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Cover letter examples · Transport

Truck Driver cover letter example

Transport companies want to know your licence class, the runs you've driven and whether your record is clean. This example is from the same Class 5 driver as our CV example, applying for a chilled linehaul role, and every fact in it comes from his CV.

Goes with Wiremu Hēnare's Truck Driver CV · Checked

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The letter

What each paragraph is doing.

Wiremu Hēnare is made up, and so is Kauri Coast Transport, Whangārei. Every fact in the letter comes from Wiremu's CV, the way a real one should: nothing new, just the parts of the CV this job cares about most.

Wiremu Hēnare

Whangārei · 027 555 0121 · wiremu.henare@email.com

Dave Rāwiri, Fleet Manager

Kauri Coast Transport, Whangārei

Re: Class 5 Linehaul Driver, chilled

Kia ora Dave,

I'm applying for the Class 5 chilled linehaul role based in Whangārei. I've driven for eight years, and since 2021 I've run the overnight linehaul between Whangārei and Auckland for Kahikatea Freight in a truck and trailer unit, with a clean driving record the whole time.

You need a driver who handles chilled freight and gets on well with customers. For three years at Northland Distribution I delivered chilled and general freight to supermarkets and cafés, and loaded and unloaded with a forklift at the depot, so chilled work and customer drops are familiar ground. On every shift now I keep my logbook and work time records to the rules, check and restrain my loads, and complete pre-trip checks.

I'd like to keep driving linehaul while getting back into chilled work, and a local company running its own chilled fleet out of Whangārei suits me well. Northland is home, the roads between here and Auckland are the ones I know best, and I'd like to keep building my career with a firm based here.

I hold a Class 5 licence with an F endorsement, and I'm happy to do a driving assessment whenever suits. Thanks for considering me.

Ngā mihi,

Wiremu Hēnare

  1. 1Opens with the job and the proofLicence class, the run he drives, the unit type and a clean record are the first things a fleet manager checks, and they're all in the first two sentences.
  2. 2Evidence for chilled and complianceIt links his earlier chilled delivery work to what this job needs, then shows he takes logbooks, load restraint and pre-trip checks seriously.
  3. 3Short, honest reason for the moveOne plain sentence explains what he wants, which is more believable than a paragraph of praise for the company.
  4. 4Closes with the licence and an offerOffering a driving assessment is a confident close that fits how transport companies hire.

Opening lines

Other ways to open.

The first line decides whether the rest gets read. Each of these names the job and leads with proof. Swap in your own facts.

  • “I'm applying for your Class 5 Linehaul Driver role, with eight years of linehaul and local delivery and a clean driving record.”
  • “For five years I've driven an overnight linehaul run in a truck and trailer unit, and I'd like to do the same on your Auckland to Hamilton run.”
  • “I'm applying for the Local Delivery Driver role, bringing three years of chilled and general freight deliveries to supermarkets and cafés.”
  • “As a Class 5 driver with an F endorsement, I'm applying for your Driver and Yard Hand position.”

Common mistakes

What gets truck driver letters skipped.

  • Leaving your licence class and endorsements to the CV.

    Put your licence class and any endorsements, like F for forklift, in the first or last paragraph so they can't be missed.

  • Saying you're a safe driver with nothing to back it up.

    Give proof: a clean record and for how long, logbooks kept to the rules, and pre-trip checks on every shift.

  • Not saying what kind of freight or runs you've done.

    Name the freight types and runs, such as overnight linehaul or chilled supermarket deliveries, so the employer can match you to their work.

Write yours

A letter like this, for every job ad.

Paste a truck driver job ad into SmartCVs and it writes your cover letter alongside your tailored CV. The free plan gives you 3 job scans a week, each with both.

How cover letters work in SmartCVs
  • Written in the same step as your tailored CV, from your profile and the job ad
  • Three or four paragraphs, in plain, professional language
  • Every fact from your profile: a number your profile doesn't have is dropped before you see it
  • Edit any line, copy it into an application, or download PDF or Word

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Something else on your mind? Email support@smartcvs.ai and a person will reply.

Do truck drivers need a cover letter?

Many transport companies accept a CV alone, but a short letter helps when the ad asks for one or when you want to explain the kind of work you're after.

Should I mention my driving record?

Yes, if it's clean. A clean record and how long you've kept it is one of the strongest things a driver can offer.

How long should a truck driver's cover letter be?

Short. Three or four brief paragraphs covering your licence, your runs and freight, your record and when you can start is plenty.

More cover letter examples

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