Although you might not think to include a cover letter for truck driver applications, taking the time to build one can provide a competitive advantage during the job hunt. The key is to reframe seemingly routine responsibilities into accomplishments by highlighting your on-time delivery rates, vehicle and safety knowledge, and the size of your shipments. Our guide provides expert tips and cover letter examples to help put you in the driver’s seat for your next interview.
Truck Driver Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
How To Write a Truck Driver Cover Letter
A great truck driver cover letter has five main elements:
1. Heading. Use a professional template to enhance the style and presentation of your cover letter. Be sure your heading includes:
- Your name, title, and contact info
- The current date
- The addressee’s details
2. Salutation. Greet the hiring manager by name — Mr. or Ms. [Last Name]. If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, use a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager.”
3. Introduction. Create a strong opening paragraph to grab the hiring manager’s attention and make a strong first impression. Highlight your CDL license, years of experience, and comprehensive knowledge of safety regulations. Build your introduction around a powerful achievement you can substantiate with hard numbers, such as on-time delivery rates.
Example
As you can see from my attached resume, I’m a Class A CDL Truck Driver with five years of commercial driving experience. My proven track record includes executing large deliveries across multiple states and maintaining a 96% on-time delivery rate. I can achieve similar results for your company in the truck driver position.
4. Body paragraphs. Include two paragraphs that describe your truck driving experience, qualifications, and accomplishments. Emphasize how you’ve enhanced delivery times and customer satisfaction ratings throughout your career. Highlight the types of vehicles you’ve operated and the various materials you’ve handled. This approach is far more impactful than simply reiterating job responsibilities from your resume.
Example
UPS is highly regarded for its dedication to customer success, which attracts me apply for this role. Throughout my career, I’ve identified opportunities to enhance route planning and improve customer satisfaction. My exceptional driving background makes me an ideal candidate for this role, as you can see from my previous achievements:
- Performed timely delivery of mail shipments, conducted inspections and labeling of packages prior to loading, and maintained a 95% on-time delivery rating
- Conducted pre-trip safety inspections on company vehicles, troubleshot issues, and created reports for the transportation manager on defects, safety risks, equipment, and policies
- Created daily logs of mileage, routes, shipments, and cargo and identified potential improvements to optimize routes and delivery times
5. Closing section. Think of your conclusion as a call to action. Ask the hiring manager to contact you so you can learn more about the position. Be sure to thank them for their time and consideration.
Example
I hope to speak with you further regarding how my leadership and safety background can help your team excel. Feel free to contact me via phone or email to schedule an interview. I appreciate your time and consideration.
Best regards,
Raheem Richardson
Truck Driver Cover Letter Tips
1. Quantify your truck driver experience
Feature hard numbers and metrics to enhance the impact of your achievements. This demonstrates you have a clear history of exceeding expectations as a truck driver throughout your career. In the example below, the candidate emphasizes how they found innovative ways to reduce work hours and create value for previous employers:
During my time with Cadence HVAC Solutions, I identified route inefficiencies and provided recommendations to optimize route planning activities, resulting in a reduction of 2,000 driving hours and over $100,000 in annual savings. I hope to apply my industry experience to enhance productivity for your company in the truck driver position.
2. Emphasize your commitment to safety
It’s important to showcase your comprehensive background in both OSHA and road safety regulations as you build your cover letter. This is a vital aspect of any truck driver position. Below, the applicant demonstrates their proven track record of handling hazardous materials in compliance with proper safety standards:
Detroit Trucking Co. has a reputation for its strong commitment to OSHA safety, which strongly resonates with my professional background. Throughout my career, I’ve ensured the safe handling of hazardous materials during shipment, including performing pre-trip inspections of cargo. I’m the ideal candidate for this opportunity based on my previous successes:
3. Feature the types of vehicles you’ve operated
Potential employers will be interested in seeing the sizes and types of vehicles you’ve driven in the past. Providing these details can help differentiate you during the hiring process, especially if other candidates don’t have the same diverse background. In the example below, the candidate emphasizes the trucks they operated and the scope of their cargo, which could make a lasting impression on the hiring manager:
- Operated freight haulers and tractor-trailers to deliver 35,000-pound shipments, performed deliveries with a 97% on-time delivery rating, and drove an average of over 2,000 miles per week across three states
- Performed routine maintenance and inspections of vehicles to identify potential defects, prevented accidents, and ensured compliance with OSHA safety regulations
- Coordinated with the transportation manager to adjust routes based on traffic, accidents, road work, and weather conditions
Truck Driver Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Joseph Corbin
Truck Driver | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | Detroit, MI 12345 | LinkedIn
January 1, 2024
Pat Martin
Talent Specialist
Detroit Trucking Co.
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]
Dear Pat Martin:
As you can see from my attached resume, I’m a Class A CDL Truck Driver with five years of commercial driving experience. My proven track record includes executing large deliveries across multiple states and maintaining a 96% on-time delivery rate. I can achieve similar results for your company in the truck driver position.
Detroit Trucking Co. has a reputation for its strong commitment to OSHA safety, which strongly resonates with my professional background. Throughout my career, I’ve ensured the safe handling of hazardous materials during shipment, including performing pre-trip inspections of cargo. I’m the ideal candidate for this opportunity based on my previous successes:
- Operated freight haulers and tractor-trailers to deliver 35,000-pound shipments, performed deliveries with a 97% on-time delivery rating, and drove an average of over 2,000 miles per week across three states
- Performed routine maintenance and inspections of vehicles to identify potential defects, prevented accidents, and ensured compliance with OSHA safety regulations
- Coordinated with the transportation manager to adjust routes based on traffic, accidents, road work, and weather conditions
I look forward to telling you more about how my OSHA safety and hazardous materials handling expertise can benefit your company. Feel free to contact me via phone or email at your convenience. I appreciate your time and consideration.
Best regards,
Joseph Corbin
Truck Driver Cover Letter FAQs
Why should I include a truck driver cover letter?-
Most companies won’t request a cover letter for truck driver openings on the open market. That said, the majority of applicants won’t be providing one either. Crafting a customized cover letter targeted toward specific organizations can go a long way in differentiating you from the competition during the job hunt. It speaks to your professionalism and genuine interest in the opportunity.
How long should my cover letter be?-
It’s best to keep your cover letter concise yet compelling. Limit your document to 400 words or less. Avoid long-winded paragraphs that reiterate job responsibilities you’ve already covered in the resume. Instead, focus on emphasizing achievements that demonstrate how you can help prospective employers improve delivery rates and safety compliance.
How should I submit a truck driver cover letter?-
This is largely contingent on the hiring process of individual companies. Some employers like your cover letter included as an email attachment addressed to the hiring manager. Others require you to copy your information into a text box on LinkedIn or an internal job portal. In either case, it’s important to ensure that your cover letter is properly formatted, as a wall of text will negatively impact their ability to navigate your content.
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