Yard Jockey Job Description (Yard Driver / Spotter)
A yard jockey (yard driver, spotter, hostler) job description for a warehouse or DC yard, five interview questions, and a first-week training checklist. Free, no email.
The yard jockey moves trailers between parking spots and dock doors with a yard truck, so the dock always has the right trailer at the right door. The job goes by many names: yard driver, spotter, hostler, shunt driver. The text below is written for a warehouse or distribution center that employs its own yard driver. Edit the parts in [brackets].
01Job description (copy and paste)
Yard Jockey (Yard Driver / Spotter)
About the role
The Yard Jockey moves trailers around our [site name] yard with a yard truck. You pull loaded and empty trailers to and from dock doors and parking spots when the dock and the gate ask, keep a record of every move, and help keep the yard list accurate so nobody has to search for a trailer.
What you will do
- Move trailers between parking spots, staging lanes and dock doors with a yard truck, in the order the dock lead or yard coordinator sets.
- Before each move, confirm the trailer number and the from and to locations. After each move, record where the trailer was parked and the time.
- Hook and unhook trailers safely: check the kingpin and fifth wheel lock, connect and disconnect air and electrical lines, raise and lower landing gear, and chock wheels where the site requires it.
- Check trailers for visible damage, flat tires, open or unlatched doors and broken seals, and report them before moving.
- Do the pre-shift and post-shift check on the yard truck and report defects.
- Pull empty trailers off doors so the next appointment can back in, and stage finished loads for carrier pickup.
- Help with yard checks: walk or drive the yard and confirm which trailer is in which spot.
- Follow site speed limits, traffic patterns and pedestrian rules at all times.
What we are looking for
- Valid driver's license. [CDL Class A required / preferred: see note below.]
- Experience backing trailers into dock doors and tight spaces [X months or years].
- Accurate with trailer numbers and locations.
- Comfortable using a phone or tablet app and a two-way radio.
- Able to climb in and out of the cab many times a shift and work outdoors in all weather.
- [Pass a pre-employment drug screen and road test, if your company requires them.]
Schedule and pay
[Full time / part time]. [Shift: days, nights, weekends]. [Pay: $XX to $XX per hour]. Reports to the [Yard Coordinator / Shipping Supervisor].
On the CDL line: the federal CDL rule covers driving on roads open to public travel, so a yard driver who never leaves a gated private yard may not need one, while one who crosses a public street does. Your insurer or company policy may require one anyway. Details and rule text: do you need a CDL to drive a yard truck.
02Five interview questions
- The dock asks for a trailer and it is not in the spot the list says. What do you do?
- Walk me through hooking a trailer, step by step, before you pull it.
- You are asked to pull a trailer off a door but the dock plate is still down. What do you do?
- Two people ask you for a move at the same time. How do you decide which comes first?
- What do you check on the yard truck before your shift?
03First-week training checklist
Tick each line when the new hire has done it with the trainer watching, not just heard about it. It prints with the posting above.
| Done | Day | What | Trainer initials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Site walk: gate, doors, parking rows, staging, pedestrian walkways, speed limits, where trailers must never be left. | ||
| Day 1 | Yard truck check with the trainer: pre-shift inspection, defects to report, radio channels. | ||
| Day 2 | Ride along for a full shift. Watch how moves are asked for, confirmed and recorded. | ||
| Day 2 | Hook and unhook with the trainer watching every step: kingpin lock, air and electrical lines, landing gear, chocks. | ||
| Day 3 | Make moves with the trainer in the cab. Read back the trailer number and the to location before each move. | ||
| Day 3 | Door rules: how the dock signals a door is ready, what to check before pulling a trailer off a door. | ||
| Day 4 | Make moves alone for part of the shift. Every move recorded with from, to and time; review with the trainer. | ||
| Day 5 | Yard check: walk or drive the yard with the yard list and fix any trailer that is not where the list says. | ||
| Day 5 | Shift handover: open moves, trailers waiting for a door. Sign off with the trainer. |
04Where the duties and pay figure come from
O*NET, the US Labor Department's occupation database, describes the closest occupation group, Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators (53-7051.00), like this:
Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.O*NET OnLine, 53-7051.00 Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators (onetonline.org, opened October 10, 2026)
The same page gives a median wage of $22.32 an hour for 2025. O*NET lists Spotter Driver and Shag Truck Driver among the sample job titles of this group. It also includes forklift operators, so treat the wage as a rough guide for yard drivers. The duties above are written for a warehouse or DC yard and are ours, not O*NET's.
Day one for the new hire
Training goes faster when the record the new hire writes is the same one the dock and the office read. Vantage keeps the gate log and the yard list on one phone: each trailer is logged in and out at the gate with a timestamp, and the live yard map and door board show which trailer is at which door.
Give your yard team one live yard list from day one.
Vantage is a yard management app that runs on a phone. The trailer number is read from a photo on the device in the iPhone app (typed in a browser), and every record gets a timestamp, plus a photo whenever the camera is used. No hardware, no installer.
Start on the Free plan: $0 for up to 3 users, 1 yard and 100 gate transactions a month, with 30 days of history. No card, and it never expires.
Start free in your browser → Get Vantage on the App Store → Free plan: up to 3 users, 1 yard, 100 gate transactions a month, no card.FAQ
What does a yard jockey do?
A yard jockey, also called a yard driver, spotter or hostler, moves trailers around a warehouse or distribution center yard with a yard truck: to and from dock doors, parking spots and staging lanes. They hook and unhook trailers, record each move, and help keep the yard list accurate.
Does a yard jockey need a CDL?
It depends on where the yard truck drives. The federal CDL rule covers driving on roads open to public travel, so a yard driver who stays inside a gated private yard may not need one, while one who crosses a public street does. Many employers ask for a CDL anyway. See our answer on whether you need a CDL to drive a yard truck.
How much does a yard jockey make?
O*NET lists Spotter Driver and Shag Truck Driver under Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators (53-7051.00), which had a median wage of $22.32 an hour in 2025. That group includes forklift operators, so local postings are a better guide.
Is this template free?
Yes. No email or signup. Copy the text, edit the parts in brackets, and post it.