A truck driver resume has a short list of things carriers check before anything else: license class and endorsements, safe-driving record, the type of freight and equipment you've run, and your hours-of-service compliance. Below is a full example resume for an experienced CDL-A driver, along with the safety language, equipment detail, and formatting that get driver resumes past both the applicant tracking system and the recruiter or fleet manager reading behind it.
Open with your license class, endorsements, and clean-record years — "CDL-A with Hazmat and Tanker endorsements, 5 years without a preventable accident" — before anything else.
This sample resume is for an over-the-road CDL-A driver with a local delivery background. Notice how miles, equipment, and compliance are named directly.
CDL Class A driver with 7 years of experience, including 5 years over-the-road in dry van and refrigerated freight. Holds Hazmat (H), Tanker (N), and Doubles/Triples (T) endorsements, with over 550,000 safe miles, no preventable accidents, and a 99% on-time delivery record.
CDL-A or CDL-B, plus H, N, T, or other endorsements, decides which jobs you can even be considered for. Putting them at the top saves a recruiter from hunting for them.
"Over 550,000 safe miles with no preventable accidents" is the line carriers care about most. If you hold safe-driving awards or a long clean record, name them with dates.
Dry van, reefer, flatbed, tanker, and whether you ran OTR, regional, or local are all searchable terms that tell a carrier which openings you fit.
Carriers can review your motor vehicle record and your FMCSA Pre-Employment Screening Program history. Listing your record honestly protects your credibility and avoids surprises late in the hiring process.
Pulled from common hiring patterns across CDL truck driver postings — match this list to the specific requirements in the job description you're applying to.
| Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
|---|---|
| ELD and hours-of-service compliance | Reliability and punctuality |
| Pre-trip and post-trip inspections | Patience and defensive judgment on the road |
| Load securement and cargo handling | Clear communication with dispatch |
| Route and trip planning | Independence and self-management |
| Backing, docking, and tight-space maneuvering | Professional behavior with customers |
Real wage data helps you set expectations and know where a posted pay rate falls. Figures below are national data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. Actual pay varies with run type (over-the-road versus local), freight, endorsements, and whether a carrier pays by the mile or by the hour.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, May 2025 data; employment projection 2024–2034. bls.gov
No. Your license number is sensitive personal information, and you'll provide it on a formal application if a carrier needs it. List your license class, state, and endorsements instead.
List all of them. Hazmat (H), Tanker (N), and Doubles/Triples (T) widen the loads you can haul, and carriers often prefer or require them for certain freight.
Lead with your CDL class and any endorsements, your training school and behind-the-wheel hours, and your clean record. Add any prior driving, delivery, or equipment-operating experience, and see what to put on a resume with no experience.
Usually it's optional, but a short note can help if you're changing run types, returning after a break, or applying to a carrier directly. Build a matching cover letter once your resume is done.
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