Old Dominion Freight Line Jobs: Driver Pay, Requirements, and Reviews

Old Dominion Freight Line is a less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping company that offers local, inter-regional, and national freight services across the U.S. and internationally. Founded in 1934 when Earl and Lillian Congdon ran a single truck between Richmond and Norfolk in Virginia, Old Dominion currently operates 41,000 tractors and trailers and has over 23,000 employees.

The company is widely regarded as an attractive employer to work for, offering high pay rates, regular hours, generous benefits, and a family-friendly ethos with regular home time. It has won several awards, including the Schneider Logistics Carrier of the Year 2021 and the Service Provider of the Year 2021. Old Dominion also earned a spot in Women in Trucking’s 2020 Top Companies for Women to Work for in Transportation.

This page discusses the roles available for truck drivers at Old Dominion Freight Line, along with information about salaries, benefits, training, and more.

Types of Old Dominion Freight Line Truck Driving Jobs

With local, inter-regional, and national LTL services available, truck drivers have several different roles to choose from at Old Dominion Freight Line. These include:

Line Haul and Teams

Line haul drivers deliver Old Dominion freight from one state to another using tractor-trailers, moving it between various cross-country locations. They typically work a five-day week and return home most days, though some shift patterns may involve longer spells on the road. Team drivers take on similar duties but work alongside another driver, ensuring that long-distance freight can keep moving throughout the day and night.

Local Driving

Old Dominion’s local drivers make deliveries between company terminals and customer facilities within the geographic area of their main service center. They typically make between 15-20 stops per day and return home daily. Local driving is a hands-on position that also involves the sorting, handling, loading, and unloading of freight.

Combination Workers

Combination workers are drivers who swap between two roles. Based on the level of freight available, they will either be loading and unloading freight at the service center or on the road driving the tractor-trailer to its next destination. The role is full-time and ideal for those who like a bit of variety in their schedule.

Old Dominion Freight Line Truck Driver Salary

With several different types of driving and varying hours, routes, and locations, the salaries Old Dominion drivers earn can differ, too. Some workers are paid hourly, while others earn wages based on the miles driven and the number of stops. Drivers can also earn additional bonuses for safe driving and referrals, and right now, the company is offering new drivers a sign-on bonus of up to $5,000.

Old Dominion Freight Line Driver Pay by City

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that the average annual truck driver’s salary in the U.S. in 2021 was $50,340.

The below table lists average truck driver salaries at Old Dominion Freight Line in tfive of Old Dominion’s top-paying cities according to Zippia.com (2022):

Old Dominion Freight Line Perks and Benefits

In addition to offering a salary package that’s well above the national average, Old Dominion prides itself on providing its employees a range of benefits and perks, too, including:

Health Insurance

Old Dominion’s health insurance program provides comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, with a choice between two preferred provider organization (PPO) plans that can be used nationwide. Coverage for eligible employees begins after 60 days of employment, with the company stating that it pays approximately 80% of the cost on average. Mercer’s National Survey of Empower-Sponsored Health Plans found that, on average, Old Dominion employees pay 25% less in premiums for family coverage than their peers elsewhere.

Wellness

In addition to the above health insurance program, Old Dominion has partnered with UnitedHealthcare to offer various well-being benefits to its employees and their families, such as QuitPower® Tobacco Cessation and maternity support. The company’s Employee Assistance Program also provides confidential assessment, referral, and counseling services to those in need.

Life Insurance

Eligible Old Dominion employees have access to basic term life insurance at no extra cost, with the option to purchase additional supplemental policies for themselves and their dependents.

Retirement

All Old Dominion employees become eligible for the company’s 401(k) after 30 days of employment. The program combines a company match with a wide range of investment options to help workers reach their retirement goals.

Time Off

Old Dominion employees receive a range of paid time off days, including vacations (based on years of service), holidays, and sick/personal time. Workers also receive an additional paid day off on their birthday.

