Non-CDL Driver (Part-Time)

Job Description

Job Description

Position:          Non-CDL Driver
Status:             Part-time/Seasonal
Department:    Logistics
Reports to:      Maintenance Manager
Location:         Rudd, Iowa

About Us

At Hoover's Hatchery, we don't just hatch chicks — we support farmers, homesteaders, feed stores, and families across the country. Our team serves customers nationwide while staying rooted in the values of hard work, accountability, and community.

As a stable and growing agricultural business, we operate in an industry that continues to thrive. Our people are at the heart of everything we do — ensuring every chick is hatched, processed, and delivered with the care and precision our customers count on.

Unlike large corporate environments where roles can be narrow and repetitive, our team members have the opportunity to grow their expertise, take ownership of their work, and play a visible role in the daily success of the operation. No two days look exactly the same — and your contribution makes a direct difference.

At Hoover's Hatchery, every role contributes to a business that supports customers across the country while staying grounded in the values of hard work and reliability that define our team. If you're someone who takes initiative, thrives in a hands-on environment, and takes pride in doing quality work, we want to hear from you.

Why Join Our Team?

• Stable and growing company with national reach
• Hands-on role with real impact on daily operations
• Collaborative environment with direct access to management
• Structured processes and clear expectations
• Competitive compensation
• A strong sense of community and team culture
• Located in Rudd, Iowa, home to our headquarters, with the tight-knit feel of small-town Iowa life.

Job Summary 

The Non-CDL Driver is a part-time, seasonal position that transports live chicks, hatching eggs, and supplies from our Rudd, Iowa location to USPS facilities and other destinations across multiple states. Reporting to the Maintenance Manager, this role is responsible for getting every shipment where it needs to go safely, on time, and in healthy condition. That means monitoring cargo temperature and ventilation, loading and unloading boxed birds, keeping accurate DOT records, and following strict biosecurity protocols on every route. This role involves overnight and long-distance travel, with the heaviest workload during peak hatch season. It is a strong fit for a dependable, safety-minded driver who works well independently and takes pride in handling live cargo with care.

Roles and Responsibilities  

• Safely operates non-CDL commercial vehicles, such as climate-controlled box trucks, to transport live chicks, hatching eggs, and supplies on assigned routes.
• Complies with all traffic laws, FMCSA/DOT regulations, and company safety policies, including hours-of-service limits and required rest breaks.
• Drives local, regional, and long-distance routes in metro, interstate, and rural traffic, including trips exceeding 12 hours one way.
• Operates safely in rain, snow, ice, heat, and cold, adjusting driving to road and weather conditions as operations require.
• Follows assigned routes using GPS and maps, adjusting for traffic, weather, and road conditions to meet delivery windows safely.
• Monitors cargo area temperatures and ventilation throughout every trip and adjusts the reefer or HVAC unit to keep birds safe.
• Secures and protects cargo to prevent shifting, damage, or stress to birds during transport.
• Immediately reports delays, breakdowns, accidents, and bird welfare concerns to the Maintenance Manager or dispatch.
• Loads and unloads up to 500 boxes per trip (up to 15 lbs. each) at the hatchery, USPS facilities, and other stops.
• Verifies box counts against the bill of lading or dispatch paperwork and obtains required signatures or scans at delivery.
• Keeps accurate hours-of-service records (ELD or paper), fuel receipts, and fuel logs, and submits them to the appropriate personnel on schedule.
• Conducts pre- and post-trip inspections of tires, brakes, lights, fluids, the reefer unit, and other equipment, and completes inspection reports as required.
• Keeps vehicles clean and promptly reports maintenance and repair needs to the Maintenance Manager.
• Follows all biosecurity protocols, including cleaning and disinfecting vehicles as directed, avoiding stops at other poultry operations, and wearing required personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Represents Hoover’s Hatchery professionally and courteously with USPS staff, customers, vendors, and coworkers.
• Communicates clearly and promptly with leadership, accounting, and other team members about schedules, delivery issues, and required paperwork.
• Performs all other duties as assigned by management.

