Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers earn a median of $58,640 per year ($28.19/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 3.8% through 2035, with about 214,500 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
- SOC 53-3032
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 15, 2026
At a glance
Truck Driver in four numbers
- Median pay
- $58,640a year, or $28.19/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $40KTop 10% $79K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.8%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 214,5002,221,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20252.2M
- Projected 20352.3M
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 2.2M Projected 2035 2.3M - Typical education
- Certificateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school25.9%
- High school54.3%
- Certificate18.5%
- Some college1.2%
Highest education held by heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers Segment Value Less than high school 25.9% High school 54.3% Certificate 18.5% Some college 1.2%
Also advertised as: CDL Driver (Commercial Driver's License Driver), Driver, Line Haul Driver, Log Truck Driver, Over the Road Driver (OTR Driver), Production Truck Driver.
Pay
How much do truck drivers make?
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers earn a median of $58,640 a year ($28.19 an hour, or about $4,890 a month); the lowest-paid 10% earn less than $40,140 and the top 10% more than $79,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The best-paying state is Alaska, with a median of $70,100. See Truck driver salary in Alaska and every other state. By city, pay is highest around Iowa City ($77,940 average): salary in every city.
Every truck driver in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$58,640
Middle half earn $47,960 to $69,120
- 10th
- $40,140
- 25th
- $47,960
- 75th
- $69,120
- 90th
- $79,380
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $40,140 |
| 25th | $47,960 |
| Median | $58,640 |
| 75th | $69,120 |
| 90th | $79,380 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $58,640
- Median hourly wage
- $28.19/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $59,710
- People employed
- 2,062,040
Versus all US occupations
At $58,640, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers earn 15% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $7,660 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 7% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $79,380 or more while the bottom 10% earn $40,140, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 30% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $70,100, and still leads at $68,484 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay truck drivers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $70,100 | $68,484 | 3,420 |
| 2Washington | $64,760 | $60,516 | 40,530 |
| 3District of Columbia | $64,170 | $58,389 | 830 |
| 4New Jersey | $63,570 | $58,426 | 47,980 |
| 5Massachusetts | $63,030 | $59,599 | 30,890 |
| 6Nevada | $62,290 | $62,303 | 15,010 |
| 7New York | $62,050 | $57,496 | 63,700 |
| 8Minnesota | $61,990 | $62,857 | 38,770 |
| 9Oregon | $61,980 | $59,965 | 23,970 |
| 10Colorado | $61,500 | $59,679 | 25,350 |
Job outlook
Is truck driver a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | +3.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers to change 3.8% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 83,800 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 214,500 openings are projected each year, 9.7% of the 2,221,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Trucks transport most of the freight in the United States. As the economy and the population are expected to continue to grow over the projections decade, so too should business and consumer demand for various goods such as food, consumer products, and material inputs for construction and manufacturing. This is expected to lead to increased demand for freight transportation, and truck drivers will be needed to transport goods to and from ports, warehouses, distribution sites, and other locations. Moreover, online shopping is expected to continue to remain a common way to shop for many types of products, which also supports demand for truck drivers who transport these goods.
AI exposure: moderate
BLS places this occupation in its moderate relative AI exposure category, below the middle of the pack: some of the work overlaps with what AI can do, much of it does not.
Getting in
How to become a truck driver
Driving a heavy or tractor-trailer truck requires a Commercial Driver's License. States issue the CDL, but they issue it to federal minimum standards set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: you need a commercial learner's permit, federally mandated Entry-Level Driver Training from a provider on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry, a DOT medical examiner's certificate, and passing knowledge and skills tests.
The credential path, step by step
- Check you meet the federal driver qualification rules
For driving in interstate commerce, federal rules require you to be at least 21, to read and speak English sufficiently for the job, to be physically qualified under the FMCSA medical standards, and to hold a valid commercial license from only one state. Most companies also require a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Get the DOT medical certificate
Most commercial driving requires a DOT medical card obtained through a DOT physical. You must bring proof of medical qualification when you apply for the learner's permit, and later provide the certificate to your state licensing agency.