Old Dominion Freight Line Truck Driver Requirements

Old Dominion is more stringent with its hiring requirements than some rival companies, with several qualifications that candidates must meet before being considered for a truck driving role. To qualify, you must:

• Be at least 22 years of age
• Possess a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL) with hazmat, doubles, triples, and tanker endorsements, and have a working knowledge of vehicle safety and control systems
• Have at least one year of previous tractor-trailer driving experience; and/or be a graduate of a state-certified and licensed truck driving school; and/or have satisfactorily completed the Old Dominion truck driver training program
• Meet or exceed the medical, drug, and alcohol test standards of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and have knowledge of DOT regulations governing safe driving, hours of service, and inspection and maintenance
• Have the ability to read, write, and understand English; perform simple mathematical calculations; and operate a hand-held mini-computer when required

The company also states that all applicants must be available for around-the-clock trips to accommodate freight movements and must have the ability to be away from home for extended periods. Old Dominion also prefers applicants to hold a high school diploma (or equivalent), though this is not absolutely necessary.

If you want to work as a truck driver but don’t yet have the necessary experience to work with Old Dominion, look for entry-level roles at similar industry-leading LTL firms such as ABF Freight, Werner, and Saia.

Old Dominion Freight Line Truck Driver Training

If you’ve not yet earned your CDL A, you may be eligible to join Old Dominion’s truck driver training school and earn your license through the company.

The paid training program takes 280 hours to complete. Old Dominion also covers the full price of the training and license application, so there are no up-front costs for students to worry about in advance.

Old Dominion Freight Line Driver Application: Instructions and Advice

If you’d like to apply for a job as a truck driver with Old Dominion Freight Line, you can find a full list of current job openings on the company’s website. After you create an account, you’ll be able to fill out the application online. If your application is successful, you’ll move on to the next stage of the recruitment process. Reports from former interviewees state that hiring usually takes a month or less and involves either a telephone or in-person interview, followed by a road test, drug test, and the relevant criminal background, job history, and driving history checks.

“I just interviewed with them a couple weeks ago,” says one recruit on a trucking forum. “It’s probably going to vary by terminal. The terminal close to me was having a job fair. I showed up and got taken right to the hiring manager. We spoke maybe for a half hour. I then came back two days later for the road test. Just hopped in a rig already hooked up to sets and did maybe 45 minutes of driving. Started my background [check] the next day probably. All in all the process can take up to a month but they are trying to shorten that. All depends [on how] quick the background company takes.”

YouTuber Asian Mai notes in a video about working for Old Dominion that new hires are usually placed on-call, rather than on a set schedule. This may at first sound problematic, but he assures viewers that on-call drivers will usually be asked to work every day anyway, so there’s no need to be worried about a lack of hours. “On-call is where the grinding and hustling is made,” he says, “so don’t let that scare you.”

Old Dominion Freight Line Reviews of Truck Driving Jobs

Reports and reviews from current and former drivers at Old Dominion are overwhelmingly positive across the board, praising the company for its high rates of pay, frequent home times, steady hours, and generous benefits.

One reviewer and current Old Dominion driver on Glassdoor notes the company’s family feel: “You are not just a number at OD. You’re family. I came from a competitor and I have yet to see an angry or upset employee. OD cares about their people and their customers. Cons? Their technology is a little behind for internal systems but they are slowly upgrading.”

In a video about his experiences training with Old Dominion, YouTuber The Gadite says, “[Old Dominion] is an excellent company to get the opportunity to work for. If you want to stay home every day, it’s the company to work for. If you want to drive and get paid by the hour, it’s the company to work for. If you want to get an excellent 401(k), it’s the company to work for. There’s room for growth… you can drive by the mile, you can drive by the hour, you can do P&D (which is local), you can do line haul. They even have team drivers if you’re in the right state. That being said, there are drawbacks to the company. For one, if you want to branch out on your own, this is not the company for you. Two, you’re not going to come to this company and jump straight into driving, unless you already come here with your CDL. Three, they have limited options for growth—what I mean by that is, they only do LTL trucking. You’re not going to get into flatbed, you’re not going to get into specific freight, you will literally just be taking dry vans, and short trucks.”

A current employee and reviewer on Indeed.com is also full of praise: “Absolutely, hands down, the best truck driving job I’ve ever had. Stellar pay and benefits. Great management. Everyone who works there is always in a good mood from the dock workers to management. Drivers are just that at Old Dominion. Drivers. We don’t load, we don’t unload, we don’t drive forklifts. We drive trucks. 100% drop and hook. When you’re done, you fuel, turn in papers and go home. That’s it. Nothing else.”