Truck driver job description template: CDL class, route type, FMCSA lines and screening questions
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Drivers decide on a posting by three facts before they read anything else: home time, pay and the kind of freight. CDL holders see a steady stream of ads, and most of them say the same thing ("Class A drivers wanted, great pay, new equipment"). The posting that wins says when the driver gets home, how pay is calculated and what the run looks like, and it states the federal qualification steps plainly so nobody is surprised by the Clearinghouse query or the road test. Below is a copy-ready truck driver job description template, the CDL and FMCSA lines checked against the regulations, how each must-have becomes a screening question and scorecard row, and the mistakes that make good drivers scroll past.
Not legal advice. CDL, driver qualification and pay points were checked against the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR), the Department of Labor, BLS and the EEOC as of October 2026. Your carrier's safety department and counsel should confirm the requirements for your operation, including any state rules for intrastate drivers.
Define the run before you write
| Run type | What the driver needs to know | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Over-the-road (OTR) | Weeks out, home time policy, lanes, trucks with sleepers | Has run multi-day trips and managed hours of service alone |
| Regional | Home weekly or several nights, region covered | Comfortable with a mix of overnights and frequent stops |
| Local or dedicated | Home daily, start time, customer stops, unloading | Has handled tight docks and city traffic; may need to unload |
| Specialized (tanker, flatbed, hazmat) | Endorsements, securement, product handling | Holds the endorsement and has hauled that freight |
| Team | Driving partner, split of pay, sleeper time | Has run team or understands the split and schedule |
Also settle the equipment (day cab or sleeper, manual or automatic, trailer type), whether there is touch freight, and how dispatch assigns loads. Each of these is a deal-breaker for some drivers, so stating it saves both sides a phone call.
The CDL and endorsement lines
Write the license line from the regulation, not from habit. Federal rules define Group A (Class A) as any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more where the towed vehicle is rated over 10,000 pounds (49 CFR 383.91). Endorsement codes are set in 49 CFR 383.153: T for double/triple trailers, P for passenger, N for tank vehicle, H for hazardous materials, X for tank plus hazmat, and S for school bus. The same section lists restriction codes such as E (no manual transmission) and L or Z (air brake restrictions); if your trucks are manual, say so and screen for the E restriction.
Other federal qualification rules belong in the posting because they are fixed:
- Age: drivers in interstate commerce must be at least 21 (49 CFR 391.11). State it as the legal minimum, not as a preference.
- Medical certification: a driver must be medically examined and certified, generally at least every 24 months (49 CFR 391.45).
- Entry-level driver training: since February 7, 2022, first-time Class A or B applicants and upgraders must complete training from a provider on the Training Provider Registry (49 CFR 380.609). For new-CDL programs, say whether you accept recent graduates of any registered provider.
The truck driver job description template
CDL-A Truck Driver — [OTR / Regional / Local / Dedicated], [freight:
dry van / reefer / flatbed / tanker]
[Company], based at [terminal, city, state]
Pay: [$[min]–$[max] per mile / $[min]–$[max] per hour / [%] of
load], with [detention, layover, stop pay — amounts and conditions].
[Benefits summary, if required.]
THE RUN
Home time: [daily / weekly, usually Friday to Sunday / N days out,
N days home]. Lanes: [region or states]. Typical week: [N] miles or
[N] stops. Equipment: [year range, make] [day cab / sleeper],
[automatic / manual], [trailer]. Freight: [no-touch / drop and hook /
driver unload at N% of stops].
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Drive assigned loads safely and on time, within hours-of-service
limits, logged on [ELD].
- Complete pre-trip and post-trip inspections and report defects.
- [Secure loads with straps and chains / handle hazmat paperwork and
placards.]
- Communicate with dispatch and customers about delays.
YOU MUST HAVE
- Valid Class A CDL [with N / H / X / T endorsement].
- [Experience: N months of verifiable Class A driving] [or: completed
entry-level driver training with a registered provider].
- Valid DOT medical certificate.
- At least 21 years old (federal requirement for interstate driving).
NICE TO HAVE
- Experience with [freight type], [manual transmission], [city
delivery].
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
HIRING STEPS (REQUIRED BY FEDERAL RULES)
- Employment application covering prior employers as required by
FMCSA.
- Pre-employment drug test and a query of the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol
Clearinghouse, with your consent.
- Motor vehicle record and previous-employer safety history checks.
- Road test, or acceptance of your CDL in its place [state which].
