Truck Driving Jobs in Michigan.
Earn $90,000–$110,000 Per Year
Join Astel, a family-owned trucking company with 18+ years of experience. Weekly pay. All miles paid, both loaded and deadhead. Brand-new Volvo trucks. Respect on every mile. Astel is a company drivers want to stay in.
Pay That Speaks for Itself
Pay here is transparent and stable, with no hidden deductions and no surprises. Michigan-based drivers gross $2,400–2,700+ per week on our Midwest and cross-country corridors.
- ✅$0.80 per mile — flat rateAll miles paid, loaded and deadhead
- ✅Guaranteed minimum $2,400 per weekYour income floor every week, for drivers with 1+ year of experience
- ✅$2,000 sign-on bonusFor drivers with 1+ year of CDL-A experience
- ✅Airfare reimbursement up to $200We cover your flight to orientation
- ✅Guaranteed pay raises twice in your first year with us. Our top drivers make 90 cents.
Astel, a company drivers want to stay in. Join a team where your experience is respected.
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Weekly Direct Deposit No delays, no holdbacks. Money hits your account every week
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All Miles PaidZIP-to-ZIP, loaded and deadhead miles alike
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No Deposit for Experienced DriversDeposit applies only with under 3 months of OTR experience
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Truck Replacement Guarantee Breakdown on the road? We send a replacement. Your earnings never stop
Why Michigan Drivers Choose Astel
Our owner drove trucks himself, then built the company he always wanted to work for. 18 years later, we're still growing and still treating every driver like a person, not a number in a system.
Michigan Is The Midwest's Industrial Freight Giant
Michigan is the industrial and agricultural backbone of the entire Great Lakes region. It's anchored by the Detroit Metro automotive supply chain, the Port of Detroit, and I-75, I-94, I-96, and I-69 connecting every major Midwest and national market. From auto parts to food-grade reefer loads to manufactured goods, Michigan puts more freight under your wheels than almost any other state.
Michigan's Major Freight Hubs
Detroit is America's automotive capital and one of the most freight-dense metros in the entire Midwest, generating millions of tons of industrial and consumer cargo annually. The Port of Detroit and Ambassador Bridge, the busiest international land crossing in North America, process over $323 billion in trade each year with Canada, making Metro Detroit a uniquely powerful freight origin point.
Michigan's Climate & Why Reefer Demand Runs Year-Round
Michigan's four-season climate isn't just dramatic. It's a direct driver of relentless demand for temperature-controlled transport in both directions. Summer heat pushes reefer demand hard on food and pharma loads, while Michigan's brutal winters, with lake-effect snow and temperatures dropping to -20°F (-29°C), require freeze-protection runs that only experienced reefer operators can handle.
Spring: Asparagus season kicks off in western Michigan.
The state is the #1 asparagus producer in the USA.
Early cherry and berry crops from the Traverse City corridor
begin filling reefer lanes heading south and east.
Summer: Michigan cherries, blueberries, and peaches
are among the highest-volume reefer commodities in the Great Lakes region.
Traverse City alone generates massive outbound cold-chain freight
during a compressed but intense summer harvest season.
Fall: Apple harvest comes in from the Fruit Belt along Lake Michigan.
Michigan ranks 2nd nationally in apple production.
Sugar beet harvest from the Saginaw Valley floods reefer lanes
headed to processing facilities across the Midwest.
Winter: Freeze-protection loads for auto parts,
pharmaceutical cold chain runs, and inbound holiday food freight
keep reefer demand strong straight through March.
Your Routes from Michigan with Astel
Astel's core corridors cover the Midwest, Southeast, and nationwide network, and Michigan drivers sit right at the center. Pick up loads in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Lansing, then run south on I-75 and I-94 toward Chicago, Indianapolis, Columbus, Nashville, Atlanta, and beyond. We're growing, so drivers must be ready to run all 48 contiguous states.
Michigan Freight & Logistics in Numbers
Michigan's freight market runs on one of the most diverse economic bases in the entire country. Automotive, agriculture, food manufacturing, and pharma all generate massive, consistent cargo volume year-round.
Michigan CDL Class A License Requirements
Already have a Michigan CDL-A? You can apply right now. Still working toward your license? Here's everything required by the Michigan Department of State (MDOS), straight from the source.
| Requirement | Details | Astel Status |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Age | 21+ for interstate (OTR) operations across all 48 states. Ages 18–20 may obtain a Michigan CDL but are restricted to intrastate (Michigan-only) commercial operations only. | Required |
| Valid Michigan Driver's License | Active, non-suspended Michigan operator's license required before applying for a CLP or CDL. Out-of-state licenses must be transferred to Michigan before applying. | Required |
| Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) | Must hold a Michigan CLP for a minimum of 14 calendar days before scheduling the CDL skills test. Michigan CLPs are valid for 180 days and may be renewed once for an additional 180 days. | Pre-CDL Step |
| ELDT Training | Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) from an FMCSA Training Provider Registry (TPR) approved school is mandatory for all first-time CDL-A applicants (effective February 7, 2022) | Pre-CDL Step |
| DOT Medical Certificate | Physical examination by a National Registry-certified medical examiner. Michigan requires your examiner to electronically submit the Medical Examiner's Certificate to FMCSA. Paper copies are no longer accepted for new CDL applications. | Required |
| Knowledge Tests | General Knowledge, Combination Vehicles, and Air Brakes written exams, taken at any Michigan Secretary of State (SOS) branch office. Michigan charges a fee per knowledge test; all three must be passed before a CLP is issued. | Pass to Get CDL |
| CDL Skills Test | Three-part exam: pre-trip vehicle inspection, basic vehicle control (straight-line backing, offset alley dock, parallel parking), and on-road driving, all conducted in a Class A tractor-trailer combination | Pass to Get CDL |
| Reefer Endorsement | No special endorsement is required for standard refrigerated (reefer) freight transport in Michigan under current FMCSA and state regulations | Not Required |
| FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse | Michigan MDOS will not issue a CDL, renew one, or transfer one to any driver with a "prohibited" Clearinghouse status. Full Return-to-Duty process must be completed before commercial driving privileges are restored. | Must Be Clear |
| Michigan Winter Driving | Michigan's severe winter conditions, including lake-effect snow and black ice on I-75 or I-94, require demonstrated experience operating a CMV safely in adverse weather. No formal test, but Astel evaluates this during onboarding. | Astel Evaluates |
| Clean Driving Record | No OWI/DUI convictions, no at-fault serious accidents, no disqualifying traffic violations on your Michigan driving record | Astel Requirement |
| OTR Experience | Minimum 1 year of over-the-road driving experience strongly preferred for all Astel positions | Preferred by Astel |
Position Details
Driver Responsibilities
- Safe operation of a CMV in full compliance with all DOT and FMCSA regulations
- On-time delivery of refrigerated freight across Midwest, Southeast, and nationwide routes in all 48 states
- Accurate Hours of Service (HOS) logging and complete trip documentation
- Handling Bills of Lading (BOL), receipts, and all load paperwork correctly
- Clear, professional communication with your dispatcher throughout every run
- Monitoring and maintaining proper temperature settings for reefer loads at all times
- Basic in-cab troubleshooting and pre/post-trip vehicle inspections
We've Got You Covered If Your Truck Breaks Down in Michigan
Stuck on I-75 between Detroit and Flint, or on I-94 heading toward Kalamazoo in a Michigan snowstorm? Astel will send a replacement truck. You keep moving, and your paycheck doesn't skip a beat. No stress. No lost income. Guaranteed.
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