Truck driver resume template: example & tips
Carriers and dispatchers read a driver’s resume for credentials first: CDL class, endorsements, a current DOT medical card and a clean driving record. After that, experience counts – local, regional or over-the-road, which equipment and which freight. Make that clear and you’ll hear back fast.
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FreeATS-safe ✅Photo moduleWhy this template
License classes, endorsements and routes listed cleanly – the way dispatchers want to read them. The free template is single-column and no-frills.
Example summary
Your summary sits right below your name. Replace everything in square brackets with your own details.
CDL Class [A/B] driver with [endorsements] and [number] years of [local/regional/OTR] experience hauling [dry van/reefer/flatbed/tanker] freight. Clean MVR, current DOT medical card, fully compliant with hours-of-service rules and ELDs. Available from [date] for [home daily/weekly] routes.
What a strong Truck driver resume looks like
Sample bullet points for your experience. Where it says [number], put your own figure – made-up numbers fall apart in the interview.
- Drove local routes with [number] stops per day for retail and commercial customers
- Hauled refrigerated freight on regional routes across [states], home weekly
- Transported hazardous materials with the H endorsement in full compliance
- Secured loads and performed thorough pre-trip and post-trip inspections
- Maintained a clean safety record over [number] years and [number] miles
- Delivered with [number]% on-time performance
- Mentored new drivers on company routes and procedures
Hard skills
- CDL Class A (or B) with endorsements (e.g. H, N, T, X)
- DOT medical card
- Hours-of-service compliance and ELDs
- Pre-trip and post-trip inspections
- Load securement
- Hazmat transport (with endorsement)
- Reefer, flatbed or tanker operation
- Route planning and delivery documentation
Soft skills – with proof
- On-time reliability for scheduled deliveries
- Staying calm in traffic and under time pressure
- Professional manner with customers and receivers
- Solving problems on the road independently
ATS keywords for Truck driver resumes
Terms that come up often in job ads for this role. Only use what is true for you – ideally in the wording of the ad you are applying to.
- Truck Driver
- CDL Class A
- CDL-A
- OTR
- Regional
- Local
- Hazmat
- Tanker
- Reefer
- Flatbed
- DOT Medical Card
- Hours of Service
- ELD
- Clean MVR
Tips for your Truck driver resume
- Put CDL class, endorsements and your DOT medical card with expiration date at the very top. Carriers check them first.
- State your record: years accident-free, clean MVR, safe-driving awards. It is a real selling point.
- Describe your runs: local, regional or OTR, states covered, home time, equipment type. It lets a recruiter place you quickly.
- Include extra skills like chaining, tarping, liftgate or hazmat experience in their own section.
- Be clear about the home time you want. It saves both sides from mismatched offers.
Salary
Pay depends on location, employer, experience and certification – a single number says little. For current figures by occupation, see the Occupational Outlook Handbook (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Occupational Outlook Handbook (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)