MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATOR 1 (1-10 MONTHS)
Career Family: MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATOR
To land Motor Vehicle Operator 1 (1-10 Months) in New Jersey you go through the competitive route: you sit an announced exam and the score puts you on the eligible list agencies hire from.
To be eligible you bring 2 years of relevant experience and a professional license. The FY2026 range lands between $38,027 and $54,571.
How to get hired
- Watch for an open-competitive announcement for Motor Vehicle Operator 1 (1-10 Months) on the NJ Civil Service Commission jobs portal. Announcements run for a fixed filing window.
- Apply during that window and sit the examination. Depending on the title, that can be a written test, a rating of your training and experience, or a mix of the two.
- Passing scores go onto a ranked eligible list. Veterans get preference points added on top of their score.
- When an agency has a vacancy it must appoint from the top of that list under the "Rule of Three." Many competitive jobs are first filled provisionally while the list is being built.
Read the official specification at NJ Civil Service Commission.
Pay ladder: Motor Vehicle Operator series
- Motor Vehicle Operator 2 — $38,027 – $54,571
- Motor Vehicle Operator 1 — $43,237 – $62,340
Its top salary lands around the 1st percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY2026 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.
Definition
Under direction of a supervisor in a state department, institution, or agency operates heavy trucks, buses, vans, tractor mowers, snow removal equipped trucks, ambulances, automobiles, or any other non-construction vehicle; carries out pickup, and/or delivery assignments; does simple clerical work; does other related duties.
Examples of work
Operates non-construction motor vehicles. Drives employees, patients, or inmates to designated destinations. Makes special or routine trips to deliver, pickup, load, or unload messages, packages, and supplies. Operates large passenger buses both on and off state property. Operates tractor mowers and various attachments. Checks, cleans, greases, washes, and makes minor adjustments to trucks, tractors, buses, and other motorized equipment. In state institutions and in other agencies, picks up and delivers parcel post packages, mail, freight, and incoming and outgoing material; collects, loads, and unloads, with or without assistance, and hauls printed materials, equipment of varied types, furniture, laundry, food, milk, coal, ashes, and garbage and trash to specified destinations; operates power driven lawn mowers; as assigned, drives ambulances and assists with the loading of patients, inmates, and residents as required. Picks up, loads on a truck, and delivers materials of varied types; maintains records of receipts and deliveries. Operates and makes minor repairs to passenger automobiles; drives as directed to designated locations; delivers messages and small articles; attends to minor repairs and adjustments; keeps the vehicle supplied with gas, oil, and water; keeps the garage clean and in order; delivers and picks up taxi cars as required; maintains trip records. Operates snow removal equipped trucks. When not engaged in operating equipment, performs other work as assigned: institutional building construction, service, maintenance and repair work, grounds keeping work, and office and messenger duties. May perform basic clerical work. Maintains records. Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Experience
Two (2) years of experience in work involving the operation of trucks and/or buses.
License
Appointees must possess a valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and applicable endorsements for the class and type of vehicle being operated.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of the methods used to operate and maintain vehicles and motorized equipment. Knowledge of the methods used to clean, lubricate, and service batteries, and care for tires and lights. Knowledge of minor automobile repair procedures. Knowledge of the methods used to load, unload, and deliver varied types of materials and to maintain basic records, invoices, and receipts. Ability to understand, remember, and carry out oral and written directions. Ability to drive trucks and buses and other motorized equipment in a safe, competent, and skilled manner. Ability to load, unload, and deliver varied types of freight. Ability to service, clean, and make minor repairs to equipment. Ability to work harmoniously with supervisors, associates, and others. Ability to maintain records and handle invoices and receipts. Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible. This job specification is applicable to the following title code(s) which are different work week or work month and/or variants of the job class title: Job Spec Code State, Local or Common Class of Service Work Week State Class Code Local Class Code Salary Range
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. The responsibility for ensuring that employees possess the required motor vehicle license, commensurate with the class and type of vehicles they operate, rests with the Appointing Authority. SC4011N/AO0910 Month SC4011N/AO12- This job specification is for government use only. Salary range is only applicable to state government. Local salaries are established by individual local jurisdictions. 7/26/2014