Truck Driver Resumes & Writing Guide

If you are searching for a new job as a Truck Driver, then you are on the right page. Our top range Truck Driver resume below is stuffed with tips and guidelines to help you create a fantastic resume. Truck Drivers are responsible for transporting industrial goods and materials over long distances that may go beyond state lines or even country boundaries. These drivers operate vehicles exceeding 26 000 pounds in gross capacity weight.

Why not get your resume wheels rolling and review our guideline below with everything you need to compile a kick-ass resume.

Truck Driver Resume Sample

(Free sample downloads are at the bottom of this page)

Truck Driver Resume Writing Guide

Resume Sections

1. Contact Information:
Name, Address, Phone Number, Email. Also, add alternative contact channels such as Facebook Messenger (you may be out of cell reception area when a call comes through for an interview invite).

2. Career Summary:
Serves as your resume’s ignition button, so make it count. You want to tell the hiring manager about your experience, driving skills, and unique competencies using a compelling summary statement not exceeding 3-4 sentences.

3. Qualifications Summary:
Truck Drivers require as a minimum a high school or GED diploma to apply for roles. Of course, there will be exceptions to this rule, but completed schooling definitely gives you the edge in terms of higher-paying positions. Doing a learnership type training program via a trucking school is also a good idea, especially if you are looking for your first position as a Truck Driver. Make sure to list your High School and Post School education by completion date, institution attended and grade/diploma obtained.

4. Relevant Truck Driver Experience:
To drive a truck, you need to have driven a truck. It is that simple. Provide comprehensive details regarding your truck driving experience (capacity loads exceeding 26 000 pounds). Any specialized driving experience, such as operating Hazmat vehicles would also be a plus. List your employment history for the last ten years per each job you have held paying attention to include correct dates of employment, companies worked for, job title and 4-5 bullet points explaining your primary duties.

5. Other Employment Experience:
Truck Drivers typically start elsewhere in the industry, for instance, as packers or load movers. Although this kind of working experience has nothing to do with driving a truck, you should still include them in your resume to show career tenure and progression. If you have less than five years formal work experience feel free also to add temporary and vocational gigs you have held to prevent gaps in your employment history section.

6. Skills Summary/Key Skills:
Truck Drivers have to be excellent drivers of course. Apart from driving, physical traits such as endurance, interpersonal skills, navigation adeptness (, (to know where you are going!), and 20/20 vision are vital to this role. Create an impactful first impression by adding the essential skills and traits mentioned in the job advertisement on your resume.

7. Licenses/Certifications/Relevant Coursework/Training:
A commercial driver’s license (CDL) is a must-have even to be considered for a Truck Driver position, because you will be driving Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV’s). Certification and licensing may be obtained via the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of which each state has one. To prepare for the CDL exam and practical, one has to attend Truck Driving School. During this period you can attain a Commerical Learner’s Permit (CLP) which enables you to obtain truck driving experience (on the open road) under the supervision of a CDL-licensed driver. These programs vary in timelines from 30 days up to 10 weeks; the more extended programs are more desirable. Not really a certification or license, but a clean driving record is a non-negotiable when applying for a Truck Driver position. Finally, don’t forget that Truck Drivers have access to continuous development and learning opportunities as well with courses offer in route planning, navigation, special materials transporting or Hazmat trucking.

What to Highlight in a Truck Driver Resume

A job a Commercial Truck Driver can be a fantastically rewarding career, especially if you enjoy driving (for many hours at a time), seeing the countryside and meeting new people. To land your next job (or your first) in this field, there are a few aspects to highlight on your resume to attract the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.

First, explain what type of Truck Driver roles you have occupied in the past. Here are the main categories:

• Tanker Hauler Drivers: Think huge vehicles that haul liquids, emulsions, and gas (chemicals, petroleum, gasoline, oxygen). Liquid cargo can be unstable and requires special “care” during transportation. You may mention your driving capabilities regarding how you drive, where you are allowed to stop, maximum speed, how fast you may hit the brakes and also what kind of compounds have you transported before and to what locations, with driving hours, accumulated.

• Hazmat Truck Driver: If you are a driver transporting Hazmat materials, you probably have nerves of steel. That is not enough information for recruiters though, so elaborate on the type of materials that you transport for example explosives or biomedical waste, indicating total load capacity, average distance per trip and any particularly advanced driving competencies that you may have used during the execution of your truck driving duties. Aspects like safety procedures and emergency protocols that you are familiar with can be listed too.

• Oversized Load Hauler: These are the Truck Drivers that songs are written about. Those people driving the 18 wheelers across country and state borders for many hours at a time describe the type of cargo that you have experience in transporting, for example, heavy industrial equipment, large scale mining machinery or even planes and part of trains!

• Ice Road Trucker: Think snow, freezing temperatures, and ice. These are the ‘’top guns’’ of the heavy trucking world, and if you are currently in this type of role you are a high in-demand commodity. Up the stakes even more by providing prospective employers with a driving record so to speak, including the locations you have driven to, time of year, the total duration of journeys, and products transported.

