Truck Driver Job Hunt: Frequently Asked Interview Questions

The classes, the training, the hours behind the wheel. All the hard work you put in leads to this one crucial moment: the job interview. After all, the job, the steady income, the ability to provide for your family: this is what you’ve worked for, and the job interview is the last remaining hurdle before you can officially step into your new career. It’s vital to prepare in advance and know ahead of time how you will answer the most common interview questions, which is why we’ve outlined a few of the most common interview questions for truck drivers. Take a look!

Why is Trucking Right for You?

Employers will want to understand your reasons for getting into the trucking business and how reliable you will be. To gauge such things, they might ask:

• When did you choose to become a truck driver, and why?
• What do you enjoy about the work and lifestyle of a trucker?
• How will you cope with long hours behind the wheel, day after day?
• What do you find hardest about trucking, and how will you respond to those challenges?

Work and Educational Experience

Your future employer will want to understand how your previous employment and education have qualified you for the job. This might involve the following questions:

• What were the most valuable lessons you learned in trucking school?
• What skills and values from your non-trucking jobs will help you as a truck driver?
• If you have prior experience in truck driving, what was it, and how has that experience prepared you for this job?

On-The-Job Problem Solving

How you handle various on-the-job problems and emergencies will be of great interest to your future employer. Companies want to hire individuals who can keep calm under pressure, evaluate challenges, and respond in ways that will bring about positive resolutions. Questions might include:

• You’ve been in an accident that was not your fault. This will have a significant effect on your schedule for the next week. What steps do you take to handle the situation and get your schedule back on track?
• You’re late with a delivery due to reasons outside your control. The client is angry and speaking to you in a disrespectful tone. How do you respond?
• Describe your maintenance routine. What do you do when something requires maintenance? What if you’re already behind schedule?

If you’re looking to nail your job interview, it always helps to prepare your answers in advance – and practice! Have a friend or loved one role-play the interview with you, so you can practice responding to the above questions with clarity and confidence.

For more interview tips and to learn about the quality of truck driving programs available at America Truck Driving School, contact us today!