When hiring truck drivers, employers seek candidates who will be able to fit well into their work environment.
To get success in a truck driver interview, a job seeker needs to have a good knowledge of the prospective company’s norms.
Giving the right responses in light of their expectations is what wins you an interview.
A truck driver will be asked a variety of questions during the interview.
These might be related to truck driving skills, knowledge of traffic rules, interpersonal skills, and know-how of loading and unloading procedures.
Mostly every interview has at least one situational question, aimed at gauging the candidate’s analytical and decision-making skills.
When faced with a situational question, whatever you answer, make sure you don’t take too much time in responding since it may reflect your poor decision-making skills.
On the other hand, an impulsive reply might also damage your candidacy.
The following are 42 possible truck driver interview questions and answers to help you get prepared for your upcoming interview.
- 1. Tell me a little bit about yourself.
- 2. Out of many other choices, why did you opt to work as a truck driver?
- 3. What about your experience in a truck driver role?
- 4. What are some of the skills that make you an excellent candidate for the role of truck driver?
- 5. Do you think communication skills are essential in the role of a truck driver? Why or why not?
- 6. How important do you think navigation is in your work?
- 7. Tell us of a time when you came out shining at your workplace.
- 8. What do you think are the primary duties of a truck driver?
- 9. What is your objective as a truck driver?
- 10. Did any customer ever file a complaint against you?
- 11. What is the most prolonged haul you have managed in your career?
- 12. The trucking business is all about meeting deadlines, especially where deliveries are concerned. How do you make sure that you meet deadlines?
- 13. What are your views on driving safety?
- 14. What do you know about the paperwork involved in the trucking business?
- 15. How would you describe your driving record?
- 16. Do you think there is any importance to teamwork in this profession?
- 17. What would you do if one of your co-workers is misusing the company’s truck?
- 18. What would you do if a customer asks you for a delivery favor? Suppose they ask you to deliver a package somewhere on your way, what would you do?
- 19. How do you feel about working on the road throughout your day?
- 20. How do you plan your route?
- 21. Have you ever been late for a delivery?
- 22. If you are involved in an accident which isn’t your fault, how will you handle the situation?
- 23. Tell me what you will do if you were getting late due to unavoidable circumstances?
- 24. How well do you know basic truck maintenance?
- 25. How do you stay alert during long hauls?
- 26. Tell me about a time when you lost or almost lost concentration on the road. What did you do?
- 27. What is your relationship with your regular clients?
- 28. Have you ever driven a truck for other purposes than delivery?
- 29. How do you stay motivated on the road?
- 30. What is your greatest strength?
- 31. What is your greatest weakness?
- 32. Have you ever received incorrect information from a dispatcher? How did you resolve the issue?
- 33. How do you handle it if a client is getting angry or impatient with you?
- 34. Describe a time when you made a mistake? How did you correct it?
- 35. How would you react if you were not responsible for a traffic violation, but were pulled over anyway?
- 36. How do you maintain good communication with dispatchers?
- 37. What is your main concern when driving a truck?
- 38. Do you like working in a team or independently?
- 39. Can you perform manual labor tasks?
- 40. Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
- 41. What is your availability for this position?
- 42. Do you have any questions for me?
42 Common Interview Questions and Answers for Truck Driver Position
1. Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I am a passionate truck driver who started my career by working as a driver helper 10 years ago. After working in this capacity for 2 years, I developed a solid interest in working as a driver. Post-training and license, I was hired as a truck driver, and have performed deliveries for over 8 years now.
2. Out of many other choices, why did you opt to work as a truck driver?
I love working on the road, and trucks have always been a passion for me. Owing to my interest and expertise in driving and maintaining vehicles of different types, this was the only rational choice.
3. What about your experience in a truck driver role?
I have worked as a truck driver for eight years. During this time, I had been actively taking orders for deliveries, helping load and unloading materials, and navigating ways to destinations. Besides, my work involved mapping routes, and handling paperwork such as receipts and delivery documents.
4. What are some of the skills that make you an excellent candidate for the role of truck driver?
Firstly, I can drive many different types and sizes of trucks. Also, I am well-versed in performing general as well as preventative maintenance on assigned vehicles. Besides, my expertise includes using both standard maps and GPS to navigate short and safe ways to destinations.
5. Do you think communication skills are essential in the role of a truck driver? Why or why not?
Communication skills are critical to the role of a truck driver. This is because he or she has to understand where to deliver goods, and communicate with dispatchers and customers about deliveries.
6. How important do you think navigation is in your work?
Navigation is extremely important. Proper use of maps and GPS allows truck drivers to meet their deadlines by making deliveries in a timely and safe fashion.
7. Tell us of a time when you came out shining at your workplace.
Due to a union strike, many truck drivers refused to make deliveries. There were just 3 of us who had to make deliveries for 17 truck drivers. And I was the only one who managed to deliver 20 items as opposed to the usual 3 a day.
8. What do you think are the primary duties of a truck driver?
The primary duties of a truck driver include;
- Drive different kinds of trucks on various routes
- Perform pickup and delivery assignments
- Assist in loading and unloading
- Obtain route clearance
- Maintain delivery inventories
- Coordinate with management regarding route clearance
- Vehicle safety and maintenance
9. What is your objective as a truck driver?
To deliver goods timely, safely, efficiently, and free from damage and help to achieve the employer’s mission by providing outstanding customer service.
10. Did any customer ever file a complaint against you?
Being a people person and a careful driver, I have had no complaints filed against me to date.
11. What is the most prolonged haul you have managed in your career?
The longest I have been on the road is 15,000 miles over three weeks.
12. The trucking business is all about meeting deadlines, especially where deliveries are concerned. How do you make sure that you meet deadlines?
