Truck Driver Interview Questions & Answers
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another.
Interviewers look for candidates that demonstrate excellent skills such as:
- Hand-eye coordination
- Physical health
- Hearing ability
- Visual ability
In this blog, we discuss commonly asked interview questions during job interviews for Truck Driver positions. We also discuss the qualities that interviewers look for in successful candidates. In other words, we’re here to help you out!
Also, read more about frequently asked job interview questions here and check our job interview preparation checklist.
Skills Interviewers Look For In Successful Candidates
Below we discuss the skills you can highlight in your answers to demonstrate that you’re qualified for the job.
Hand-eye coordination
Why interviewers are interested in your hand-eye coordination:
Drivers of heavy trucks and tractor-trailers must be able to coordinate their legs, hands, and eyes simultaneously so that they will react appropriately to the situation around them and drive the vehicle safely.
Hearing ability
Why interviewers are interested in your hearing ability:
Truck drivers need good hearing. Federal regulations require that a driver be able to hear a forced whisper in one ear at 5 feet away (with or without the use of a hearing aid).
Physical health
Why interviewers are interested in your physical health:
Federal regulations do not allow people to become truck drivers if they have a medical condition, such as high blood pressure or epilepsy, which may interfere with their ability to operate a truck. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website has a full list of medical conditions that disqualify someone from driving a long-haul truck.
Visual ability
Why interviewers are interested in your visual ability:
Truck drivers must be able to pass vision tests. Federal regulations require a driver to have at least 20/40 vision with a 70-degree field of vision in each eye and the ability to distinguish the colors on a traffic light.
(source: bls.gov)
Truck Driver Job Interview Questions & Answers
During a job interview, the hiring manager wants to discuss several things. Think of your:
- Employment history
- Skills and abilities
- Accomplishments
- Job qualifications
- Educational background
- Career goals
- Personality
Below you find a list of commonly asked interview questions.
Examples Of General Truck Driver Interview Questions
- Tell me about yourself.
- How would you describe yourself?
- Why do you want to work here?
- What interests you about this position?
- Walk me through your resume.
- What motivates you?
- Why are you leaving your current job?
- Describe your work ethic.
- What is your greatest strength?
- How does your experience qualify you for this job?
- What is your greatest weakness?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- Tell me about a challenging work situation and how you overcame it.
- What are your expectations for this position?
- What are your career goals?
- Why should we hire you?
- What did you like most about your last position?
- What did you like least about your last position?
- How do you handle stress?
- What is your greatest accomplishment?
Learn how to answer these common job interview questions!
Examples Of Specific Truck Driver Behavioral Interview Questions
Learn more about answering behavioral interview questions by using the STAR interview technique.
- What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as a truck driver? Why?
- Have you ever missed a deadline? What happened? What did you learn from the situation?
- How do you plan a route? Can you give me an example?
- Give me an example of a time you had to deal with a breakdown or setback. What happened?
- Tell me about a time a client was dissatisfied because a delivery arrived late. How did you handle the situation?
- What steps would you follow in order to perform a basic maintenance check on a truck?
- Have you ever experienced a problem with a shipment? What happened? How did you solve the situation?
- What do you do to stay motivated and focused while on the road?
- Walk me through how you plan and organize a typical workday as a truck driver.
- Describe a time you quickly had to make a decision to resolve a situation.
Learn more about questions to ask the interviewer during your job interview.