Class A Professional Driver

Houston Food Bank; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours to meet community needs

Opportunity to contribute to food security

Job summary

The Houston Food Bank is seeking a Class A Professional Driver to ensure the safe and timely transportation of food across its 18-county service area. The role is critical in combating food insecurity by delivering millions of pounds of meals annually.

The ideal candidate will have a valid Texas Class A Commercial Driver’s License and at least one year of experience. This role offers a supportive team environment with reliable hours, allowing drivers to be home daily.

Qualifications

• Valid Texas Class A Commercial Driver’s License required.
• Must pass Department of Transportation (DOT) Physical.
• Knowledge of motor vehicle operations and traffic rules.

Responsibilities

• Ensure reliable and punctual transportation of food and essentials.
• Operate vehicles adhering to all safety and DOT regulations.
• Maintain assigned equipment through inspections and proper documentation.

Skills

Communication skills

Customer service skills

Knowledge of DOT regulations

Time management

Ability to operate a manual and electric pallet jack

Education

High School Diploma or GED

1 year of Class A tractor/trailer experience

Tools

Tracking and dispatch software (i.e., Samsara)

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Description

Schedule: Monday - Friday, Start Time 6:00am

POSITION SUMMARY

The Class A Professional Driver supports Houston Food Bank’s Mission: Food for Better Lives by ensuring the safe, reliable, and timely transportation of food and other essentials to various local sites within the Houston Food Bank’s 18‑county service area, allowing drivers to be home daily. This position is critical to fighting food insecurity by being part of a team that transports millions of pounds of nutritious meals annually to Partner Agencies that serve children, students, seniors, individuals, and families in need. This role supports varying hours and days of operation to meet the needs of the community.

Adhere to PACT values. (Purpose: Using our strengths passionately to contribute to our mission. Accountability: Choosing to rise above one’s circumstances and demonstrating ownership to achieve results. See It. Own It. Solve It. Do It. Courage: Standing up for what’s right and acting. Transparency: Doing things openly and honestly).

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

1. Reliable, consistent attendance is a requirement. This position requires punctuality and dependable attendance to meet the needs of the business, including attending and taking part in meetings and presentations.
2. Operate company vehicles over established routes while strictly adhering to all Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations and guidelines safely and courteously.
3. Comply with Houston Food Bank (HFB), local, state, and federal guidelines and regulations while providing exemplary customer service to both internal and external customers.
4. Maintain assigned equipment by performing pre‑trip and post‑trip inspections and notifying management of any issues with equipment.
5. Represent HFB in a positive manner by providing exemplary customer service and interacting with others in a professional manner while on duty.
6. Report all accidents to management.
7. Deliver partner agency orders and/or donations in assigned equipment and pick up donated or purchased products from various donor and vendor sites, which may include shrink wrapping a pallet. Pick‑ups and deliveries may be unattended, as donors or partner agencies may not be on site and their facilities may be closed.
8. Load and unload products either by hand or the use of a manual or electric pallet jack.
9. Unload product upon return to the domicile as directed by the leader.
10. Inspect product being delivered, donated, or purchased for quality as assigned by the leader.
11. Be responsible for jockey equipment in the yard, between “Primary” and “Off‑Site” locations, to and from the maintenance provider, and as assigned by the leader.
12. Complete trip report(s) for compliance and reporting and submit these reports daily at the end of the shift.
13. Complete and turn in all paperwork to the assigned, responsible persons or departments as instructed by the leader.
14. Keep equipment clean and free of debris, both interior and exterior.
15. Offer suggestions regarding routing, assignments, etc. that may improve the performance of the organization.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education/Experience:

• High School Diploma from an accredited school or general education development (GED) certificate
• 1 year of verifiable Class A tractor/trailer experience. For internal candidates, a Class A license and 1 year of commercial driving experience will be accepted in lieu of 1 year of Class A tractor/trailer experience.

Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations:

• Valid Texas Class A Commercial Driver’s License for tractor/trailer equipment
• Approved 3-Year (Clean/Clear/No Violations) Motor Vehicle Record (MVR)
• Must be able to pass the Department of Transportation (DOT) Physical

Special Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Knowledge of motor vehicle operations, traffic rules, Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, and maintenance of motor vehicles
• Knowledge of tracking and dispatch software (i.e., Samsara)
• Ability to learn new software systems, smartphones, and driver apps
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including but not limited to Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Ability to work with a diverse population, including the public
• Ability to operate a liftgate
• Ability to operate a manual and electric pallet jack
• Ability to apply plastic wrap to freight, which may require maneuvering large rolls around pallets or loads.
• Ability to maintain records of materials, supplies, time, and work performed
• Ability to accurately prepare and maintain files, reports, and records
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in making critical decisions
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong customer service skills and willingness to assist others
• Ability to work on and adapt to multiple tasks with attention to detail and accuracy while adhering to deadlines in a high-energy, fast-paced environment
• Able to work cooperatively and coordinate well with other departments, partners, and neighbors
• Strong time‑management skills, self‑starter, self‑motivated
• Strong problem‑solving abilities and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently with minimum supervision

COMPLIANCE

Carries out responsibilities in accordance with HFB policies.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. (For best performance, the jobholder in this position would be expected to show the right knowledge, skills, and abilities in the listed areas.)

COMPETENCIES

Action‑Oriented / Customer Focus / Drives for Results / Priority Setting / Managerial Courage / Interpersonal Savvy / Creativity / Standing Alone / Time Management / Decision Quality / Self‑development / Patience

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of the job, the employee is required daily to analyze and interpret data, communicate, and remain in a standing or stationary position for a significant amount of the workday, and often access, input, and retrieve information from the computer and other office productivity devices. The employee must regularly move around the facility, use hands, wrists, and fingers to grip, type, and write, bend, kneel, squat, use hands and fingers to handle, grip, squeeze, and/or feel; push, pull, and reach with hands and arms; and position themselves to retrieve product. The employee must frequently lift 50 pounds. The employee will need to have the average ability to hear horns, warnings, and alerts associated with a warehouse. The employee must frequently travel to other sites for business.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While the job is generally performed in a warehouse and outdoor environment, the employee is occasionally exposed to freezers, enclosed and/or tight spaces, wet and/or humid conditions, areas in which moving mechanical parts, fumes, toxic or caustic chemicals are present, strong food‑related smells, and outside weather conditions. The employee will be exposed to loud/elevated noises throughout the workday at different locations.

TRAVEL REQUIRED

Travel is required for this position (up to 90% of the time and on a domestic basis within our 18‑county service area).

This role supports hours of operations at the Houston Food Bank facilities, as necessary, and may require flexibility (e.g., times of disaster, community events, company events).

Is legally able to work in the United States.