Safety & Biosecurity

• Responsibility for Safety: Safety is a shared responsibility at Hoover's Hatchery. All employees are expected to follow established safety protocols, use required PPE, report hazards or incidents promptly, and actively contribute to maintaining a safe working environment for themselves and their coworkers.
• Responsibility for Biosecurity: Biosecurity is critical to protecting our flocks, our customers, and our business. All employees are expected to follow established biosecurity protocols at all times, including proper use of PPE, adherence to facility entry/exit procedures, and prompt reporting of any signs of illness or biosecurity concerns.

Core Values

• Excellence: We hold ourselves to a high standard in everything we do.
• Tenacity: We are determined to persist until the problem is solved or we achieve our objectives.
• Servitude: We place high value on serving others to help them succeed whenever possible.
• Humility: We present ourselves in a way that is respectful of others and believe our ideas become even better when combined with the ideas of others.
• Ingenuity: We are committed to finding practical solutions to difficult problems by working hard, thinking “outside the box,” and never giving up.

Job Qualifications

• At least 21 years old (federal minimum age to operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce).
• Valid Class C (non-commercial) driver’s license or out-of-state equivalent; CDL not required.
• Current DOT Medical Examiner’s Certificate, or ability to obtain one prior to the first trip.
• Acceptable Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) that meets company insurance requirements.
• Ability to read and speak English well enough to talk with the public, understand traffic signs and signals, respond to official inquiries, and complete required reports and records.
• Ability to keep accurate hours-of-service logs and trip paperwork (ELD or paper).
• Comfortable backing up to loading docks and driving in heavy city traffic.
• Basic technology skills, including using a smartphone, GPS, and/or electric logging device.
• Available for overnight trips, early starts, weekends, and peak-season hours.
• 1–2 years of box truck or delivery driving experience preferred.
• Experience with livestock or poultry is a plus.

Competencies  

• Ethical conduct
• Basic computer skills
• High level of confidentiality
• Problem solving/analysis
• Ability to adapt to change
• Ability to work well with others
• Great organization skills
• Able to successfully meet deadlines
• Strong communication skills
• Motivated and self-directed
• Ability to prioritize and multi-task
• Effective in a team environment

Physical Demands

• Sitting and operating a vehicle safely for extended periods.
• Using hands, feet, and hand-eye coordination to control the vehicle.
• Frequently required to sit, walk, talk, hear, bend, reach, stand, stoop, crawl, crouch, push, pull, twist, turn, balance, climb, and stretch.
• Lifting, carrying, and stacking boxes weighing up to 15 lbs. repeatedly, up to 500 boxes per trip.
• Climbing in and out of vehicle cabs and cargo areas.
• Standing, walking, bending, reaching, twisting, and stooping during loading and unloading.
• Pushing and pulling hand trucks or carts with loads up to approximately 200 lbs.
• Lifting up to 60 lbs. (equipment and supplies
• Kneeling, crouching, and crawling to complete vehicle inspections.
• Must meet DOT physical qualification standards. These include adequate distance vision and peripheral vision, with or without correction, the ability to recognize red, green, and amber traffic lights, and adequate hearing.
• Ability to read paperwork, labels, gauges, and temperature displays.

Working Conditions

• Overnight travel and multi-day trips away from home on routes that cross state lines.
• Irregular and variable hours, including early mornings, late nights, and weekends. Hours may increase significantly during peak hatch season.
• Deliveries are time-sensitive and unloading pace is typically set by USPS dock schedules.
• Work takes place in the vehicle cab and cargo area, at loading docks, and outdoors in all weather conditions, including rain, snow, ice, extreme heat, and extreme cold.
• Requires the ability to tolerate dust, feathers, dander, and odors associated with eggs and poultry of various quality; cleaning and disinfecting agents; traffic, vehicle, and reefer noise; and vehicle exhaust.
• Works alone for long stretches and stays in contact with leadership or dispatch by phone.
• Required personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn according to safety and biosecurity protocols.