- Get a Commercial Learner's PermitMust be held at least 14 days before the skills test
Pass the knowledge tests for the driving you intend to do and clear a 10-year driving-record check. The CLP only authorizes you to practice on public roads with a qualified CDL holder beside you.
- Complete Entry-Level Driver TrainingOften 3-6 months at a truck-driving school or community college program
If you are getting a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time, upgrading a Class B to a Class A, or getting a first school bus (S), passenger (P) or hazardous materials (H) endorsement, you must complete ELDT with a provider on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry before taking the skills test or the hazmat knowledge test.
- Pass the skills test and get the CDL
Pass the vehicle inspection, basic controls and road tests in a representative vehicle for the group you want. A Class A holder may operate Group B and Group C vehicles, and a Class B holder may operate Group C vehicles, provided they hold the required endorsements.
- Add endorsements and finish company training
Take the endorsement tests for the work you want — hazmat (H), tank (N), the combined X, passenger (P), school bus (S) or double/triple trailers (T). After being hired, expect several weeks driving with an experienced mentor driver on the specific truck and freight you will handle.
Exams you have to pass
Written tests for the type of driving you want to do, passed in order to be issued a commercial learner's permit. Your driving record is checked for the previous 10 years across all 50 states and DC, and you must show proof that you are medically qualified.
Administered by State driver licensing agency.
Three parts — the Vehicle Inspection Test, the Basic Controls Test and the Road Test — taken in a vehicle representative of the group you are licensing for. You must have held the commercial learner's permit for 14 days and completed any applicable Entry-Level Driver Training before you are eligible to take it.
Administered by State driver licensing agency.
Specialized tests required for each endorsement, using federally standardized codes: T for double/triple trailers (knowledge test), P for passenger (knowledge and skills), N for tank vehicle (knowledge), H for hazardous materials (knowledge test plus a background check), X for the combined tank and hazardous materials endorsements, and S for school bus (knowledge and skills). A first-time S, P or H endorsement also triggers the ELDT requirement.
Administered by State driver licensing agency.
- How long the training takes
3-6 months
Many prospective drivers attend a private truck-driving school or a community college program lasting between 3 and 6 months, then receive several weeks of on-the-job training with a mentor driver after being hired.
- Continuing education
Required to stay credentialed
Federal rules require CDL drivers to keep a valid medical examiner's certificate and to pass a physical exam every two years; you must self-certify your category of operation to your state driver licensing agency and give it a copy of each new certificate before the old one expires, or your commercial driving privileges are downgraded. Drivers are also subject to random drug and alcohol testing and must maintain a clean driving record.
- Program accreditation
TPR · FMCSA Training Provider Registry
Entry-Level Driver Training must be completed with a training provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry, which retains the record that you completed the required training. Drivers applying for a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time who were issued a commercial learner's permit on or after February 7, 2022 must complete ELDT with a registered provider before taking the skills test.
Licensing and state variation
Licensed state by state
CDLs are issued by states, but to federal minimum standards, so the substance is national. Federal rules define the vehicle groups (Group A combination vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more towing over 10,000 pounds; Group B heavy straight vehicles of 26,001 pounds or more; Group C smaller vehicles carrying 16 or more passengers including the driver or hazardous materials), the endorsement codes, the Entry-Level Driver Training requirement and the driver qualification rules. What varies is process — each state has its own CDL manual, fees, documentation and testing arrangements, and some states impose requirements above the federal training minimums. States may also refuse to issue a CDL to someone whose CDL was suspended by another state.
Who governs the credential
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
Sets the federal standards for commercial driver licensing, driver qualification and entry-level driver training. FMCSA does not issue CDLs — state governments do — but states must license to the federal minimums.
- State driver licensing agencies (SDLA)
Issue the commercial learner's permit and the CDL, administer the knowledge and skills tests, and record your medical certification status. Each state has its own process and its own CDL manual, and it is illegal to hold a license from more than one state.