• Transport Drivers: These candidates need to know their way around busy cities, be experts at navigation and route planning, coupled with knowledge about maintaining and also repairing their heavy commercial vehicles. Don’t forget to mention the type of cargo you are tasked with transporting such as junked vehicles, specialty vehicles, or luxury cars.

• Team Driver: To counteract the constraints of the physical need for sleeping, eating and resting the position of Team Driver was created. This means that you are part of a two-man or three men driving team, and this role can fit into any of the trucker driving categories. In this case, you may want to highlight cargo type, how long a journey is on average without breaking, and also the location that goods are transported to.

• OTR Drivers: ‘’Over the Road’’ Truck Drivers focus on long haul trips usually from coast to coast, but may also fit into the categories above (sometimes more than one). The critical competency to highlight here is how many trips per month you undertake, average distance accumulated per month, type of cargo, and also average driving time within 24 hours on average. Remember to stipulate further the load capacities that you are comfortable with to transport from point A to point B.

Secondly, you can delve into your historic driving experience related to total hours accumulated, total miles under the hood, working schedule (4 weeks on, one week off), and driving record (zero incidents, meeting estimated arrival times).

Of further importance apart from your impeccable driving skills would be your inspections, vehicle maintenance, troubleshooting, and repairing competencies. Think about it this way; if your truck breaks down in the middle of Alaska, the AA is not going to be of any help. Provide detailed examples of occurrences where you had to fix parts, engines, and gearboxes.

Next, comes your navigation skills and route planning capabilities. Mention the fact that you are familiar with GPS technology, satellite navigation systems, and route planning software if applicable. Are you responsible for your route planning and scheduling, or is that dealt with by the dispatch center? Do you have the authority to plan your own routes and delivery schedules? Also, dedicate a sentence or two regarding the reporting procedures you follow in the case accidents or trip delays.

If you are responsible for transporting hazardous materials (chemical waste, radioactive compounds) or unstable cargo (gas, flammable liquids), it would be advisable to provide extra details regarding your knowledge of state regulations and precautions, as well as competencies with safety equipment in case of an accident.

Truck Driver Career Summary Examples

Hiring managers of transport companies and distribution centers receive hundreds of resumes per month, which may get overwhelming and cause ‘’recruitment fatigue’’. Your Truck Driver resume should grab their attention within six seconds (the average time a recruit spends on skimming through a resume). The only way to accomplish this is to have an awesome career summary, highlighted in bold and in a different font at the top of your resume. This summary is literally like a billboard advertising our skills, competencies, and exemplary driving abilities.

A career summary should be written concisely and get the point across that you are the correct fit for the role at hand. Write down three to six sentences informing the reader about your driving competencies, industry background, licensing, and years of working experience. Use the job description as your keyword compass when compiling this summary. The more your resume aligns to the terms in the job advertisement, the better you will reinforce the message of being a contender for the position at hand.

Example Summaries:

Career Summary 1

Tenured and dependable Truck Drive with CDL-A OTR status in 5 years’ experience in transporting Hazmat compounds across international borders. Exemplary driving record, excellent navigation skills coupled with a cool head under pressure and during crises events.

Career Summary 2

Dexterous Long Haul Truck Driver with over 20 years’ experience in driving ice trucks for mining companies in Alaska and Russia. CDL Class A and Hazmat Certified. Holds a 95 percent on-time delivery ranking and accumulated over 40 000 road hours thus far. Highly adept at truck maintenance and repairs under extreme weather conditions.  

Career Summary 3

Hard-working, dedicated CDL-A Truck Driver with an exemplary driving record and three years’ experience as a team driver for Load Haul Transport trucks carrying unstable compounds such as ammonium gas, petroleum liquid nitrogen. Excellent knowledge of safety protocols and emergency procedures as required by state law. Currently completing an advanced driving course to attain a Hazmat driving certification. Fluent in French, Russian, English, and Spanish.

Truck Driver Job Descriptions, Responsibilities and Duty Examples

Prospective employers would expect to see specific foundational job duties in a Truck Drive Resume. Below we have provided you with a few generic examples for different types of truck drivers that you may tweak and amend to align with your current and previous work experience.

