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CDL Jobs With No Experience: Companies That Hire New Drivers

Who hires CDL drivers with no experience: Schneider, Roehl and Prime programs, training pay, what carriers check and how to get hired faster in 2026.

Trucky·November 3, 2026·7 min read

For the bigger picture, read our US truck driver shortage 2026.

Yes, you can get CDL jobs with no experience. Several large carriers, including Schneider, Roehl and Prime, run programs built for brand-new drivers. You either earn your CDL through the company or bring a fresh Class A license, then drive with a trainer for a few weeks before you get your own truck. What decides whether you get hired is less about experience and more about four things: your age, your driving record, your DOT medical card and proof that you finished entry-level training with a registered provider.

That matches how the government describes the job. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (2026 update) says new drivers "normally receive several weeks of on-the-job training" with a mentor-driver after school and hiring. The same BLS page projects about 214,500 openings for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers each year, on average, over its current ten-year outlook (2026 update).

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Who hires CDL drivers with no experience

The table below compares three no experience CDL jobs programs, using what each carrier publishes on its own careers page. We checked every page on October 30, 2026. Terms change, so confirm the details with the recruiter in writing.

Carrier	Path for new drivers	Training length	Pay during training	Strings attached
Schneider	CDL Apprenticeship Training (CAT) or tuition reimbursement for an outside school. No CDL needed to apply.	CAT takes 5 to 7.5 weeks, then a 3 to 4 week paid orientation	"Guarantee Pay" program for new drivers; amount not published	Not listed on the page
Roehl	Paid CDL training or a job right after CDL school	4 days onboarding, typically 19 to 26 days with a trainer, then typically 30 to 60 days in your own truck	Daily pay rate with a trainer, $400 hire bonus	Agree to drive 40,000 solo paid miles, about five or six months
Prime	Recent CDL Graduate Program	Orientation in Springfield, MO, Pittston, PA or Salt Lake City, UT, then at least 40,000 training miles	At least $900 a week while away from home and available for dispatch, $120 a day at home	Must be 21 and able to get a passport, TWIC card and hazmat endorsement

These three are not the only option. Job boards list many more CDL A jobs with no experience, though in our experience a lot of those listings are the same national carriers posted city by city. When you search, use the words "no experience", "new driver" and "recent graduate". In our experience, a listing that names the training length and the pay during training is more serious than one that only says "top pay".

What carriers check before they hire a new CDL driver

A new driver has no work record behind the wheel, so carriers look harder at everything else. These are the federal basics every carrier has to check.

★Age 21 for interstate loads. Federal rule 49 CFR 391.11 says a driver must be "at least 21 years old" to drive across state lines. Schneider's guide for new drivers (2026) notes you can get a CDL at 18, but you are then limited to intrastate driving.
★Entry-level driver training (ELDT). Since February 7, 2022, anyone getting a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time has to finish training with a registered provider before the skills test, according to FMCSA (page updated February 2026). Check that your school is listed on the Training Provider Registry.
★DOT medical card. A DOT physical is valid for up to 24 months and must be done by an examiner on FMCSA's National Registry, per FMCSA.
★Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. You do not have to register, but FMCSA's Clearinghouse FAQ says you need an account to give electronic consent for "all pre-employment queries". Register before you apply so a recruiter is not waiting on you.
★Driving record and history. Carriers pull your MVR, and many also pull your PSP record. Our guide to what carriers see in a PSP report explains what shows up and why a single ticket can matter.

How to land CDL jobs with no experience faster

Picture this. A new driver finishes CDL school on a Friday and has two offers by Monday. Carrier A pays more per week in training but asks for a year of commitment. Carrier B pays less, but the driver would be in their own truck sooner and home every other weekend. Without the numbers in writing, it is a guess. These steps take the guessing out.

Choose your path before school.

Company-paid training costs you nothing up front but usually comes with a mileage or time commitment. A private school costs money, but several carriers reimburse tuition once you are hired. Ask what you owe if you leave early.

Have your file ready.

CDL or permit, DOT medical card, Clearinghouse login, proof of ELDT completion and your address and job history. Missing paperwork is, in our experience, the most common reason a new driver's start date slips.

Apply to three to five carriers in the same week.

Offers expire and orientation seats fill up. Comparing offers side by side is how you see real differences.

Get four answers in writing.

Pay during training. Days until your own truck. Home time in the first 90 days. Payback terms if you quit before the commitment ends.

Be flexible on the first job.

Local, home-daily CDL A jobs for drivers with no experience exist, but in our experience they fill fast and often go to drivers with a year on the road. A first year of regional or OTR miles opens more doors later.

What new CDL drivers earn

The median annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $58,640 in May 2025, or $28.19 an hour, according to BLS. First-year pay is usually lower because training weeks pay a flat rate. Roehl, for example, says its drivers with at least one year on the job averaged $1,435 a week as of September 2026, a company figure from its careers page. For a full breakdown by route type and years on the road, read how much CDL drivers make in 2026.

FAQ

Is it hard to get a CDL job with no experience?

Not if you meet the basics. Carriers like Schneider, Roehl and Prime run training programs for new drivers. The hard part is meeting the age, medical, record and training requirements and comparing offers before you sign.

Who hires CDL drivers with no experience?

Large carriers with in-house training are the most common first employers. Schneider, Roehl and Prime all publish new-driver programs on their careers pages, and job boards list more under "no experience" and "new driver".

Do I need a CDL before I apply?

Not always. Schneider says you do not need a CDL before applying, and Roehl offers paid CDL training. Prime's Recent CDL Graduate Program is for drivers who already hold a CDL, and Prime runs a separate student program for people who do not.

Can I get a no experience CDL job at 18?

You can hold a CDL at 18 in many states, but federal rules require drivers to be at least 21 to haul across state lines. Under 21, look for intrastate and local jobs.

Are there no experience CDL jobs near me?

Often yes, but local home-daily jobs are harder to get as a new driver. Search "no experience" plus your city on job boards, or send your profile to our team and we will tell you which carriers hire in your area.

Is getting a CDL worth it in 2026?

BLS reported a median wage of $58,640 for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers in May 2025 and projects about 214,500 openings a year. Whether it is worth it for you depends on home time, training commitments and the routes you want.

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