demands, and run a consistent onboarding. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should a driver helper job description include?
A strong driver helper job description names the setting and the driver or owner the helper reports to up front, includes a short company summary and a job summary that frames the assist-the-driver, physical scope, and groups responsibilities into loading and unloading, on the route, customer and delivery, and safety and handling. It should state the physical requirements honestly and in ADA-safe, job-related terms, such as lifting a specific weight, climbing stairs, and working in all weather, framed as essential functions performed with or without reasonable accommodation. Make clear that no CDL or driver's license is required. The most valuable additions that generic templates skip are the FLSA non-exempt classification with a note on the Motor Carrier overtime trap, and any background check or drug screen. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions, then bridge into onboarding once a candidate accepts. This is general information, not legal advice.