I am very particular about deadlines. I start earlier than my schedule dictates so that any delays brought about by any unforeseen circumstances are covered. I also make sure that the time-out which I take is a reasonable amount.
13. What are your views on driving safety?
Safety is the most critical aspect of truck driving. One must make sure that seat belts are secured, and the speed limit is adhered to. One also needs to drive very slowly in inclement weather like rain and snow.
14. What do you know about the paperwork involved in the trucking business?
I am familiar with invoices that are the responsibility of a truck driver when delivering goods. I always make sure that loaded products conform to the inventory document provided to me and that receipts are signed at the delivery point.
15. How would you describe your driving record?
Clean. I have not violated the law even once in the past ten years.
16. Do you think there is any importance to teamwork in this profession?
I believe the profession calls for teamwork even more so because the drivers are usually accompanied by helpers on long routes. Moreover, if a colleague driver faces some mechanical problems, I would always offer help if my schedule allows it.
17. What would you do if one of your co-workers is misusing the company’s truck?
Without involving myself in any personal discussion regarding the matter with the colleague, I will confidentially inform the company manager of the unauthorized/unusual activity.
18. What would you do if a customer asks you for a delivery favor? Suppose they ask you to deliver a package somewhere on your way, what would you do?
I’d excuse the task and would politely inform them that it is not the company’s policy to deliver packages. Therefore, I am not at liberty to do so. I will also notify the manager regarding the situation.
19. How do you feel about working on the road throughout your day?
I do not mind working outdoors, because I love the great outdoors. In fact, the main reason that I enjoy my work so much is that I get to work outdoors.
20. How do you plan your route?
Route planning basically depends on my work or deliveries. I prioritize routes based on delivery times primarily.
21. Have you ever been late for a delivery?
I hold an impeccable record for making on-time deliveries. I have never been late for a delivery.
22. If you are involved in an accident which isn’t your fault, how will you handle the situation?
My priority would be to ensure that everyone involved in the accident is alright. Once that is established, I will exchange words with the other party, and try to explain that they were at fault. If there is compensation involved, I would sort that out with them too.
23. Tell me what you will do if you were getting late due to unavoidable circumstances?
I would call the customer, or my supervisor to let them know that I am running late. I would not speed up as I wouldn’t want to compromise on safety.
24. How well do you know basic truck maintenance?
I am well-versed in performing basic and advanced truck maintenance and repair.
25. How do you stay alert during long hauls?
I take frequent breaks to catch naps, and to pep myself up with coffee.
26. Tell me about a time when you lost or almost lost concentration on the road. What did you do?
It wasn’t because of tiredness that I once lost concentration while driving on a highway. I was under a lot of stress because my child was unwell, and I had to leave my family for work. It was for just a split second, and I realized that I was lost in thought. Thankfully, I was driving at low speed and did not run into any accidents, as the road was clear too.
27. What is your relationship with your regular clients?
I share an amicable relationship with my regular clients. They trust me with their deliveries, and I make sure that I do not disappoint them.
28. Have you ever driven a truck for other purposes than delivery?
During the course of my career, I have driven dump trucks, delivery trucks, and mover vehicles.
29. How do you stay motivated on the road?
I am in a consistent state of motivation because I always look for the light at the end of the tunnel – going home with the satisfaction that I have done my job well.
30. What is your greatest strength?
One strength that I would like to mention is my ability to drive and maintain many types of heavy-duty vehicles. Apart from this, I am customer service-oriented, and can effectively work long shifts without any problems.
31. What is your greatest weakness?
Since I am an eager individual, I feel that sometimes I take on more than I can comfortably do. Even though I have never missed a deadline, I have to strive a lot to meet them.
32. Have you ever received incorrect information from a dispatcher? How did you resolve the issue?
I have received incorrect information from a dispatcher but only once. And since it was an honest mistake, I felt that it would have been unfair to report it. Thankfully, there was a lot of time for me to manage the task, and I met the deadline without any issues. I did speak to the dispatcher and requested him to be a little more careful from then on.
33. How do you handle it if a client is getting angry or impatient with you?
I never lose my calm. I listen to the client patiently to determine why he is acting that way. If possible, I try to resolve the issue as quickly as I can, since I have a route to follow, and time is of great essence.
34. Describe a time when you made a mistake? How did you correct it?
Quite recently, I made the mistake of not prioritizing my deliveries as they should have been. That made it difficult for me to meet my deadline – or so it seemed. As luck would have it, the two destinations that were swapped in error were near each other, so I didn’t lose out. I have learned to be more careful from now on.
35. How would you react if you were not responsible for a traffic violation, but were pulled over anyway?
All modern trucks have dashcams in them. That would be my saving grace. If I were told that I violated traffic rules when I hadn’t, I would just show them the footage to prove my innocence.
36. How do you maintain good communication with dispatchers?
I make good use of the communication tools provided to me. I ensure that I keep in touch with them constantly so that if there are any queries by customers, they can be answered quickly. I also keep them updated about delivered items and any issues that may impact delivery times.
37. What is your main concern when driving a truck?
My main concern is safety. Next comes timeliness.
38. Do you like working in a team or independently?
Truck driving is usually independent work. However, I like people and mingling, so I wouldn’t mind working in a team environment.
39. Can you perform manual labor tasks?
Yes, I can perform all kinds of manual tasks such as heavy weight lifting, loading, and unloading freight
40. Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
Ideally, I would like to be responsible for a fleet of trucks, in a management role.
41. What is your availability for this position?
I am willing to start right away.
42. Do you have any questions for me?
I have been thinking to become a part of your organization for many years, and have often wondered what you do to retain your employees. I would also like to know more about the company culture.