Truck Driver Jobs in Louisiana —
Earn up to $110,000/yr
Join Astel — a family-owned carrier with 18+ years on the road. Weekly pay. All miles paid — loaded and deadhead. New Volvo trucks. Real respect on every mile. Astel — a company drivers want to stay in.
Pay That Actually Delivers
Transparent, consistent pay — no gimmicks, no hidden deductions. Louisiana-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, 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 — 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 — keep rolling & earning
Why Louisiana 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.
Louisiana: Where the Mississippi Meets the Interstate
Louisiana is the mouth of America's river system: the Lower Mississippi ports, the I-10 petrochemical corridor, and I-55 running straight north to Chicago. If you're based here, you sit at the southern end of one of the busiest north–south lanes in the country.
🛣️ Major Louisiana Freight Hubs
New Orleans and the river parishes handle the ships, Baton Rouge anchors the I-10/I-12 industrial belt, Hammond has become the state's grocery distribution hub where I-12 meets I-55, and Lafayette and Shreveport hold the I-49 corridor to the north.
🌡️ Louisiana Climate & Reefer Demand
Louisiana is subtropical: from May through September temperatures sit above 90°F with humidity that never lets up, so seafood, produce, and grocery loads run on temperature control all year.
Year-round: Louisiana seafood — shrimp, crawfish, oysters,
crabs — ships chilled and frozen from the coast to the whole country; the state
is the largest seafood producer in the lower 48.
October – January: Sugarcane harvest across the river parishes
and Acadiana, and Louisiana strawberries from Ponchatoula in late winter.
Hurricane season (June – November): Gulf storms compress
shipping windows — shippers clear cold storage early, and experienced OTR drivers
get the loads.
🚦 Your Louisiana Lanes with Astel
Astel's core corridors run West ↔ Midwest, anchored at our Chicago yard. Louisiana drivers load in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Hammond and head north on I-55 through Jackson and Memphis toward St. Louis and Chicago, or up I-49 toward Kansas City. We're growing — drivers must be ready to run all 48 contiguous states.
📊 Louisiana Freight by the Numbers
Louisiana moves more freight per resident than almost any state.
Louisiana CDL Class A Requirements
Already hold your Louisiana CDL-A? You're ready to apply right now. Not yet licensed? Here's exactly what the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) requires.
| Requirement | Details | Status for Astel Position |
|---|---|---|
| 🎂 Minimum Age | 21+ years for interstate (OTR) driving — required for all 48-state runs | Required |
| 🪪 Valid LA Driver's License | Current, non-suspended Louisiana 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 | LA 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 Louisiana | 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 Louisiana? We've Got You Covered.
Whether you're stuck on I-10 outside Baton Rouge or on I-20 near Shreveport, Astel dispatches a replacement truck so you keep rolling. Your paycheck never takes a hit — zero downtime stress.
Louisiana Driver FAQ
Testimonials
Real Reviews from Real Partners
Here are just a few of what our partners have to say about ASTEL:
