Truck Driver Resume: CDL Examples (2026)

CDL truck driver resume example: license class, endorsements, medical card, safety record, bullets with miles and loads, skills and a free template.

Template:

A Class A CDL driver with 6 years of experience, the last 3 in regional food-grade tankers, applying for a regional fuel tanker driver job.

Why this resume works

  • The CDL line spells out the class and every endorsement (X and T), and the TSA threat assessment and hazmat training from 2025 show the hazmat side is complete, which is the first thing a fuel carrier checks.
  • Safety comes as numbers a safety manager reads first: 610,000 accident-free miles, 7 roadside inspections with no violations, no log violations in 3 years.
  • Tanker experience is spelled out (liquid loads, 40+ shipper and receiver sites, no rejected loads in 2025) because the job she wants is a tanker job.
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A carrier's recruiter reads a truck driver resume like a checklist. What class of CDL, which endorsements, how many years and miles, what kind of freight and equipment, and how clean the safety record is. Most of that has to be answered before a recruiter will call, and most carriers will also run your driving record, so the page should match what they will find.

This guide covers where the CDL, endorsements and medical card go, how to write driving jobs with miles, loads and inspections instead of drove truck, summaries for new, experienced and specialized drivers, the skills carriers look for, and a full example for a Class A tanker driver in Albuquerque moving into fuel hauling. Driving a van or box truck instead? See the delivery driver resume example.

Truck driver pay and job outlook

Official figures for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.

Median pay (2025)
$58,640 per year ($28.19 per hour)
Jobs in 2025
2,221,200
Job outlook, 2025 to 2035
4%, as fast as average
Change in jobs, 2025 to 2035
+83,800
Typical entry-level education
Postsecondary nondegree award
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training

These figures are for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, the drivers who need a CDL; delivery and light truck drivers are counted separately.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, checked September 2026; O*NET OnLine: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, checked September 2026.

How to write a truck driver resume

1

Put your CDL class and route type in the headline

Write it the way carriers post jobs: Class A CDL Driver, OTR Dry Van, Class A CDL Driver, Regional Flatbed or Class B CDL Driver, Local. A recruiter matching drivers to lanes knows at a glance where you fit.

2

List the CDL, endorsements and medical card first

Give the class, the issuing state, and every endorsement by letter and name (H hazmat, N tank, T doubles/triples, X tank and hazmat), plus any restrictions. Add your DOT medical card and, for hazmat, your TSA threat assessment. These are the first questions on every driver application.

3

Lead your summary with years, miles and safety

Years driving, total or accident-free miles, the equipment (dry van, reefer, flatbed, tanker) and the kind of routes, then your safety record and the job you want, including home time. Carriers hire safe miles, so give them the number.

4

Describe each job with miles, loads and inspections

Weekly miles, loads or stops a week, on-time percentage, clean roadside inspections, fuel economy, safety awards. Name the freight and equipment. Averaged 2,300 miles and 9 to 11 loads a week in a tanker tells a recruiter exactly what you did.

5

Account for every month

Carriers usually ask for several years of work history, and gaps raise questions. If you took time off, give a short reason in a line (family care, medical leave, school). If you drove for several carriers, list each one with months and years.

6

Add training and skills, and keep it to one page

Your CDL school and hours, any Entry-Level Driver Training for a new license or endorsement, and skills like backing, securement, ELD logs and customer handoffs. One page is enough for almost every driver.

Skills and keywords for a truck driver resume

These skills come up most often in CDL driver postings for over-the-road, regional and local jobs. Use the ones that fit the equipment and freight you know.

Hard skills

  • Pre-trip, en-route and post-trip inspections
  • Hours of service and electronic logging devices
  • Backing, docking and tight-space maneuvering
  • Cargo securement (straps, chains, tarps)
  • Tanker handling and liquid surge
  • Reefer temperature monitoring
  • Hazmat placarding and shipping papers
  • Mountain and winter driving
  • Route planning and fuel stops
  • Bills of lading and delivery paperwork

Soft skills

  • Patience and calm in traffic and delays
  • Clear check-ins with dispatch
  • Courtesy with shippers and receivers
  • Self-discipline on long runs alone
  • Following company safety rules every time
  • Problem solving on the road

Tools and software

  • Electronic logging devices such as Samsara or Motive
  • Truck GPS and route apps
  • Fleet messaging tablets
  • Fuel cards and expense apps
  • Tire gauges and inspection tools
  • Load straps, chains, binders and tarps

Truck driver resume summary examples

Pick the one closest to your experience and change the equipment, miles and endorsements to yours.

New CDL driver

Recently licensed Class A CDL driver who completed Entry-Level Driver Training with a registered provider and 120 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, including backing, city driving and night driving. Clean driving record, current DOT medical card and TWIC card. Seeking a regional or dedicated driving job with a carrier that offers a finishing program for new drivers.

Experienced OTR driver

Over-the-road Class A driver with nine years and 1.1 million safe miles in dry van and reefer, averaging 2,800 miles a week. Strong trip planner who keeps on-time delivery above 97 percent through mountain passes and winter weather. Seeking a team or solo OTR job with a top-paying carrier.

Specialized or lead driver

Class A flatbed and heavy-haul driver with 14 years, hauling steel, lumber and oversize loads with permits and escorts. Hazmat and tank endorsements, 2 company safety awards, and a driver trainer for 20+ new hires. Seeking a lead driver, driver trainer or specialized hauling position.

Truck driver resume bullet examples

Each bullet names the run or the task, adds a number and, where possible, a result. Keep the pattern and use your own facts.

  • Drove 125,000 miles a year on OTR dry van routes with 99 percent on-time delivery.
  • Delivered to 12 to 15 grocery stores a day on a local Class A route, unloading with a pallet jack.
  • Hauled refrigerated produce across 11 western states, keeping trailer temperatures within spec on every load.
  • Secured and tarped 500+ flatbed loads of steel and lumber with no cargo claims.
  • Trained 18 new drivers during their first 4 weeks on the road as a company driver trainer.
  • Earned the carrier's 1 million safe mile award in 2024.
  • Passed 12 DOT roadside inspections over 3 years with no out-of-service violations.
  • Cut idle time from 30 to 12 percent by using the auxiliary power unit, saving about $4,000 in fuel a year.
  • Ran a dedicated lane for a beverage distributor, averaging 5 drops a day with a 26-foot trailer and no damaged product.
  • Kept hours-of-service logs on an ELD with no violations across 4 years of audits.
  • Handled pickups at 3 ports with a TWIC card, cutting wait times by pre-booking appointments.

CDL, endorsements and medical card for truck drivers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says every long-haul truck driver needs a commercial driver's license, that CDL qualifications vary by state but generally include a knowledge test and a driving test, and that CDL drivers must keep a clean driving record and pass a physical exam every two years. The federal rules come from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). What to list:

  • CDL class: under FMCSA's standards, a Class A covers a combination of vehicles of 26,001 pounds or more where the towed unit is over 10,000 pounds (a tractor-trailer). Class B covers a single vehicle of 26,001 pounds or more. Class C covers smaller vehicles that carry 16 or more people or placarded hazardous materials. States issue the license.
  • Endorsements: H (hazardous materials), N (tank vehicle), T (double/triple trailers), X (tank and hazmat combined), P (passenger) and S (school bus), each needing extra tests. List every endorsement you hold, and any restriction, such as L for no full air brakes or E for no manual transmission.
  • Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT): FMCSA's ELDT rule applies if you are getting a Class A or B CDL for the first time, upgrading from B to A, or getting an H, P or S endorsement for the first time. You must finish training with a provider on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry before the skills test (or, for hazmat, the knowledge test). It is not retroactive for licenses or endorsements issued before February 7, 2022.
  • DOT medical card: the DOT physical must be done by a medical examiner listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners, and the certificate is valid for up to 24 months (less if the examiner wants to monitor a condition).
  • TSA security threat assessment: required to get, renew or transfer a hazmat endorsement. TSA says the assessment must be renewed every five years, and some states require it more often.

The example, line by line

The example is for Rosa, a Class A driver in Albuquerque with 6 years behind the wheel who wants to haul fuel. Here is what each part does.

