Four interstates, one home base
Owner-Operator CDL-A OTR Jobs in Tennessee
Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville: each one sits on a major interstate, and I-40 strings three of them together on its way from the Mississippi River to the Smokies. I-24, I-65 and I-75 fan out to the Midwest and the Deep South. Few states hand a driver this many directions to run, which is why Tennessee makes sense as a home base for OTR work.
Questions? Talk to a recruiter: 1-888-283-6958
At a glance
Position
Owner-operator, independent contractor
Equipment
Rental. No lease-purchase
Runs
OTR. 2 to 3 weeks out, then a few days at home
Requirements
Class A CDL, 2+ years OTR, no DUI, no SAP
Endorsements
None needed
Potential take-home
$2,500+ per week after all expenses. Many drivers earn more.
Owner operator jobs in Tennessee with MB Global Logistics are open in every month, with no state quota and no hiring season to wait on. The bar is a Class A CDL, at least 2 years of OTR experience and a home address in the state. Meet that, and six quick questions put you in front of a recruiter.
Potential take-home pay
Take-home with MB Global is listed at $2,500+ per week, after all expenses. Experience, the miles you run, what you spend on fuel and upkeep, and how long you stay out all shape the outcome, and many drivers finish above it.
Who qualifies for owner-operator jobs in Tennessee
A valid Class A CDL, endorsements optional
No fewer than 2 years of OTR experience
Home address in the Volunteer State
Zero DUI or DWI convictions
No history in a SAP program
Unexpired DOT medical card
How our owner-operator program works
01
Independent contractor status
You contract with MB Global as an independent contractor. There are no company trucks and nobody is on a payroll. You run your business, we provide the freight and the contract, and settlements reflect that relationship.
02
A rental truck
MB Global provides rental equipment. There is no lease-purchase and no way to buy the tractor from us. You will not be making payments toward ownership, which means no long purchase contract hanging over your head.
03
OTR, then home
Loads are all OTR. We suggest 2 to 3 weeks on the road and then a few days at home. Whether you live near Memphis, Nashville or Knoxville, I-40 is usually the way back in.
Freight corridors OTR drivers run from Tennessee
Memphis is the big one. It hosts the FedEx World Hub, several Class I railroads and the International Port of Memphis on the Mississippi River, so air, rail, river and highway freight all meet in one city. In Middle Tennessee, the auto plants around Smyrna and Spring Hill keep parts and finished vehicles moving along I-24 and I-65. The state projects about 11.1 percent growth for heavy truck drivers from 2024 to 2034, and Tennessee does not tax wages. For an owner-operator based here, that is a lot of freight within a few hours of home.
I-40 crosses the entire state: Memphis, Jackson, Nashville, Knoxville and on into North Carolina. I-24 connects Nashville with Chattanooga. I-65 comes down from Kentucky, passes through Nashville and continues into Alabama. I-75 links Knoxville and Chattanooga on its way between Michigan and Florida. In the northeast corner, I-81 and I-26 serve the Tri-Cities, and I-55 runs through Memphis toward St. Louis and Jackson, Mississippi.
Mountain grades in East Tennessee
TDOT SmartWay shows live traffic across the state, which helps around Nashville and Chattanooga at rush hour. The thing to respect is terrain. I-40 east of Knoxville and I-75 south of there climb and descend through the mountains, so check your brakes, gear down early and watch your speed on the grades. The west end of the state is flat by comparison.
Tennessee driver jobs by the numbers
64,890
Truck drivers employed
$58,620
Median annual wage
7,660
Openings a year
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counted about 64,890 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in the state in May 2025, and their median annual wage was $58,620, almost exactly the U.S. median of $58,640. State projections expect these jobs to grow from 65,470 in 2024 to 72,750 by 2034, with about 7,660 openings a year counting growth and replacement. These figures cover wage and salary drivers, not owner-operator earnings. They are a gauge of how much freight here needs drivers, not a preview of your settlement checks.
Orientation, travel and lodging
Orientation
Begins remotely from home and finishes in person at our terminal.