[EEO STATEMENT]
If you need an adjustment to apply or interview, email [address].The hiring steps come straight from the rules. The application must list employers for the preceding three years, plus employers in the seven years before that for whom the applicant drove a commercial vehicle (49 CFR 391.21). A driver must pass a pre-employment controlled substances test before performing safety-sensitive functions (49 CFR 382.301), and the employer must run a pre-employment Clearinghouse query (49 CFR 382.701) for which the driver gives electronic consent in the Clearinghouse (49 CFR 382.703). Motor vehicle records from each state the driver was licensed in over the preceding three years, and the safety performance history investigation, are due within 30 days of the start date (49 CFR 391.23). A carrier may accept a valid CDL in place of the road test, but may still require one (49 CFR 391.33).
Pay basis, overtime and EEO
Pay basis. Say how pay is calculated (per mile, hourly, percentage, per stop), how miles are counted, and what detention, layover and stop pay are and when they apply. "Up to" figures without the typical range invite distrust. Check pay transparency laws by state for what a range must look like. For outside reference, BLS covers Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers (SOC 53-3032) in its Occupational Outlook Handbook (last modified August 27, 2026); this page does not quote figures.
Overtime. The FLSA Section 13(b)(1) exemption removes the federal overtime requirement for drivers of motor carriers whose duties affect safety in interstate transportation, but not for those working on vehicles of 10,000 pounds or less, with some exceptions (DOL Fact Sheet #19). Overtime is not minimum wage; per-mile pay still has to meet minimum wage rules, and state law may differ.
EEO. The EEOC says ads may not show a preference based on protected characteristics, including age (40 or older). Avoid "young" or "energetic" and write the age line only as the legal minimum.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A and endorsements | "Which class and endorsements are on your CDL, any restrictions, and which state issued it?" | Not scored: verified on the MVR | Clear answer that matches the record |
| Verifiable experience | "Walk me through your last three driving jobs: freight, lanes and why you left." | Experience fit | Dates and freight line up with the application |
| Hours-of-service discipline | "Tell me about a time a load was going to run you out of hours. What did you do?" | Safety judgment | Stopped, told dispatch, documented; did not push it |
| Freight-specific skill | "How do you secure [a load of steel coils / a partial tanker load]?" | Technical skill | Specific method, equipment and checks |
| Home-time fit | "The run is [N days out, N home]. How does that work for you?" | Not scored | Knockout confirmed |
The full screen, with Clearinghouse wording and questions to avoid, is in truck driver screening questions. To source drivers directly, use Boolean search strings for truck drivers. State testing rules beyond DOT are covered in drug testing laws in hiring, and MVR and background reports from consumer reporting agencies follow the FCRA background check process.
Common mistakes in truck driver job descriptions
No home time
"Great home time" is not a schedule. Write the pattern and how reliable it is.
Pay that cannot be checked
A top-end weekly figure without the per-mile rate, typical miles and accessorials reads as bait. Give the basis and a typical range.
Experience minimums with no reason
If your insurer requires a minimum, say so. If not, consider whether recent training-program graduates with a mentor period would work, and write that path in.
Leaving out the federal steps
Drivers know them, and a posting that lists them signals a compliant carrier. Hiding the road test or the Clearinghouse query only moves the drop-off later in the process.
Equipment surprises
A driver with an E restriction cannot drive your manual trucks. Name the transmission and trailer type.
Before you publish
- Run type, home time, lanes, equipment and freight handling are in the first lines.
- CDL class, endorsements and restrictions match the freight and trucks.
- Pay basis, accessorials and any overtime position are stated.
- The federal hiring steps are listed, and the age line is only the legal minimum.
- The EEO statement and an accommodation contact close the posting.
If you paste the posting into Interview Signal, it builds the driver screen from these must-haves, and the scorecard quotes what the driver said about their CDL, endorsements and work history for checking against the records.
Questions people ask
What CDL class does a tractor-trailer driver need?
A Class A CDL. Federal rules define Group A as a combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more where the towed vehicle is rated over 10,000 pounds. Add the endorsements the freight needs, such as N for tank vehicles, H for hazardous materials, X for both, or T for double and triple trailers.
What is the minimum age for an interstate truck driver?
Federal driver qualification rules require drivers of commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce to be at least 21. Intrastate driving is governed by each state's rules, so check your state before writing an age line, and state it as a legal requirement rather than a preference.
Do new CDL holders need entry-level driver training?
Yes, for licenses issued under the current rule. Since February 7, 2022, a person applying for a Class A or B CDL for the first time, or upgrading to one, must complete training from a provider on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry, as must first-time applicants for the passenger, school bus or hazardous materials endorsements.
Are truck drivers paid overtime?
Many are not. The FLSA Section 13(b)(1) motor carrier exemption removes the overtime requirement for drivers whose duties affect safety in interstate transportation, but not for drivers of vehicles of 10,000 pounds or less, with some exceptions. State law may differ. Minimum wage rules still apply, so check how per-mile pay works out per hour.