Like our content?
Get our monthly newsletter and other helpful communications for your job search and career.
- Job Seeker Resources
- |
- Last Updated: April 21, 2023
How to Become a CDL Truck Driver
Few jobs offer the independence, flexibility, and potential to impact everyday life like being a trucker does. Commercial driver’s license (CDL) truckers are the driving force behind America’s commerce industry, and they’re the ones who make sure that more than 70% of all goods transported around the country get to where they need to be.
It can be a tough job sometimes, but the demand for new truckers has soared recently, meaning it also has the potential to be very rewarding. However, because the industry is heavily regulated, there are some steps you must take before you’re ready to take on the open road. If you’re unsure how to become a CDL truck driver, keep reading to learn everything you need to know, including how long it takes to get a CDL, the requirements to be a truck driver, and how to write a CDL truck driver resume.
What Does a CDL Truck Driver Do?
Before taking courses and getting your CDL, you should understand a CDL trucker’s responsibilities and the different types of truckers. In general, a CDL truck driver will drive a heavy or tractor-trailer vehicle and transport goods or people from one location to another. However, there are many kinds of truck drivers, and each has slightly different responsibilities depending on their cargo and type of vehicle. Not every driver needs a Class A CDL or needs every CDL endorsement, so if you know what kind of driver you want to be, you can have a more focused career path.
The different types of truck drivers are:
- Car hauler: transports cars and other automobiles, usually to dealerships or service centers.
- Dry van trucker: operates a truck with a single trailer to transport non-perishable and dry goods.
- Flatbed trucker: transports large or abnormally sized cargo that won’t fit in a normal trailer and requires advanced knowledge.
- Ice road trucker: transports goods over icy roads and requires specialized knowledge.
- Long-haul trucker: transports goods at least 250 miles away; also known as OTR truckers.
- Oversized load trucker: transports cargo considered oversized or overweight (each state has different guidelines).
- Passenger/bus driver: transports passengers along a route or to predetermined destinations.
- Refrigerated freight trucker: transports goods that require cold temperatures or precise temperature control.
- Tanker trucker: transports liquids in a tanker truck.
Additionally, depending on what you want to transport, you should know the specific license Class and Endorsement to get. They are:
- Class A CDL: the most versatile Class of CDL. It allows the operation of any combination of vehicles weighing 26,001 or more pounds and can cover Class B and C licenses, too.
- Class B CDL: similar to Class A, it allows the operation of a single vehicle weighing 26,001 or more pounds but without a trailer. This includes vehicles like buses, dump trucks, box trucks, etc.
- Class C CDL: allows operation of smaller vehicles that weigh less than 26,000 pounds. These vehicles can carry 16 or more occupants or hazardous materials, such as small HazMat trucks, passenger vans, and more.
- H Endorsement: required to transport hazardous materials.
- N Endorsement: required to haul liquids and operate a liquid bulk cargo or a tank vehicle.
- P Endorsement: required to operate a vehicle that carries 16 or more people.
- S Endorsement: required to operate a school bus (a P endorsement must be obtained first).
- T Endorsement: required to tow multiple trailers.
- X Endorsement: a combination endorsement for tanks and hazardous materials.
Career Path to Becoming a CDL Truck Driver
To become a CDL truck driver, you must have your commercial driver’s license – you can’t get a job without it. That means the first step on your career path is to obtain that CDL (you need a regular driver’s license to get your CDL, so technically, that’s your first step if you don’t already have one). You need to attend a driver training program and pass the CDL exam in order to get your license.
You can find programs at community colleges or private driving schools, or complete a company-sponsored program. Typically, these courses cost anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000, but some company-sponsored courses will offer full reimbursement if you stay at the company for a certain amount of time.
How Long Does It Take to Get a CDL?
The time it takes to obtain a CDL varies, but you can expect to spend around 10 weeks on average depending on where you go for your training, what Class of license you are trying to get, and some state regulations. For example, most Class A programs take 7–15 weeks to complete, but some Class B programs can be completed in under one week.
Community colleges may require additional courses that might not be strictly relevant to obtaining your CDL and can increase the time it takes, but they will help you with your trucker career in a broad sense. Full-time programs that run every day of the week will also finish faster than part-time programs. It can seem overwhelming, but the upside to all these choices is that you get to pick the training that best fits your schedule and goals.
- High School or GED (38.1%)
- Vocational Degree or Certification (23.0%)
- Bachelor's Degree (15.6%)
- Associate's Degree (13.2%)
- Master's Degree (4.3%)
- Some College (3.7%)
- Some High School (1.4%)
- Doctorate Degree (0.6%)
Requirements to Be a Truck Driver
As we mentioned earlier, the trucking and transportation industry is heavily regulated, and there are certain requirements that you must meet before you can even be considered for a trucking job. You may have guessed the main requirement – a CDL and the relevant endorsements. You must also be aged 21 or older to operate a commercial vehicle outside your home state and have a clean criminal and drug record. Be sure to check your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website to see if there are any other requirements in your area.
Aside from the legal requirements to be a truck driver, there are certain skills and qualifications that many employers expect. For example, soft skills like customer relations, organization, and staying focused while driving for long periods are essential to success. And don’t worry if you don’t have a college degree; most employers only require a high school diploma or GED.
Take a look at other common skills and qualifications employers expect from CDL truck drivers.
For a look at local salaries, check our free Salary Research Tool.
How to Write a CDL Truck Driver Resume
How you write your CDL truck driver resume will depend on how much experience you have. For example, veteran truck drivers should utilize the chronological resume format to list their work history and accomplishments. In comparison, new drivers may want to use the functional resume format to highlight skills they’ve gained throughout their life and career relevant to the driver position they’re applying for.
Experienced drivers should highlight any accomplishments or awards for safe driving and on-time deliveries since most employers value those achievements. Meanwhile, new drivers should emphasize their certifications, soft skills, and any special training that will appeal to hiring managers.
Regardless of which format you use, be sure to tailor each resume to the specific job description so that you make it past the automated Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). This software screens resumes for certain keywords and filters out any resume that doesn’t have what it’s looking for before passing the ones that do to an actual person. If your resume matches up with the job description and has the right keywords, you’ll have a better chance of making it to the interview stage.
Related Resources
Truckers are not required to obtain a federal commercial driver's license (they don't exist), but there are laws and...
4.24.2017
Are you wondering how to list contract work on a resume or how to best present your gig experience on a resume? Find...
6.16.2020
Searching for jobs on iHire is easy, but saving a job search only takes a few more clicks! Learn how to set up,...
2.23.2023