Qualifications needed to become a driver trainee include a high school diploma and a clean driving record. Your employer should enroll you in a professional truck driving school. You must complete all coursework related to state and federal regulations along with all safety procedures required by the company. You must pass all the requirements to receive your CDL before you can start driving on your own. You also have to undergo a physical every two years and consent to random drug testing. You should have some on-the-job training with an experienced driver on your route to monitor your progress. Excellent hand-eye coordination is one of the essential skills needed for this job.

If you are interested in a job related to Driver Trainee, here are some popular related job searches with the most open positions on ZipRecruiter.

Top Types Of Driver Trainee Jobs

List of the top 10 highest paying Driver Trainee positions in 2026, with salary ranges, according to ZipRecruiter.

Driver
Salary range: $30,000 - $42,000
Drivers operate motor vehicles to transport cargo or passengers between locations. The kind of vehicle they drive vary, depending on the type of company they work for and what industry they work in. For example, a commercial truck driver may transport consumer goods between warehouses and retail locations. Bus and taxi drivers pick up and drop off passengers at various locations along a specific route. Couriers collect packages from businesses and deliver them to their destination in a short timeframe. Many different industries need qualified professional drivers, including construction, health care, commerce, and the commercial trucking and passenger transportation industries.
Truck Driver
Salary range: $39,500 - $66,000
A truck driver transports goods and materials. They usually go in and out of manufacturing plants, and distribution and retail centers, working day and night shifts. Truck drivers are a vital component of nearly every industry. A truck driver job usually requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL). CDL trucks need special licenses to operate because of their large size. Truck drivers must be able to maneuver these trucks for miles at a time, often in heavy traffic. It is essential to be alert and follow all roadway safety regulations. Driving a tractor-trailer is very different from driving a traditional vehicle; the driver needs to have superb anticipation to keep the load from shifting on a curve, or to maneuver steep grades properly. The trucks themselves have many gears, sometimes as many as eighteen, in the transmission. Trucks also weigh significantly more than cars and are typically between seventy to eighty feet long, which is why a truck driver has to be specially trained to drive these larger vehicles.
No Experience Dump Truck Driver
Salary range: $40,000 - $52,000
No Experience Dump Truck Driver is a common job search query. Most salaries for No Experience Dump Truck Driver jobs pay between $40,000 (25th percentile) and $52,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for No Experience Dump Truck Driver job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Chofer Sin Experiencia
Salary range: $61,500 - $90,000
Chofer Sin Experiencia is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Chofer Sin Experiencia jobs pay between $61,500 (25th percentile) and $90,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Chofer Sin Experiencia job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Local Cdl
Salary range: $50,000 - $72,500
Local Cdl is a popular job search query. Most salaries for Local Cdl jobs pay between $50,000 (25th percentile) and $72,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Local Cdl job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Class B Truck Driver
Salary range: $42,000 - $48,000
A Class B Truck Driver job requires candidates to have a specific type of commercial driver’s license (CDL). There are three separate types of CDL classifications, each correlating to different weights of commercial vehicle: Class A, Class B, and Class C. The Class B license means that the truck driver can only drive trucks that are a certain weight and fall into the “Class B” category and designation. These regulations may vary depending on the state, so check your state’s weight restriction limits before seeking employment. A Class B license usually means driving a single vehicle with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 pounds or more and towing a vehicle or trailer that is less than 10,000 lbs. Class B license holders can typically operate straight trucks, box trucks, and large passenger buses, but not tractor-trailers.
Local Truck Driver
Salary range: $50,000 - $72,500
Local Truck Driver jobs are not very different from their heavy-duty counterparts. Instead of driving long hauls overnight to deliver cargo or goods, Local Truck Driver work within a set regional area. The benefits of this kind of position is a more traditional schedule in which the driver can be home at set times every night instead of on the road for several days at a time. In this role, you usually operate box trucks or vehicles of a similar size instead of large tractor-trailers. Local Truck Driver responsibilities include loading and unloading cargo, making deliveries, and tracking and documenting their mileage and inventory.
Entry Level Truck Driver
Salary range: $34,000 - $38,000
An entry-level truck driver is a student driver who is still mastering the skills of being on the road with a large commercial truck. Driving a commercial truck differs substantially from driving a car, so you need a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to drive a truck legally. When you get a job as an entry-level driver, you receive on-the-job training from a mentor who helps with fine-tuning your driving skills and other road habits in preparation for getting a Class A CDL. You need this license before you can drive solo and transport cargo along a designated route. At this level, your responsibilities primarily revolve around learning, but your mentor may assign you other duties as well.
Cdl Driver Apprentice
Salary range: $50,000 - $86,000
Cdl Driver Apprentice is a typical job search query Most salaries for Cdl Driver Apprentice jobs pay between $50,000 (25th percentile) and $86,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Cdl Driver Apprentice job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Truck Driver Trainee
Salary range: $40,000 - $58,000
Truck Driver Trainee is a common job search query. Most salaries for Truck Driver Trainee jobs pay between $40,000 (25th percentile) and $58,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Truck Driver Trainee job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

All Jobs Driver Trainee Jobs 10 of the Most Popular Types of Driver Trainee Jobs in 2026