Credential detail for truck drivers is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers, How to Become One · checked August 23, 2026
- FMCSA — Commercial Driver's License Program · checked August 23, 2026
- FMCSA — How Do I Get a Commercial Driver's License? · checked August 23, 2026
- FMCSA — Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) and the Training Provider Registry · checked August 23, 2026
- FMCSA — Commercial Driver's License: Medical (medical examiner's certificate and self-certification) · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 383.91 — Commercial motor vehicle groups (Groups A, B and C) · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 383.93 — Endorsements and endorsement testing requirements · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 383.153 — Standardized endorsement codes (T, P, N, H, X, S) · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 391.11 — General qualifications of drivers (minimum age 21) · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers usually have a high school diploma and attend a professional truck driving school. They must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Postsecondary nondegree award
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)54.3%
- Less than a High School Diploma25.9%
- Post-Secondary Certificate18.5%
- Some College Courses1.2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 54.3% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 25.9% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 18.5% |
| Some College Courses | 1.2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a truck driver do?
Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. Most tractor-trailer drivers are long-haul drivers and operate trucks with a total weight exceeding 26,000 pounds for the vehicle, passengers, and cargo. These drivers deliver goods over intercity routes that sometimes span several states.
Day-to-day tasks
- Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.
- Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.
- Operate equipment, such as truck cab computers, CB radios, phones, or global positioning systems (GPS) equipment to exchange necessary information with bases, supervisors, or other drivers.
- Maneuver trucks into loading or unloading positions, following signals from loading crew and checking that vehicle and loading equipment are properly positioned.
- Perform basic vehicle maintenance tasks, such as adding oil, fuel, or radiator fluid, performing minor repairs, or washing trucks.
- Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.
- Collect delivery instructions from appropriate sources, verifying instructions and routes.
- Drive trucks with capacities greater than 13 tons, including tractor-trailer combinations, to transport and deliver products, livestock, or other materials.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Fatal injury rate: 25.7 per 100,000 workers (7.8x the 3.3 average)
BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2024, for the group “Driver/sales workers and truck drivers”: 950 deaths that year.
Most heavy tractor-trailer drivers work full time. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the hours that a long-haul truck driver may work. Drivers may not work more than 14 hours straight, comprising up to 11 hours driving and the remaining time doing other work, such as unloading cargo. Between working periods, drivers must have at least 10 hours off duty. Drivers also are limited to driving no more than 60 hours within 7 days or 70 hours within 8 days; then drivers must take 34 hours off before starting another 7- or 8-day run. Drivers must record their hours in a logbook. Truck drivers often work nights, weekends, and holidays.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Truck transportation40%
- Wholesale trade12%
- Self-employed workers7%
- Manufacturing7%
- Construction6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Truck transportation | 40% |
| Wholesale trade | 12% |
| Self-employed workers | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Construction | 6% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.1
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Active Listening2.9
- Writing2.8
- Active Learning2.5
- Mathematics2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 2.9 |
| Writing | 2.8 |
| Active Learning | 2.5 |
| Mathematics | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.8
- Operation and Control3.8
- Troubleshooting3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Equipment Maintenance2.9
- Repairing2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Social Perceptiveness2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Operation and Control | 3.8 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 2.9 |
| Repairing | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Desktop communications software
- Inventory management software
- Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
- Route navigation software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
The workforce
Who works as a truck driver?
Women make up 7.7% of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, against 47.1% of all employed people: a heavily male-dominated occupation.
30.8% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs), so a larger-than-usual share of the workforce reaches retirement age over the next decade. Those exits are counted in the BLS openings figure.
The median worker is 46.4 years old (all workers: 42.1).
