Mid-Level

Route Clerk

At a transportation, delivery, or services operation, you handle the clerical work behind route operations — supporting routing decisions, managing customer records, processing route documentation, and the operational backbone behind route execution.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
C
E
R
S
I
A
Conventionalorganizing, detail-oriented
Enterprisingleading, persuading
Based on Holland Code framework
Job markets for Route Clerks
Employment concentration · ~316 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
What it's like

What it's like to be a Route Clerk

Most days revolve around route documentation, customer records, and operational support — processing route paperwork, maintaining customer-stop records, supporting dispatchers and drivers with administrative work, handling exception cases on route execution. Documentation accuracy, dispatcher and driver support, and customer-record currency shape the visible measures.

The friction often lies in the gap between route plans and field reality — drivers report what actually happened on the route, and the clerk reconciles those reports with the planned schedule. Variance across employers is real: large route operations run with mature systems and structured clerical roles; smaller operations blend route-clerk work with broader dispatch or customer-service responsibilities.

This role tends to fit folks who carry steady detail orientation, comfort with operational coordination, and patient phone presence for driver and customer interactions. Route-management training anchors advancement. The trade-off is modest pay at the entry rung balanced by clear progression into dispatcher, coordinator, or operations roles for those who learn the broader operation.

RelationshipsAbove avg
SupportModerate
IndependenceLower
Working ConditionsLower
AchievementLower
RecognitionLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Route Clerks (SOC 43-2011.00, 43-5011.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Exploring the Route Clerk career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$30K–$76K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
134K
U.S. Employment
-8.9%
10yr Growth
12K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$64K$61K$59K$56K$53K201920202021202220232024$53K$64K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Active ListeningSpeakingSpeakingActive ListeningSocial PerceptivenessCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionService OrientationNegotiationTime Management
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
43-2011.0043-5011.00

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.