Truck Driver Resume Example

Also called CDL Driver, Class A Driver, Over-the-Road Driver, OTR Driver.

Carriers hire drivers on license class, endorsements and record. Put those first, then show the kind of freight and routes you run, your miles and your on-time and inspection history.

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Opens in the builder with this text in place, ready for you to replace with your own.

What this example does well

  • License class, endorsements and accident-free miles are in the headline and summary.
  • Inspection results and on-time rate are the numbers safety managers and dispatchers look for.
  • The medical card's expiry date is shown, saving the carrier a question.

Updated

Ray Dawson

Class A CDL Driver

Summary

Class A CDL driver with nine years and about 1.1 million miles of accident-free driving. Runs regional dry van and refrigerated routes across seven states, with a 98.6% on-time delivery rate and a clean record on every roadside inspection in the last three years. Hazmat and tanker endorsements.

Experience

Regional Truck Driver, Delta Freight Lines

Apr 2020 – Present · Memphis, Tennessee

  • Drive regional routes across seven states, about 2,400 miles a week in dry van and refrigerated trailers.
  • Keep a 98.6% on-time delivery rate while following hours-of-service rules on an electronic logging device.
  • Passed every roadside inspection in the last three years with no out-of-service violations.
  • Complete pre-trip and post-trip inspections and report defects so repairs are made before the next run.

Over-the-Road Driver, Crossroads Carriers

Mar 2017 – Mar 2020 · Little Rock, Arkansas

  • Hauled general freight coast to coast, averaging 2,800 miles a week.
  • Secured loads and checked weights to stay within legal limits.
  • Earned the company's safe driver award two years in a row.

Education

Commercial Driver Training, Class A, Southwest Tennessee Community College

2017 · Memphis, Tennessee

Skills

Class A tractor-trailer, Dry van and reefer, Hours of service, Electronic logging devices, Pre-trip inspections, Load securement, Route planning, Customer delivery

Certifications

  • Commercial Driver's License, Class A — Tennessee, with X (hazmat and tanker) endorsement
  • DOT Medical Card — Valid through 2027
  • TWIC card — 2024
An example: Ray Dawson is not a real person, and the details show the kind of thing to write rather than a real career. Shown in the Compact template. Words that postings for this job often use are marked in yellow.

How do you write a summary for a truck driver resume?

Two to four lines at the top that say what you do, for how long, and what you are best at. Here is one for each stage of a career.

  • Entry level

    Newly licensed Class A CDL driver who completed a 160-hour training program, including 44 hours behind the wheel, and passed the skills test on the first try. Clean driving record, DOT medical card and happy to start with regional or over-the-road routes.

  • Experienced

    Class A CDL driver with five years of accident-free driving on regional and long-haul routes. Delivers on time, follows hours-of-service rules and keeps equipment inspected and road-ready.

  • Senior

    Driver trainer and Class A CDL holder with eighteen years and two million safe miles. Trains new drivers for a 300-truck fleet, runs hazmat and oversize loads and has never had a preventable accident.

How to write a resume summary, with more examples

What are good bullet points for a truck driver resume?

Each starts with a verb and says what was done. Change the details and numbers to your own; a number you cannot explain in an interview is worse than none.

  1. Drove regional and long-haul routes, averaging 2,500 miles a week.

  2. Kept an accident-free record over 800,000 miles.

  3. Delivered on time on 98% of loads.

  4. Completed pre-trip and post-trip inspections and logged defects.

  5. Followed hours-of-service rules using an electronic logging device.

  6. Secured cargo with straps, chains and load bars to federal standards.

  7. Hauled refrigerated loads and monitored temperatures throughout.

  8. Communicated with dispatch and customers about delays and delivery times.

  9. Passed roadside inspections with no out-of-service violations.

  10. Handled paperwork, bills of lading and delivery receipts accurately.

Which skills should a truck driver put on a resume?

Pick the ones the job posting asks for and that you can back up with an example from your work.

Hard skills

  • Tractor-trailer operation
  • Pre-trip and post-trip inspections
  • Hours-of-service compliance
  • Electronic logging devices
  • Load securement
  • Route planning and GPS
  • Refrigerated or hazmat hauling
  • Backing and docking

Soft skills

  • Safety first
  • Reliability
  • Independence
  • Time management
  • Clear communication with dispatch

Licenses and certifications

  • Commercial Driver's License (Class A or B)
  • Endorsements (H hazmat, N tanker, T doubles/triples, X tanker and hazmat)
  • DOT medical examiner's certificate
  • TWIC card for port access

Which keywords belong on a truck driver resume?

The words recruiters and applicant tracking systems search for.

  • Class A
  • CDL
  • on-time
  • hours-of-service
  • electronic logging device
  • inspection
  • refrigerated
  • routes
  • miles

Use the ones that are true for you, written the way the posting writes them, and put each where it shows something you did. A list of keywords with nothing behind it helps nobody. To keep them readable by software, choose an ATS-friendly template, and read how applicant tracking systems read a resume.

What should a truck driver put at the top of a resume?

Your license class, endorsements and years or miles of safe driving. Recruiters for carriers filter on these before anything else.

Next, the type of driving: over-the-road, regional or local, and the freight you know, such as dry van, reefer, flatbed or tanker.

How do you show a good driving record?

State accident-free miles or years, inspection results, on-time rate and any safety awards. Carriers will check your record, so accurate numbers build trust.

If you have an incident on your record, you do not need to put it on the resume, but be ready to explain it honestly.

What do transport and logistics employers look for?

  • State your license class and endorsements first, then your record: years without an accident, on-time rate, inspections passed.
  • Give volumes. Miles a year, drops a day, picks an hour and pallets moved are how this work is measured.
  • Name the equipment and systems you are cleared to use, such as forklift types, scanners and warehouse or routing software.

All transport and logistics resume examples

Questions about a truck driver resume

Do truck drivers need a resume?

Many carriers use applications, but a one-page resume helps with better-paying companies and private fleets.

Should I list my endorsements?

Yes, each one. They open up higher-paying loads.

How far back should my history go?

Applications often ask for ten years of driving history, so keep your records ready.

How long should a truck driver resume be?

One page.

Make this truck driver resume yours.

Start from the example, swap in your own jobs and numbers, and switch to any template without retyping a word.

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