An OTR Truck Driver may:

• Drive heavy and oversized vehicles across state and country borders
• Equipped to drive 18 wheelers, tractor-trailer trucks, and load haulers
• Drive long distances of up to 6 000 miles per week
• Communicate with dispatch office frequently during trips to provide progress updates and report incidents or accidents
• Adhere to all applicable traffic laws in state and country and understand the different traffic laws, for instance, driving on the left hand or right-hand side of the road
• Conduct vehicle inspections before, during and after trips
• Troubleshoot and do maintenance and repairs when required
• Write reports regarding inspection outcomes, vehicle defects manifesting during the journey and keep track of all maintenance activities
• Keep an accurate log of rest breaks
• Report serious vehicle problems to head office and await approval on mechanic shops to take the truck in for emergency repairs
• Conduct route planning with the help of navigation software, weather reporting applications and traffic notification sites

A Truck Driver for Unstable Compounds may:

• Specialize transporting in bulk liquids, gasses, and radioactive compounds
• Responsible for the operational readiness of storage equipment, containers, and trucks
• Adhere to vehicle maintenance schedules and responsible for preventative and planned maintenance
• Conduct equipment testing and vehicle inspection before e during and after each trip
• Report incidents and accidents to the central command center immediately
• Perform evaluations and performance appraisals for junior team drivers present during each trip
• Audit all logs and trip records before generating a trip report for the dispatch center
• Responsible for safety investigations like temperature and moisture checks

A Transport Truck Driver Products and Goods experience may:

• Responsible for the transport of commercial goods and services within state borders in short-haul trucks
• Certified mechanic skilled and repairs and welding fabrications of truck engines and frames
• Responsible for own route planning using scheduling and delivery applications as well as GPS navigation software
• Drive approximately 1000 miles per week, with four deliveries per day within state boundaries
• Generate various reports regarding ETA’s driving logs un uploading and offloading times at each destination
• Skilled at performing welding fabrications and repairs.
• Monitor load capacities to ensure that truck is not carrying weight exceeding laws and safety standards
• Keep inventory record of all goods and products delivered at the destination point

Highlight Your Accomplishments

Believe it or not, but the accomplishment section is, in fact, very relevant to a Truck Driver’s Resume. Your accomplishment statements should showcase you like the best contender for the job at hand and go far beyond just having a clean driving record or racking up thousands of miles per week.

You can place your application way ahead of the pack by following a strategic approach to writing your accomplishment section.

This is how you do it:

• Make a list of your daily, weekly, and monthly duties to determine where you have scope to bring in achievements, accolades, and accomplishments.
• Quantify is each statement with numerical values such as distance, time frame, load capacity, number of incident records, driver ranking, target delivery stops, and physical driving hours per day.

Below we have given a few examples to get you started:

1. Drove an average 5500 miles per week as a certified CDL-A OTR Driver

2. Achieved a 95% delivered to schedule score in the last 12 months and a 97% customer satisfaction rating

3. Maintained a 100% clean driving and substance abuse record since starting a career in truck driving

4. Met all DOT requirements and company regulations resulting in 11 commendations and endorsements from managers and colleagues

5. Accumulated extensive overtime hours during summer season resulting in a 20% uptick in recurring customer orders because all arrival times were met and no goods were damaged, despite traffic delays and severe tropical storms occurring in the area

6. Trained and mentored ten junior truck drivers in conducting preventative maintenance and troubleshooting repairs in preparation for their CDL examinations

7. Initiated an automated logging system app that can track deliveries increasing collaboration with base dispatch by 48%

Truck Driver Education Section & Example

Truck Drivers typically require only a GED or High School Diploma in terms of academic credentials to apply for jobs. However, specific licensing and certifications are needed before putting a hand to the wheel so to speak. Therefore, the education section still forms an integral part of your resume.

In short, indicate What, Where and When regarding your licenses, accreditations, certifications or courses or workshops completed. The name of your qualification, institution, and date of completion is more than sufficient.

Here are some examples of a Truck Driver Resume in terms of education:

2019 – OTC Truck Driver Program, New Cityland Vocational Center, New Cityland, CA
Courses Passed:
CDL Test achieving a 97% score
Satisfactory MVR (driving record)
Load Haul truck experience
D.O.T. Physical certification

2017 – CDL-Class “A” Tractor/Trailer Drivers, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Washington, DC

2016 – CDL-Class “H” Hazardous Materials, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Washington, DC

2015 – Certified Truck Driver, Professional Truck Driving Institute (PTDI), Nampa, ID
Curriculum: Safe Driving Practices, Basic Vehicle Operation, Advanced Operating Practices, Vehicle Maintenance, Non-Vehicle Activities

2014 – CDL Commercial Driver’s License, Advanced Career Institute, Visalia, CA

2012 – FMCSA Electronic Logging Devices (ELD), Albany Technical College, Albany, GA
Course Topics: Editing, Annotations, ROD’s, Records Certification

Truck Driver Resume Skills Section

Although the trucking field requires specific physical abilities and technical skills, employers also consider soft skills when skimming your Truck Driver resume.

A skills matrix is a smart approach to showcase your most valuable features, traits competencies to prospective employers and gives your candidacy that extra edge above the other applicants

Certifications associated with Truck Drivers

Action Verbs for your Truck Driver Resume

Professional Information for Truck Drivers

Sectors: Transport & Delivery
Career Type: Delivery, Driving, Transporting,
Person type:  Navigator, Planner, Driver, Mechanical
Education levels: High School Diploma and Post School Certifications
Salary indication: $43,680 per year/$21.00 per hour (BLS)
Labor market: Estimated 5% growth between 2016 – 2026 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Organizations: Various

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