Getting your CDL is a big win. Then reality hits: who’s going to hire a brand-new driver with little or no experience?
A lot of companies want time behind the wheel before they’ll even talk to you. But there are still major carriers that hire new graduates every year, and some of them offer training, tuition payback, and home time options that can make your first year smoother.
What To Look For In Your First CDL Job (Before You Apply)
Picking your first trucking company is a lot like picking your first apartment. You can make almost anything work for a while, but the wrong choice can get old fast.
Before you focus on names, focus on company fit.
Most job ads for companies that hire new drivers will literally say something along the lines of "no experience needed" or "new drivers welcome." You can also sometimes find this info by looking on the company website. If they have apprentice or training programs that means they almost certainly hire drivers out of CDL school. You can also check on forums like Reddit where people will share their own hiring experiences.
Common pay types include:
- Pay per mile: Drive more, earn more. Great for high-mile drivers, but some times you can run into slow weeks.
- Salary: One consistent paycheck. More predictable and steady work regardless of how many miles you drive.
- Hourly pay: Time-based pay is easier to understand, but it depends on steady hours. This is most often for local work.
Before you choose, try to picture your first few months. Are you okay with long miles and variable weeks, or do you want steady pay while you learn the job?
Benefits can change the total value of a job, especially if you have a family or need coverage quickly.
Bigger companies often offer more benefits because they can afford larger packages. The tradeoff is that big carriers also tend to have more rules, systems, and structure.
Smaller companies can feel more independent and flexible, but the benefits might not be as strong.
Benefits vary widely, including:
- Health insurance and dental
- Vacation pay
- Retirement plan
- Disability and Life insurance
- Rider programs (bringing a spouse along)
- Pet policies (bringing your pet in the truck)
When do trucker benefits start
Some companies enroll you day one. Others make you wait 90 days, or even a year. That waiting period can make a big difference for some people, so ask about it early.Safety scores aren’t just for the company’s reputation. They can shape your day on the road.
You can look up a carrier’s safety record using the DOT’s public info. Using the DOT website and the company’s DOT number, you can find a company’s Safer score .
A low safety rating can point to two problems:
- The company may not invest much in equipment, which can lead to more violations.
- Drivers may get pulled over more often. DOT officers can look up the company DOT number, see a pattern of violations, and decide to inspect that truck more closely.
In interviews, many carriers say they have “new equipment.” A safety score gives you a way to verify how the company operates.
Most truck driving jobs fall into one of three buckets:
- Local: Home daily, often paid hourly.
- Regional: In a set region, usually home about once a week.
- Over-the-road (OTR): Takes you across the country, home about once a month.
Each has pros and cons. The key is to decide what you can live with right now, not what sounds cool on day one.
Bonus structures vary a lot. Sign-on bonuses can look good on paper, but you should know how they’re paid.
Some common bonus types:
- Sign-on bonus: When you join a company they may offer a set amount of money on top of your salary. Sometimes it's paid right when you start and sometimes it's paid in chunks.
- Stock options: Some larger companies will offer shares of stock in the company just for signing on
- Tuition reimbursement: Get paid back for CDL school. This is often paid over time as you stay with the company.
Tuition reimbursement can be an especially good deal if you paid for truck driving school yourself.
For example, if you paid $5,000 for CDL tuition and the company pays it back while you earn your normal pay, you basically get free CDL school at no cost to you!
5 Trucking Companies That Hire Brand-New CDL Drivers
Below are five trucking companies that hire truck drivers fresh out of CDL school. Each one has a different perks and company culture. These are a good starting point for new CDL drivers looking to get their first job.
Schneider is hard to miss on the road with its well-known orange trucks. It’s also one of the bigger names in trucking, as a long-standing, stable company. This size and stability make it easier for them to invest in new CDL drivers.
What Schneider offers new drivers:
- Tuition reimbursement up to $7,000
- A large company structure with strong infrastructure
- Investment in equipment and safety, with high safety rankings
- Several job types and divisions
Schneider offers a range of opportunities, including:
- Intermodal (container work)
- Tanker
- Dry van
- Regional, local, and OTR options (depending on location and openings)
If you want choices later, that matters. Starting at a company with multiple divisions can give you room to move without changing employers.
Prime Inc. (not to be confused with Amazon Prime) is one of the largest transportation companies on the road. While it gets mixed opinions in trucking circles, its size and demand for drivers make it a top landing spot for new CDL graduates. Prime’s big selling point is training.
What Prime offers new drivers:
- An extensive 40,000-mile training program
- Orientation and time with a driver trainer before solo driving
- Modern equipment, with the company cycling out older trucks
- Multiple trailer types and freight options
The training structure is the main reason a new driver might choose Prime. If you don’t feel confident solo yet, part of their program gives you extra miles with a trainer who can help you build confidence before you’re on your own.
Roehl Transportation is a strong option for drivers who care about home time flexibility, especially early in their career.
What Roehl offers new drivers:
- Sign-on bonus up to $6,000
- Flexible home time options
- Faster path to getting your own truck compared to some carriers
Roehl offers 7 days out, 4 days home. If you’re trying to balance earnings with real time off, that kind of schedule can be appealing.
Swift is one of the biggest carriers in the US, and size has a practical advantage — especially for rookie drivers.
What Swift offers new drivers:
- Tuition reimbursement (if you paid for your CDL)
- A huge footprint with many terminals, which can reduce downtime
- Fast, efficient hiring and onboarding
- Career growth options beyond being a solo driver
Swift’s size can help in moments that frustrate drivers at smaller companies. More terminals and infrastructure can mean less time sitting if issues come up on the road.
Training with a trainer can be up to four weeks, and once you pass the tests and the company is comfortable with your skills, you can be assigned your own truck. This company is a good fit if you want to start working quickly and have room to grow.
Maverick is last on the list but certainly not least. It’s a company that might scare you. The reason is simple: flatbed work. If you’re fresh out of CDL school, you likely haven’t done much training on flatbed trailers. What's scary is that it’s not only driving, it’s also securing the load and handling job sites.
What Maverick offers new drivers:
- Tuition reimbursement of $5,000 (paid over time)
- Flatbed specialization
- Paid experience learning flatbed tasks as a new driver
- Strong focus on safety and equipment, with top safety ratings
- A medium-sized company feel, more personal than mega carriers
Flatbed trucking can pay better because it includes more physical work and responsibility than just bumping docks. It’s a great way to become a stronger driver long-term, especially if you want specialized skills early.
Why Don't Trucking Companies Hire New Drivers?
Many trucking companies hesitate to hire rookie drivers because of the higher risk and cost associated with inexperience.
- New drivers are statistically more likely to be involved in accidents, cargo damage incidents or safety violations
- Insurance premiums are significantly higher for carriers that hire inexperienced drivers
- Some insurers won’t even cover drivers below a certain experience threshold
- Rookie drivers require additional training, supervision, and mentoring time
For carriers, hiring a rookie driver can mean taking on risk both in safety performance and job stability. This is why many companies prefer to hire drivers with a proven track record behind the wheel.
