Flatbed Driver Resume
Flatbed is a securement job as much as a driving job. The freight is exposed, the load-securement rules are specific, and a carrier is trusting you not to lose a load of steel on the interstate. That is what a flatbed recruiter is reading for.
A flatbed resume that only says "operated flatbed" wastes the strongest thing you have. Name the load types, the securement equipment, the tarping work and any oversize or permitted experience.
Illustrative wording follows.
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Who this is for
- Flatbed and step-deck drivers
- Dry van drivers moving into flatbed work
- Drivers hauling steel, lumber, machinery and building materials
- Drivers with oversize or permitted load experience
CDL details that matter here
- Class A required.
- Doubles/Triples and HazMat endorsements come up on some flatbed accounts.
- Note if you have pulled step deck, RGN or lowboy in addition to standard flatbed.
Equipment worth listing
- Standard 48- and 53-foot flatbed
- Step deck / drop deck
- Removable gooseneck (RGN) and lowboy
- Conestoga and rolling tarp systems
- Chains, binders, ratchet straps, edge protectors, coil racks
- Tarps — steel tarps, lumber tarps, smoke tarps
Skills recruiters look for
Only include the ones that are genuinely true of you.
- Cargo Securement
- Flatbed
- Step Deck
- Heavy Haul
- Oversize Load Transport
- Weight Compliance
- Trip Planning
- DOT Compliance
- Long-Haul Transportation
- Pre-Trip Inspection
Certifications and endorsements
- TWIC
- OSHA 10 / OSHA 30
- Fall-protection training
- Carrier flatbed securement programs
Example wording
About the examples on this page: every example is written by us as an illustration. None describes a real driver or a real customer, and no figure in any example is real. Use the structure, never the content.
Example only. "CDL Class A flatbed driver with 6 to 10 years of experience hauling steel, lumber and machinery on regional and long-haul routes. Experienced with chain and strap securement, tarping and load-weight distribution. Seeking a flatbed position with consistent freight."
Example: Secured steel coils, plate and structural steel using chains, binders and coil racks in accordance with cargo securement requirements.
Example: Tarped lumber and building material loads with steel and lumber tarps, including working at height on the trailer deck.
Example: Verified load placement and axle weight distribution before departure and scaled loads where required.
Example: Re-checked securement within the first miles after loading and at each required stop en route.
Example: Coordinated with shippers on loading sequence and securement points for irregular freight.
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Common mistakes
Not naming the freight you have hauled
Steel, lumber, pipe, machinery, roofing and precast all secure differently. Naming them is what tells a recruiter you can actually do the work.
Skipping the tarping
Tarping is the part most drivers avoid. Willingness and experience with it is a genuine hiring advantage — say it plainly.
Leaving out oversize experience
Permits, escorts and route surveys are specialised skills. If you have done them, they belong on the resume.
Frequently asked questions
Can I move from dry van to flatbed?
Yes, and many carriers train for it. Emphasise your safety record, your willingness to tarp, and any securement experience you do have, including in previous non-driving work.
Do I need a special endorsement for flatbed?
No. Flatbed does not require a separate endorsement. Some flatbed freight is HazMat, which does.
Should I mention that I am comfortable working at height?
Yes. Tarping involves climbing on the deck and the load. Employers screen for it.
Related guides
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