Truck Driver Jobs in Iowa —
Earn up to $110,000/yr
Join Astel, a family-owned carrier with 18+ years on the road, where weekly pay covers every mile: loaded miles and deadhead alike. New Volvo trucks. Real respect on every mile. Astel is a company drivers want to stay in.
Pay That Actually Delivers
Transparent pay. No gimmicks, no hidden deductions, and Iowa-based drivers gross $2,400–2,700+ per week on our West–Midwest lanes.
- ✅$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 is 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 for loaded and deadhead miles 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 Iowa 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.
Iowa Runs America's Protein Powerhouse on I-80
No state produces more pork, more eggs or more corn than Iowa, and I-80, the busiest east–west truck route in the country, runs right through the middle of it. For a reefer driver, Iowa is a loading dock that never closes.
Major Iowa Freight Hubs
Des Moines sits where I-80 crosses I-35, with a distribution belt spreading west along I-80 and south toward the airport. Cedar Rapids and the Quad Cities handle food processing and I-80 freight. Sioux City, Waterloo and Ottumwa are pork-packing towns that ship reefers every day.
Iowa Climate & Reefer Demand
Iowa is a four-season reefer market. Humid summers above 90°F keep units cooling, while winters below 0°F put the same units in heat mode so meat, eggs, dairy do not freeze.
Year-round: Pork and eggs move out of Iowa packing plants every
week. Production does not have an off-season.
October to December: Holiday meat demand peaks, and the plants
run extra shifts; reefer capacity gets tight across the state.
November to March: Blizzard season on I-80 and I-35. Drivers who
plan around storms keep their weeks full while others sit at the truck stop.
Your Iowa Lanes with Astel
Astel's corridors run West ↔ Midwest, and Iowa is the I-80 backbone of that network. Our Chicago yard is about five hours east of Des Moines. Drivers load in Des Moines, the Quad Cities or Sioux City and run I-80 east to Chicago, west to Denver, or I-35 south to Kansas City and Dallas. We're growing, so drivers must be ready to run all 48 contiguous states.
Iowa Freight by the Numbers
Iowa feeds the country, and every bit of it moves by truck.
Iowa CDL Class A Requirements
Already hold your Iowa CDL-A? You're ready to apply right now. Not yet licensed? Here's exactly what the Iowa Department of Transportation Commercial Drivers office requires.
| Requirement | Details | Status for Astel Position |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Age | 21+ years for interstate (OTR) driving, required for all 48-state runs | Required |
| Valid IA Driver's License | Current, non-suspended Iowa 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 | IA 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 Iowa | 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 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 Iowa? We've Got You Covered.
Stuck on I-80 outside Des Moines or on I-35 north of Ames in a January storm, Astel dispatches a replacement truck so you keep rolling. Your paycheck never takes a hit, and there's zero downtime stress.
Iowa Driver FAQ
Testimonials
Real Reviews from Real Partners
Here are just a few of what our partners have to say about ASTEL:
