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Missouri · MO

Trucking Jobs in Joplin, MO

CDL driver opportunities, local salary data, top industries, and major employers in Joplin, Missouri.

Avg CDL Salary

$40,000 - $58,000

Population

180,000

Truck Stops

12

Cost of Living

Low

Top Industries in Joplin

These industries drive freight demand and create the most CDL trucking jobs in the Joplin metropolitan area.

1
Mining & Minerals (legacy)
2
Healthcare
3
Manufacturing
4
Distribution
5
Agriculture

Major Trucking Employers in Joplin

These companies and facilities employ CDL truck drivers and logistics professionals in the Joplin, MO area.

Freeman Health System
Mercy Hospital Joplin
Tamko Building Products (HQ)
Leggett & Platt (nearby Carthage)
Amazon

Nearby Interstates & Freight Corridors

These major highways serve Joplin and carry the highest volumes of commercial truck traffic through the area.

I-44
I-49
US-71
US-66 (historic)

Trucking in Joplin, MO

Joplin's four-state crossroads position creates a distribution reach that far exceeds its population. The I-44/I-49 interchange makes the city a natural freight convergence point for goods moving between Kansas City, Tulsa, Northwest Arkansas (Walmart country), and Springfield. Tamko Building Products, headquartered here, manufactures roofing materials that ship to building supply dealers across the central U.S., creating steady flatbed freight. Leggett & Platt, in nearby Carthage, is a Fortune 500 company producing furniture springs, mattress innersprings, and wire products — a remarkable concentration of manufacturing for a small Ozarks city. Joplin's mining heritage created an industrial culture that translates well to trucking and logistics. The city was devastated by an EF5 tornado in 2011 and has rebuilt stronger, with new infrastructure that includes improved freight facilities. The cost of living is among the lowest of any city on an interstate interchange in the country.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Trucking in Joplin

How does the four-state corner benefit Joplin?

Joplin serves communities in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas from one location. This four-state reach makes it efficient for regional distribution despite modest metro population.

What building materials freight originates here?

Tamko Building Products, headquartered in Joplin, manufactures roofing shingles and waterproofing products. Leggett & Platt, in nearby Carthage, produces springs, wire, and furniture components. Both ship by flatbed and dry van nationwide.

What is Joplin's mining legacy?

Joplin was once the lead and zinc capital of the world. While mining has ceased, the legacy includes industrial infrastructure and a workforce experienced in heavy industry and materials handling.