Image of collage of truck drivers and trucks. Text on right side of image states "CDL Career Paths" and DriveCO CDL Learning Center logo

CDL Career Paths

What Can I Do With My CDL?

Updated April 2022

Obtaining your CDL can open many different career doors for you. Each comes with different hours, amount of driving time, the magnitude of physical labor, and differing amounts of training. How do you know which is right for you with all the other job options out there? Here are some examples of career paths you can take once you have your CDL to give you a feel for each career.

Truck Driving

The trucking industry is booming, with an estimated 3.5 million professional truck drivers. This career path offers abundant travel, lots of time on the road, and job security, knowing how important the transportation of goods is for our nation’s economy. Truck drivers are also getting more driving opportunities to drive regional and local routes. This increase is due to drivers wanting more home time and better driving routes.

Bus Driving

Apart from transporting goods, transporting people from place to place is another option after tackling CDL training. Bus driving is a great job option for any driver who wants to be around people during the job and have a regular route to drive. Bus drivers have the luxury of putting down roots and not traveling for as long a period as truck drivers. Career options include driving school buses, city buses, chartered buses, shuttle buses, and more. You can also choose to work for either a municipality or a business.

Road Construction

Construction requires huge vehicles like skid steers, dump trucks, cranes, and steamrollers, many of which require CDL training to operate. If you prefer seasonal work that is more labor-intensive, look into a career in construction.

Engineering Equipment Operations

Like road construction, city engineering projects need people to operate heavy machinery like cranes, pump trucks, and trash compactors. These projects can include creating manufactured lakes and reservoirs to building bridges over rivers.

Delivery Drivers

A CDL is often required for delivery services. Like the trucking industry, delivery drivers deliver goods like furniture and medical equipment to people’s homes or businesses but don’t require the same number of hours on the road.

Whatever career path you decide to take after your CDL training, know that DriveCo is the place to start.

New drivers can find many options in which to use their CDLs. The industry is changing and needs fresh drivers to fill several roles.

Contact us with any questions about different CDL careers and information on how to begin your CDL training!