- Women
- 7.7%All workers 47.1% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Median age
- 46.4All workers 42.1 · BLS CPS, 2025
- Aged 55+
- 30.8%All workers 23.2% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Employed (CPS)
- 3,583,000Driver/sales workers and truck drivers · BLS CPS, 2025
| Group | Share of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | All employed people |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 7.7% | 47.1% |
| White | 72.1% | 75.7% |
| Black or African American | 20.2% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 4.5% | 7.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 25.8% | 20.0% |
| Aged 55 and over | 30.8% | 23.2% |
| Aged 16 to 24 | 6.9% | 12.2% |
Current Population Survey annual averages, 2025 (BLS tables 11 and 11b). Race groups can overlap with Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, so they do not sum to 100%. CPS reports this occupation only within the wider Census group “Driver/sales workers and truck drivers”, so these figures are for that group.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a truck driver?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Truck Driver |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional4.1
- Investigative1.9
- Social1.3
- Enterprising1.3
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Truck Driver
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Median annual pay, with heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator$46,420
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator | $46,420 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Questions
Truck Driver: frequently asked questions
How much do truck drivers make?
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers earn a median of $58,640 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 15% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $28.19/hr. The middle half earn between $47,960 and $69,120. The top 10% earn $79,380 or more.
How much do truck drivers make an hour?
The median hourly wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is $28.19 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). On a full-year basis the $58,640 annual median works out to about $4,890 a month before tax.
What is the starting salary for a truck driver?
BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn less than $40,140 a year and the bottom quarter less than $47,960 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.
Do truck drivers make $100k?
Rarely. Even the 90th percentile is $79,380, so fewer than 10% of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $100,000 or more (BLS OEWS, May 2025). No state's median reaches $100,000; the highest is Alaska at $70,100.
Which states pay truck drivers the most?
The highest state medians for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers are Alaska ($70,100), Washington ($64,760), District of Columbia ($64,170) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What kind of truck driver earns the most?
BLS does not split heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $79,380, against a median of $58,640 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are Alaska ($70,100), Washington ($64,760), District of Columbia ($64,170).
Do you need a degree to become a truck driver?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialed training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or license program) as the typical entry route for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 54.3% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is truck driver a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.8% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 214,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a truck driver do?
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. A core O*NET task: report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Do truck drivers work 40 hours a week?
Most work more than 40. In O*NET's survey of people in the job, 80% of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers usually work more than 40 hours a week, 15% work exactly 40 and 5% work fewer. 38% say their schedule is regular and 61% irregular. Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, Work Context.
What personality type suits a truck driver?
O*NET scores Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.
How long does it take to become a truck driver?
3-6 months. Many prospective drivers attend a private truck-driving school or a community college program lasting between 3 and 6 months, then receive several weeks of on-the-job training with a mentor driver after being hired.
Do you need a license to work as a truck driver?
Yes, and it is issued by the state you work in, not nationally. CDLs are issued by states, but to federal minimum standards, so the substance is national. Federal rules define the vehicle groups (Group A combination vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more towing over 10,000 pounds; Group B heavy straight vehicles of 26,001 pounds or more; Group C smaller vehicles carrying 16 or more passengers including the driver or hazardous materials), the endorsement codes, the Entry-Level Driver Training requirement and the driver qualification rules. What varies is process — each state has its own CDL manual, fees, documentation and testing arrangements, and some states impose requirements above the federal training minimums. States may also refuse to issue a CDL to someone whose CDL was suspended by another state.
What exams do you have to pass to become a truck driver?
The CDL knowledge tests, the CDL skills test, the CDL endorsement tests. Written tests for the type of driving you want to do, passed in order to be issued a commercial learner's permit. Your driving record is checked for the previous 10 years across all 50 states and DC, and you must show proof that you are medically qualified.
What percentage of truck drivers are women?
Women make up 7.7% of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, against 47.1% of all employed people: a heavily male-dominated occupation. 30.8% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs), so a larger-than-usual share of the workforce reaches retirement age over the next decade. Those exits are counted in the BLS openings figure. The median worker is 46.4 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages, for the Census group "Driver/sales workers and truck drivers".