Train for a skilled job
Truck driver (CDL): how to get hired
Most new drivers train for 3 to 6 months, then learn on the job with a mentor. This page is the hiring path: federal rules, the permit and test steps, paid-training options and the interview.
At a glance
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers , checked 2026-10-19
What the work involves
- Drive long distances, often between cities
- Inspect the trailer before and after each trip
- Secure cargo with chains, blocks or covers
- Keep a log of hours that follows federal and state rules
- Follow every traffic law
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers , checked 2026-10-19
Your step-by-step plan
The same steps apply in every state. Every button opens the exact page where you act.
Step 1: Check that you can drive across state lines
Federal rules set 21 as the minimum age to drive a truck between states. Under 21, your state sets the rules for driving inside the state only — read your state's CDL manual. You also need a clean enough driving record: your state checks the last 10 years in every state.
Done when: You know you meet the age rule and have your state's CDL manual.
Step 2: Get free local help and ask about training money
Before you pay for a truck driving school, contact your nearest American Job Center. It is the U.S. Department of Labor's free local network for job search help, referrals and placement. Services vary by state, so ask directly whether training funds are available to you.
- Find your American Job Center (enter your ZIP code)
- What American Job Centers do — U.S. Department of LaborPhone: 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-872-5627)
Have ready: Your ZIP code · Your work history in a few lines · Your weekly hours free for training
Done when: You have an appointment date, or a written answer about training funds.
Step 3: Compare school with company-paid training
Some trucking companies pay for your CDL training and pay you while you train. Schneider, for example, runs a paid CDL apprenticeship for people who already hold a learner's permit, and offers tuition reimbursement. Read any training agreement for a work commitment before you sign.
Done when: You have chosen: a school, or a company program with a written start date.
Step 4: Pass a DOT medical exam
Most commercial driving needs a DOT medical card, and you show it when you apply for your learner's permit. The exam must be done by an examiner on the federal registry.
Have ready: Your glasses or contacts, if you wear them · A list of your medicines
Done when: You hold a DOT medical card.
Step 5: Get your Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP)
Pass your state's knowledge test at the licensing office. With a CLP you may drive a truck on public roads only with a qualified CDL holder in the passenger seat.
Have ready: Your DOT medical card · Proof of identity and residency your state asks for · The permit fee
Done when: You hold a CLP — and the 14-day clock starts.
Step 6: Complete Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)
First-time Class A or Class B applicants must finish ELDT with a provider on the federal Training Provider Registry before the skills test. Your provider reports your completion to the registry.
Done when: Your ELDT completion shows on the registry.
Step 7: Take the CDL skills test
After holding your CLP for at least 14 days and finishing ELDT, book the three-part skills test with your state: vehicle inspection, basic controls and road test. You must pass all three, then bring your documents to the licensing counter.
Done when: You hold your CDL. Check every detail on it before you leave the counter.
Step 8: Register in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse
Employers must run a pre-employment check, and you give consent online. FMCSA says you need a Clearinghouse account to do that — register now so an offer is not delayed.
Done when: You can sign in to your Clearinghouse account.
Step 9: Apply and prepare for the call
Truck transportation companies employ about 40% of these drivers. Apply on employers' own sites, then practise the interview questions on this page.
- Truck driver jobs on JoRoute
- Schneider driving jobs with paid training
- Write an honest resume and introduction — JoRoute guide
- Practise answers in Interview Studio
Done when: You have applied to every matching opening you would take, and noted each date.
You are now waiting for two calls: the school or company confirming your training start, and carriers inviting you to interview. Keep your medical card and CDL current — BLS notes a physical exam every two years.
Federal rules that apply in every state
| Rule | What is required | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Age | At least 21 to drive between states. | Electronic Code of Federal Regulations |
| Training | First-time Class A or B applicants must complete Entry-Level Driver Training from a registered provider before the skills test (permits issued from February 7, 2022). | Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration |
| Permit | Hold a Commercial Learner's Permit for 14 days before the skills test. | Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration |
| Health | DOT medical card; CDL holders pass a physical every two years, with vision and hearing standards. | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Clearinghouse | An account is needed to give employers electronic consent for the pre-employment check. | Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration |
States issue CDLs and may add their own requirements: always read your state's CDL manual.
Where the jobs are
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers , checked 2026-10-19
Titles to search on any job site: CDL-A driver, Truck driver, Tractor-trailer driver.
Open jobs now
- Trash Service Valet (TRUCK REQUIRED) - 1493
Fetch Package · Tallahassee, FL - TLH1 · 5 hours ago
- Part-Time Evening Trash Collector - TRUCK REQUIRED
Fetch Package · Orlando, FL - MCO1 · 3 days ago
- Part-Time Evening Trash Collector - TRUCK REQUIRED
Fetch Package · Miami, FL - MIA1 · 3 days ago
- Part-Time Evening Trash Collector - TRUCK REQUIRED
Fetch Package · Houston, TX - HOU1 · 3 days ago
- Part-Time Evening Trash Collector - TRUCK REQUIRED
Fetch Package · Dallas, TX - DAL3 · 3 days ago
Interview questions to practise
JoRoute practice questions. Answer each with one real example.
They are listening for: A fixed order you follow every time, and what you do when you find a defect.
They are listening for: That you follow the hours-of-service rules and tell dispatch early.
They are listening for: One real example: what happened, what you did, what changed.
They are listening for: Honest records and a habit, not a promise.
They are listening for: That you understand the time away from home and plan to stay.
Sources
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, checked 2026-10-19
- How do I get a commercial driver's license? — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, checked 2026-10-19
- 49 CFR 391.11, general qualifications of drivers — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, checked 2026-10-19
- Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse FAQ — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, checked 2026-10-19
- State motor vehicle services — USA.gov, checked 2026-10-19
Rules and pay change. Confirm with your state before you pay for training. Reviewed 2026-10-19. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.