Heavy Truck Driver with 15 years in international freight. Operate tractor-trailer on regional routes, handling customs documentation and trip logs.
Skills
Class A commercial licence
Regional routes
Customs documentation
Defensive driving
Pre-trip inspection
Logbook and hours of service
Education
High School Diploma Harborview High School · 2009
International Freight Transport Course Dept. of Transportation · 2020
Languages
SpanishNative
EnglishBasic
Professional Experience
International Freight Driver
Central American Transport · 2015 – Present
Operates tractor-trailer on routes to Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, with trips of up to five days.
Handles customs documentation at each border crossing, verifying manifests and seals before departure.
Performs pre-trip equipment inspection, reporting any condition that compromises safety.
Maintains trip logs and hours-of-service records under transport regulations.
Regional Delivery Driver
Western Distributors · 2011 – 2015
Operated a five-ton truck on regional distribution routes.
Delivered product verifying quantities and documentation with each customer.
Supported loading and securing of product at the warehouse before each route.
Certifications
Class A Commercial Licence — current
International Freight Transport — 2020
Defensive Driving — 2023
💡 Why this resume works
Credential first: current Class A licence, the gating requirement.
Geographic scope: international routes with trips of up to five days.
Uncommon competence: customs documentation and seals.
Regulatory compliance: trip logs and hours-of-service records.
15 years of trade: record stated without adjectives.
How to write a truck driver resume that proves safety and compliance
CDL driver, OTR driver, tractor-trailer operator — the carrier hiring you is handing over equipment worth more than a house and freight that may be worth more than the equipment. Their number-one fear is a crash; number two is a load that does not arrive. Your resume has to answer both before it talks about miles.
What carriers check on a driver resume
CDL class, endorsements and status. Class A or B, endorsements (Hazmat, Tanker, Doubles/Triples), medical card status, expiration. First section, all of it.
Driving record. No preventable accidents, no serious violations, clean MVR and PSP. If true, write it — it is the most reassuring line on the page.
Route type and equipment. Local, regional, OTR, dedicated. Dry van, reefer, flatbed, tanker, intermodal. Each combination is a different profile.
Compliance. Hours of service, ELD use, pre-trip and post-trip inspections, DOT regulations, bills of lading. Prove you know the paperwork side of the wheel.
Equipment care. Inspections, timely defect reporting, basic maintenance. A driver who takes care of the truck saves the carrier serious money.
Mistakes that get a driver resume rejected
CDL without class, endorsements or expiration. Recruiters do not guess. Missing details send them to the next resume.
Not specifying equipment. "Driver" could mean rideshare or tractor-trailer. State exactly what you hauled and for how long.
Bragging about speed or beating ETAs. It reads as risk. Talk about on-time delivery, route compliance and defensive driving.
Leaving out a clean record. Years without a preventable accident is your best argument. Do not omit it out of modesty.
Unexplained gaps. Seasonal and contract work are common. Label them rather than leaving months blank — DOT employment history requires it anyway.
Keywords trucking ATS filters look for
Use them only where they are true for you: the filter searches for them, but the recruiter verifies them in the interview.
CDL Class Atruck driverOTRregionaldedicateddry vanreeferflatbedHazmat endorsementtankerhours of serviceELDpre-trip inspectionDOT complianceclean MVRbill of ladingdefensive drivingon-time deliveryload securementTWIC
Want to know whether your current resume uses these keywords and whether ATS filters can read it? Analyze it free — three checks a day, no sign-up.
If you have a new CDL and little experience
Carriers would rather train a new driver with a clean record than gamble on an experienced one with violations. List your CDL class and endorsements, years driving any vehicle, and your clean record. If you drove box trucks, delivery vans or straight trucks, that is progressive experience — include it. Note your CDL school and hours completed. State openness to OTR and night departures if you have it; that is where most new drivers start. Mention any carrier training program you completed or are eligible for.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a truck driver resume with no OTR experience?
Lead with CDL class, endorsements, school hours, clean record and availability. A defensive driving or Hazmat certification offsets some missing experience.
Should I write truck driver, CDL driver or OTR driver?
Use the posting's term. In your summary you can cover them: "CDL-A truck driver (OTR and regional)" so filters match the variants.
Should I mention an accident?
Not on the resume. If asked in the interview, answer honestly and explain what changed. The MVR and PSP are checked anyway; lying is what disqualifies.
Does basic mechanical knowledge matter?
Yes. "Daily pre-trip inspections and basic preventive maintenance" signals you take care of equipment. Carriers value it highly.
How long should the resume be?
One page. CDL, record and equipment type readable in the first five lines. Everything else is supporting detail.
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