Lodging
Paid in full by MB Global for every night of the in-person session.
Travel
MB Global arranges it and pays up front. You repay it at $50 per week on settlements. Confirm the weeks with your recruiter.
Orientation starts with remote sessions you complete at home and ends with in-person training at our terminal. MB Global covers lodging in full during the terminal portion. Travel is arranged and paid up front by MB Global and then charged back at $50 per week, so it is not free. Ask your recruiter how many weeks the chargeback runs and how it shows up on your settlement statements.
See if you pre-qualify
Six questions and roughly one minute. That is the pre-qualifying form. It is not the full application, and it goes to the recruiting team only, never to advertising platforms or analytics tools.
Six questions, about a minute
Read by recruiters only
The FMCSA application comes afterward
Your answers go only to our recruiting team. We never share them with advertising or analytics tools.
What happens next
Three steps from here to the road
1
Answer six questions and submit the form from anywhere in the state.
2
Qualified drivers hear back from a recruiter who walks through the program.
3
Fill out the full FMCSA driver application, then set dates for remote and terminal orientation.
What you'll need for the full application
The full application follows 49 CFR 391.21, the federal driver application rule. Here is what it asks for, so you can have it ready:
Class A CDL details, meaning the issuing state, license number, expiration date and any other CDL or permit you carry.
Each address you have lived at during the past 3 years.
Employers over the past 3 years, plus every employer you drove a commercial vehicle for in the 7 years before that: names, addresses, dates, reasons for leaving.
Driving experience listed by the kind of equipment you have handled.
Any accidents or traffic convictions in the past 3 years, and any suspension, revocation or denial of a license.
A DOT medical card that is still valid.
Consent for MB Global to review your MVR, ask past employers for safety and drug and alcohol testing records, and query the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (49 CFR 391.23).
Tennessee owner-operator FAQs
Do I have to live near Memphis or Nashville to run OTR with you?
No. You need to live somewhere in the state, and that is the only location requirement. Drivers in the Tri-Cities, Chattanooga, Jackson or a small town off I-40 are all welcome. There are no yards or lanes assigned by state, so where you park at home does not limit the freight you run.
How hard are the grades on I-40 and I-75 east of Knoxville?
Hard enough to take seriously with a loaded trailer. Both interstates climb and drop through the mountains east of Knoxville and south toward Chattanooga, so you want good brakes, early downshifts and patience. TDOT SmartWay gives you live traffic before you commit. Drivers who learn those grades at home handle the Appalachians and the Rockies with more confidence on OTR runs.
What makes Memphis important for freight?
It is one of the few cities where air, rail, river and highway cargo all converge. The FedEx World Hub, several Class I railroads and the International Port of Memphis on the Mississippi sit in one metro, with I-40 and I-55 running through. For an owner-operator based in the west end of the state, that means loads heading in every direction are never far away.
I completed a SAP program years ago. Can I still qualify?
No. MB Global does not contract with drivers who have SAP history, no matter how long ago. The same goes for a DUI or DWI on your record. These are firm requirements alongside the Class A CDL, 2 years of OTR experience and a current DOT medical card. The recruiter will verify them through the Clearinghouse and your MVR during the full application.
How does the $50 per week travel chargeback show up?
As a deduction on your settlements. MB Global pays for your travel to our terminal up front, then recovers it at $50 per week until the amount is repaid. Lodging is separate and is covered in full with no chargeback. Ask the recruiter for the number of weeks and the exact label on the settlement so you can plan your early weeks.
Does MB Global have a terminal in Tennessee?
We do not set up yards or lanes by state. In-person orientation happens at our terminal, and the recruiter will tell you where and when once you reach that step. The remote portion of orientation you do from home. After that, you run OTR from wherever you live in the state, with no yard to report to.
Apply now
If you drive CDL A OTR and call Tennessee home, start with the six questions. A recruiter will reach out if you qualify. Or dial 1-888-283-6958, seven days a week from 7 AM to 5 PM.
Hiring in nearby states
Lots of borders here. We contract with owner-operators in these states too: