How do I get a job as a driver?

To get a job as a driver, you need to get a commercial learner's permit, attend a CDL class, and get a company truck driving job. You can become a company driver in as little as three weeks, but most programs take around seven weeks to complete.

How do company truck drivers get paid?

Company truck drivers get paid by the cent for each mile that they drive. The average company truck driver's pay per mile is between 28 and 40 cents per mile. Most company drivers complete between 2,000 and 3,000 miles per week. The average company driver salary is $61,664 per year or $29.65 per hour.

Is it better to be an owner-operator or company driver?

It is better to be an owner-operator than a company driver because the earning potential is much greater for an owner-operator driver than a company driver. Owner-operated usually means that an independent business person leases or purchases a truck and then contracts to haul loads for a trucking company. Owner-operators generally earn higher percent-of-load or per-mile rates than company drivers. However, they also must pay all the expenses of operating a truck and business.

What are the duties of a company driver?

The duties of a company driver include dropping and picking up staff, collecting various packages, and maintaining a travel log to record work hours, travel time, and traveled locations.

How To Become A Company Driver: What It Is and Career Path

What is a company driver and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A company driver is employed by a company to transport goods, equipment, or people. They operate company-owned trucks, vans, or buses to ensure that cargo and passengers arrive safely and on time. Company drivers must hold a commercial driver's license (CDL) and adhere to traffic laws and safety regulations. They may record their driving hours, perform vehicle maintenance, and communicate with dispatchers and customers. Company drivers may work for logistics, transportation, and delivery services.

ScoreCompany DriverUS Average

Salary

5.1

Avg. Salary $65,430

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.3

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.82%

Asian 3.76%

Black or African American 13.93%

Hispanic or Latino 17.76%

Unknown 4.74%

White 58.98%

Gender

female 9.49%

male 90.51%

Age - 49

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49

Stress level

7.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.6

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

1.4

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a company driver?

Pros

Steady income and job security
Benefits and insurance provided by the company
Opportunity for advancement within the company
Paid vacation time and sick leave
Potential for bonuses or incentives based on performance

Cons

Limited flexibility for personal appointments or events
Limited autonomy in decision making while on the job
Potential for monotonous work, driving long hours on highways
Possibility of being assigned to less desirable routes or loads
Potential for health risks due to sedentary lifestyle and irregular eating habits

Key steps to become a company driver

Explore company driver education requirements

Most common company driver degrees

High School Diploma

37.5 %

Associate

18.2 %

Certificate

15.2 %

Start to develop specific company driver skills

Skills	Percentages
CDL	50.65%
OTR	26.33%
PET	7.58%
Hazmat	4.03%
Customer Locations	2.67%

Complete relevant company driver training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New company drivers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a company driver based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real company driver resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed company driver usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed company driver in most of states. 13 states require company drivers to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License url
Arkansas	Specific course required	State exam required	Commercial Driver (Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver)
California	-	State exam required	Commercial Driver License
Idaho	-	State exam required	Commercial Drivers
Massachusetts	-	State exam required	COMMERCIAL DRIVERS
Missouri	-	State exam required	Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer

Gain additional company driver certifications

Company driver certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific company driver certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for company drivers include Commercial Driver License (CDL) and OSHA Safety Certificate .

More About Certifications

Research company driver duties and responsibilities

Experience in semi driving, logging, managing bills of lading, light maintenance, vehicle inspections.
Ensure the safe transportation of HAZMAT shipments.
Load and unload trailers with propane fork lift.
Move, position, connect and disconnect converter dollies.

Prepare your company driver resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your company driver resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a company driver resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable company driver resume templates

Build a professional company driver resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your company driver resume.