CDL Truck Driver Screening Interview Template

What class of CDL do you hold (A, B, or C), and what endorsements are on your license (Hazmat, Tanker, Doubles/Triples, Passenger)? Is your license active and free of restrictions?

What this assesses: Confirms eligibility for specific loads and routes, since endorsements directly determine which freight the candidate can be submitted for. Strong answers state class and each endorsement precisely ("Class A, Hazmat and Tanker, no restrictions") and know their license is active; weak answers are fuzzy on endorsements or unaware of restrictions that quietly rule them out of half your openings.

How many years have you been driving commercially, and what types of routes have you run — OTR, regional, dedicated, or local? Which do you prefer going forward?

What this assesses: Establishes experience depth and route preferences, which drive placement match quality and reduce churn after the candidate starts. Strong answers give concrete years and name the route types they have actually run and prefer; weak answers inflate experience or have no preference, which usually means they leave the first time home time disappoints them.

Are there any accidents, moving violations, or DOT-recordable incidents in the last three to five years that would show up on your MVR? When was your most recent MVR pulled?

What this assesses: Surfaces driving record issues early, before submitting to a carrier whose insurance underwriting will reject the candidate. Strong answers are upfront about any incident with dates and context; weak answers are evasive or claim a spotless record the MVR later contradicts, which wastes a submission and burns trust with the carrier.

Is your DOT medical card current, and when does it expire? Have you ever failed or refused a DOT drug or alcohol test, or had a positive test in the FMCSA Clearinghouse?

What this assesses: Verifies the candidate is currently DOT-qualified and screens for Clearinghouse hits that disqualify them at most carriers. Strong answers know their medical card expiration and are clear on drug-test and Clearinghouse status; weak answers dodge the drug-test question or do not realize their med card has lapsed, both of which stop a placement cold.

What equipment have you driven — manual versus automatic transmission, sleeper versus day cab, dry van, reefer, flatbed, tanker? Are there any equipment types you are not comfortable with?

What this assesses: Matches the candidate to carriers running compatible equipment, especially manual transmission and specialized trailers like flatbed or tanker. Strong answers name the equipment they are confident on and are honest about what they will not run; weak answers claim they can drive anything, which often hides thin time on manual, flatbed, or tanker and shows up in orientation.

Walk me through your experience with Hours of Service and ELDs. Which ELD systems have you used, and how do you plan trips to stay compliant?

What this assesses: Tests practical knowledge of Hours of Service rules and ELD operation, now baseline for any modern CDL placement. Strong answers name specific ELD systems and describe real trip-planning habits to stay legal; weak answers are vague on HOS or treat the ELD as buttons they push, a sign of log and compliance trouble ahead.

Tell me about a time something went wrong on a run — a breakdown, a weather delay, a difficult shipper or receiver. How did you handle it and how did you communicate with dispatch?

What this assesses: Reveals problem-solving, dispatch communication, and composure when a run goes sideways. Strong answers walk through a specific breakdown or delay and how they kept dispatch informed; weak answers cannot recall one, or describe going silent or losing their temper with a shipper or receiver.

What is your preferred home time, what pay range are you targeting, and how soon could you start orientation if a good fit comes through?

What this assesses: Captures the logistics that most often break driver placements, since home time, pay, and orientation start date are the leading reasons offers fall through. Strong answers give a realistic home-time and pay target and a concrete start date; weak answers want maximum home time and top pay with no flexibility, or cannot commit to an orientation date.