Headline: Class A CDL Driver, Tanker and Regional. License class, equipment and route type, the three filters a recruiter uses.

Summary: 6 years and 610,000 accident-free miles first, then 3 years of tanker work across three states, her endorsements, clean record and medical card, and the job and home time she wants.

Licenses and certifications: the CDL with class, issuing state and every endorsement by letter. The 2025 TSA threat assessment and hazmat theory training show she earned the H endorsement the current way, through a registered provider. The medical card shows it is current in 2026.

Current job: five bullets. 2,300 miles and 9 to 11 loads a week show the pace. 40+ sites with no rejected loads in 2025 shows tanker know-how. 7 clean roadside inspections, 3 years without a log violation and fuel economy up from 6.4 to 7.1 miles per gallon show the habits a safety manager wants.

Earlier job and school: 48-state dry van routes with 2,600 miles a week and 98 percent on time, doubles on 2 lanes, and a 160-hour CDL program from 2020.

Skills: eight items that match tanker and hazmat postings, including placards and shipping papers.

Mistakes that cost truck drivers interviews

  • Leaving out endorsements. A recruiter filling a tanker or hazmat seat filters on them. List each one by letter and name.
  • No safety numbers. Accident-free miles, clean inspections and log compliance are what carriers insure and hire on. Put them near the top.
  • Unexplained gaps. Carriers look closely at work history. Give a short reason for any time off instead of leaving months blank.
  • Vague equipment. Drove trucks could mean anything. Name the trailer (dry van, reefer, flatbed, tanker), the transmission if it matters, and the freight.
  • A record that does not match the resume. Carriers check your driving record. Be accurate about tickets, accidents and dates.
  • An expired medical card. If your DOT medical certificate is close to expiring, renew it before you apply and give the date.

Related resume examples

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Every example is in the resume examples hub, grouped by job and situation.

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Frequently asked questions

What should a truck driver put on a resume?

Your contact details and a headline with your CDL class and route type, a short summary with years and safe miles, your CDL, endorsements and medical card, each driving job with miles, loads and safety results, your CDL school, and your skills.

How do I list CDL endorsements on a resume?

In the license line: class, issuing state, then each endorsement by letter and name, such as X (tank and hazmat) and T (doubles/triples). Add restrictions too, since the carrier will see them on your license.

What is ELDT and do I need it?

Entry-Level Driver Training is an FMCSA rule. You need it before the skills test if you are getting a Class A or B CDL for the first time or upgrading from B to A, and before the knowledge test if you are getting a hazmat endorsement for the first time. It also applies to first-time passenger and school bus endorsements. It is not retroactive for licenses and endorsements issued before February 7, 2022.

How long is a DOT medical card valid?

Up to 24 months. The medical examiner, who must be on FMCSA's National Registry, can issue it for a shorter time to monitor a condition such as high blood pressure. Keep it current and give the date on your resume if asked.

How do I write a truck driver resume with no experience?

Lead with your new CDL, endorsements and medical card, then your CDL school, its hours and your behind-the-wheel practice. Add any work that shows you are safe and reliable, like delivery driving, equipment operation or warehouse jobs, and say you are looking for a carrier with a training program.

Should I list accident-free miles on my resume?

Yes, if you know them. Total or accident-free miles is one of the first numbers safety departments look at. Give a round number you can back up, such as 610,000 accident-free miles.

How far back should a truck driver's work history go?

Carrier applications usually ask for several years of history, often more than a normal resume. Include every driving job in that time with months and years, and a short note for any gap.

What does an L restriction on a CDL mean?

According to FMCSA, an L restriction means you did not pass the air brakes knowledge test or did not take the skills test in a vehicle with full air brakes, so you cannot drive a truck with full air brakes. If yours has one, list it, since most tractor-trailers have air brakes.

Do I need a TSA background check for a hazmat endorsement?

Yes. TSA runs a security threat assessment for anyone getting, renewing or transferring a hazmat endorsement, and it must be renewed every five years. Some states require it more often.

Should I use a two-column resume template?

No. Carrier applications and job boards can read columns out of order. A single-column layout like this example is safer, and all CVPoet templates are single column.

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