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Create ResumeIf you want to land a truck driving job fast, your CDL driver resume must clearly show your license, safety record, driving experience, and reliability within seconds. Recruiters and dispatch managers scan resumes quickly, so the goal is simple: prove you can drive safely, deliver on time, and handle the workload. This guide walks you step-by-step through building a CDL resume from scratch, improving an existing one, and describing your truck driving experience in a way that gets callbacks.
Before writing your resume, understand the hiring mindset. Employers prioritize:
Valid CDL license and endorsements
Clean driving and safety record
Experience with specific routes (local, regional, OTR)
Ability to meet delivery schedules
Compliance with DOT and FMCSA regulations
Reliability and professionalism
Your resume must immediately communicate these factors or it gets skipped.
A CDL driver resume summary is a 3–4 sentence overview highlighting your CDL class, endorsements, driving experience, safety record, and delivery performance. It should quickly show employers you are qualified, reliable, and compliant with industry standards.
Your summary sits at the top and determines whether the recruiter keeps reading.
CDL class (A, B, or C)
Endorsements (Hazmat, Tanker, Doubles/Triples)
Years of experience
Driving type (OTR, regional, local)
Safety record
Key performance metrics
This is non-negotiable. Recruiters often scan for license details first.
CDL Class (A, B, or C)
Endorsements (Hazmat, Tanker, Passenger, etc.)
DOT Medical Card status
TWIC card (if applicable)
License state and validity
Put this section directly under your summary or even in the header.
CDL Class A License (TX)
Endorsements: Hazmat, Tanker
DOT Medical Card: Active
Good Example:
CDL Class A driver with 6+ years of OTR experience transporting refrigerated freight across 48 states. Maintained 100% accident-free record with 98% on-time delivery rate. Skilled in ELD compliance, route planning, and load securement.
Weak Example:
Truck driver with experience driving and delivering goods.
The difference is specificity and measurable proof.
TWIC Card: Valid
Key CDL driver resume skills include pre-trip inspections, ELD logging, HOS compliance, route planning, load securement, and delivery documentation.
This section helps both ATS systems and recruiters quickly identify your capabilities.
Pre-trip and post-trip inspections
ELD systems and logging
Hours of Service (HOS) compliance
Route planning and navigation
Load securement and weight distribution
Freight handling and delivery paperwork
Defensive driving
Vehicle maintenance awareness
Avoid generic skills like “hardworking.” Focus on job-specific competencies.
Certifications increase your value, especially for specialized roles.
CDL training school
Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)
Hazmat certification
Tanker endorsement training
Defensive driving courses
Forklift certification
OSHA training
TWIC certification
Drivers with Hazmat or Tanker endorsements are often prioritized because they are harder to find.
This is the most important section.
To describe CDL driver experience on a resume, include your route type, vehicle type, cargo, delivery environment, and measurable results such as miles driven, delivery rate, and safety performance.
Job title
Company name
Location
Dates
Then bullet points with action + detail + result
Route type (local, regional, OTR)
Equipment (tractor-trailer, flatbed, tanker)
Cargo type
Daily workload (miles, stops)
Performance metrics
CDL Class A Truck Driver
ABC Logistics, Dallas, TX
2020 – Present
Operated Class A tractor-trailer for OTR routes covering 2,500+ miles weekly
Delivered refrigerated freight with 99% on-time delivery rate
Maintained 100% accident-free record across 250,000+ miles
Completed daily ELD logs and ensured full HOS compliance
Performed pre-trip and post-trip inspections, reducing maintenance issues by 20%
It shows volume, reliability, compliance, and results.
Numbers make your resume credible.
Accident-free miles
On-time delivery rate
Stops per day
Weekly mileage
Inspection pass rate
Customer satisfaction scores
Completed 120+ deliveries per month with 97% customer satisfaction
Logged 300,000 accident-free miles over 5 years
Metrics instantly separate average drivers from top performers.
Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
CDL driver
Truck driver
Class A / Class B
DOT compliance
FMCSA regulations
ELD
HOS
Freight delivery
Mirror keywords from the job description naturally.
Weak resumes describe duties. Strong resumes show impact.
Responsible for delivering goods
Operated
Delivered
Managed
Inspected
Coordinated
Maintained
Use simple fonts
No graphics or tables
Use clear headings
Use bullet points (• only)
Avoid columns
Complex formatting can break ATS parsing and hide your qualifications.
Tailoring a CDL resume means adjusting your skills, experience, and keywords to match the specific job requirements and route type in the job posting.
Match route type (local vs OTR)
Highlight relevant endorsements
Adjust skills based on job needs
Include similar equipment experience
If job requires tanker experience → highlight tanker loads prominently.
If you're starting fresh, follow this structure:
Contact information
Professional summary
CDL license and endorsements
Skills
Work experience
Certifications and training
Focus on clarity and proof, not length.
If your resume isn’t getting responses:
Too vague → add metrics
Missing license info → move it to top
No keywords → optimize for ATS
Weak summary → rewrite with specifics
No results → add performance data
Experience + Metrics + Compliance = Strong Resume
Recruiters should not search for your license.
Safety is a top hiring factor.
Avoid repeating the same duties without detail.
Numbers build trust.
Stay focused on driving-related experience.
Top resumes consistently show:
Clean driving record
Strong delivery performance
Compliance with regulations
High workload capacity
Specialized certifications
A great CDL resume answers one question instantly:
“Can this driver safely and reliably deliver freight?”
If yes, you get the interview.
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