Truck Driver Jobs in Delaware
Earn up to $110,000/yr
Join Astel, a family-owned carrier with 18+ years on the road. Weekly pay. All miles paid: loaded miles and deadhead. New Volvo trucks. Real respect on every mile. Astel is a company drivers want to stay in.
Pay That Actually Delivers
Transparent, consistent pay. No gimmicks, no hidden deductions. Delaware-based drivers gross $2,400–2,700+ per week on our West–Midwest lanes.
- ✅$0.80 per mile, flat rateAll miles paid: loaded miles 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 PayNo delays, no holdbacks, straight to your account
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All Miles PaidZIP-to-ZIP calculation covers loaded miles and deadhead alike
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No Deposit for Experienced DriversA security deposit applies only with under 3 months of OTR experience
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Breakdown CoverageReplacement truck provided, so you keep rolling and earning
Why Delaware Drivers Choose Astel
Our owner is a former truck driver who built the company he wished existed. 18 years later, we're still growing and still treating drivers like people, not numbers.
Delaware Runs on Fruit and Chicken
Delaware is small on the map but huge in the cold chain. The Port of Wilmington is North America's top port for fresh fruit and bananas, and Sussex County raises more broiler chickens than any other county in the country. Add the I-95 warehouse belt around Wilmington and Newark, and you get a reefer state from top to bottom.
Major Delaware Freight Hubs
The north is warehouses and the port: Wilmington, New Castle, and the fast-growing Middletown corridor along US-301. The middle is Dover and Smyrna with their distribution centers and food plants, and the south is Delmarva poultry country with processing plants in Selbyville, Millsboro, Georgetown, and Milford.
Delaware Climate & Reefer Demand
Delaware summers are hot and humid. Highs of 85–90°F keep chicken, fruit, and produce under strict temperature control, while January nights around 25°F put the same units in heat mode to keep bananas and lettuce from chilling.
Year-round: Delmarva chicken. Sussex County processes more than
200 million broilers a year, and fresh and frozen poultry leaves the state every
day for grocery DCs across the Midwest.
December – April: Chilean fruit season at the Port of Wilmington,
with grapes, stone fruit, and blueberries, plus year-round bananas from Central America.
Every ship means hundreds of reefer loads heading inland.
June – September: Sussex County watermelons, sweet corn, and lima
beans. Delaware grows more than a quarter of the nation's lima bean crop.
Your Delaware Lanes with Astel
Astel's core corridors run West ↔ Midwest, and our Chicago yard is the anchor. Delaware drivers load in Wilmington, Dover, and Middletown, pick up I-95 or the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and run I-76 and I-80 west through Pennsylvania and Ohio toward Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Chicago. We're growing, and drivers must be ready to run all 48 contiguous states.
Delaware Freight by the Numbers
The second-smallest state runs one of the largest cold chains on the East Coast.
Delaware CDL Class A Requirements
If you already hold your Delaware CDL-A, you're ready to apply right now. If you're not yet licensed, here's exactly what the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires.
| Requirement | Details | Status for Astel Position |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Age | 21+ years for interstate (OTR) driving, required for all 48-state runs | Required |
| Valid DE Driver's License | Current, non-suspended Delaware driver's license | Required |
| Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) | Must hold CLP for minimum 14 days before the skills test | Pre-CDL Step |
| ELDT Training | Entry-Level Driver Training from an FMCSA-registered provider | Pre-CDL Step |
| DOT Medical Exam | Medical Examiner's Certificate confirming fitness to operate a CMV | Required |
| Knowledge Tests | DE General Knowledge, Combination Vehicles (Class A), Air Brakes | Pass to Obtain CDL |
| Skills Test | Pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control, on-road driving evaluation | Pass to Obtain CDL |
| Reefer Endorsement | No special endorsement required for standard reefer freight in Delaware | Not Required |
| Clean Record | No DUI, no at-fault accidents, no serious traffic violations on record | Required by Astel |
| OTR Experience | 1+ year over-the-road experience preferred | Preferred by Astel |
Position Details
Driver Responsibilities
- Safely operate a CMV in full compliance with all DOT regulations
- Deliver reefer freight on time across West, Midwest, and all 48 contiguous states as assigned
- Maintain accurate HOS logs and complete trip documentation
- Handle BOLs, receipts, and other required paperwork
- Communicate clearly and professionally with dispatch throughout each run
- Monitor and maintain proper reefer temperatures throughout every load
- Perform basic on-road troubleshooting and complete pre/post-trip inspections
Broken Down in Delaware? We've Got You Covered.
If you're stuck on I-95 near Newark or on US-13 outside Dover, Astel dispatches a replacement truck so you keep rolling. Your paycheck never takes a hit, with zero downtime stress.
Delaware Driver FAQ
Testimonials
Real Reviews from Real Partners
Here are just a few of what our partners have to say about ASTEL:
