MightyRecruiterCDL drivers transport goods between locations using tractor trailers and heavy trucks. They often travel extensive distances to deliver their loads and must adhere to traffic and safety regulations while still making their deliveries on time.
CDL drivers must hold a commercial driver’s license, which takes three to six months to obtain. Some people expand the types of employment available to them by acquiring additional certifications to become hazardous materials drivers. Your CDL driver job description should specify the type of experience and certification you desire from candidates.
Driving large vehicles can be difficult, so CDL drivers must be comfortable operating heavy machinery and have the hand-eye coordination to do it proficiently. They are also legally required to have strong eyesight and hearing and be in good physical health. To learn more about what you should include in your CDL driver job description, you can review the example listed below.
CDL Driver Job Summary
Do you want to hit the open road and see the country? Our company seeks a trustworthy CDL driver to transport goods from our distribution center to restaurants and retailers throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. As one of our drivers, you will have the opportunity to visit diverse locations across the country, getting a taste of the local flavor everywhere you go. Aside from daily reports to our distribution manager, you will enjoy freedom and independence on the road. If you demonstrate continued success, you will also get the chance to undergo additional paid training that opens the door for more diverse work opportunities.
Job Responsibilities
- Perform safety checks of brakes, steering column, lights and mirrors prior to each leg of journey to ensure road readiness
- Follow and maintain loading protocols, using chains and binders to secure cargo and re-checking their stability throughout trips
- Inspect trailers before and after loading, paying attention to status of air lines and jack positions and adjusting them as necessary
- Visit weigh stations before and after packing to ensure that loads meet state safety regulations, making alterations to loads when required by law
- Contribute to company data by honestly recording times of delivery and hours worked
- Assist in unloading cargo when delivery sites are understaffed, maintaining product quality throughout conveyance
- Adhere to traffic safety regulations at all times, exercise caution in treacherous circumstances and report unsafe vehicle or road conditions to supervisors and highway authorities
- Use GPS to stay informed of route information, and communicate with supervisors and colleagues using CB radio and cab computer
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- High school diploma or GED
- CDL license
- Two years of experience working as a CDL driver with no legal or safety incidents on record
Preferred:
- Completion of professional truck driving educational program
- Ability to lift 75 pounds
- Enthusiasm for our products and desire to deliver them safely and on time
CDL Driver Job Responsibilities
The job responsibilities section in your CDL driver job description requires careful consideration. As the most substantial part, this list is crucial for giving jobseekers a clear enough outline of the position for them to decide whether they should apply. If it’s written too generally, you’ll waste your time interviewing applicants who aren’t interested in the specific position you have to offer.
Lay out the CDL driver job responsibilities in a list of 6-8 bullets detailing the primary tasks your new hire will perform, preferably with the responsibilities most central to the position listed first. Near the end of the list, you may want to include a bullet point or two indicating unusual or exciting opportunities possibly associated with the role to attract higher-quality candidates.
The following are some examples of responsibilities from a CDL driver job description:
- Drive long-haul runs between states 40–60 hours a week
- Document hours accurately
- Perform regular safety inspections of equipment in keeping with company SOPs and OSHA standards
- Communicate professionally with warehouses, including notifying loaders by phone if you will be late for a scheduled drop-off or pickup
- Follow a schedule of weekly recurring local runs between customers
- Count product during loading and/or unloading
CDL Driver Job Specifications
A CDL driver job description doesn’t usually require a long job qualifications and skills section, but calibrating this list properly can considerably ease the hiring process. You’ll want to tailor it based on the role and your company’s priorities. Will the driver be working with standard containers or with railroad-compatible, flatbed or reefer units? Does the position require loading and/or unloading, or will there be lumpers available at each origin point and destination? Will the driver run between trusted internal warehouses, or will you expect the driver to count loads? All of these factors will inform your list of CDL driver job specifications.
As academics aren’t typically useful in a CDL position, this list should be more about experience and personal qualities and less about education than in other fields. If the position requires unusual aspects such as working with sea containers, consider whether you’re willing to train the new employee on the equipment. Make sure to indicate clearly whether each specification is a minimum requirement or merely preferred.
Here are some suggested specifications for use in a CDL driver job description:
- Minimum 2 years’ experience with over-the-road trucking, preferably in CA
- Current Class A CDL, with a clean driving record for at least 3 years
- Experience with reefer units preferred
- 1 year of experience hauling flatbed units on local runs required
- Drug screening and background check pass
- Availability on weekends and holidays
