No Experience / Student Hotshot / Sprinter Van Jobs

No Experience / Student Hotshot / Sprinter Van Driving

You are either fresh out of CDL school, currently in a training program, or considering a career change into trucking. Many mega-carriers offer paid training programs that require no prior experience. This is the starting point for most professional truck drivers.

Hotshot / Sprinter Van is one of the segments that some carriers will train new drivers for. Hotshot drivers use medium-duty pickup trucks (typically Ford F-350, Ram 3500, or Chevy 3500 with a 40-foot gooseneck trailer) or cargo vans (Sprinter, Transit) to haul time-sensitive, smaller loads that don't fill a full semi trailer. No CDL is required as long as the combined vehicle weight stays under 26,001 pounds GVWR.

Companies Hiring

Tips for No Experience / Student Drivers

• 💡 Apply to carrier-sponsored CDL training programs from companies like CRST, Swift, or Werner — they cover tuition costs in exchange for a 1-year driving commitment.
• 💡 Get your CDL permit before applying to maximize your options. Study the CDL manual and practice at a local driving school if possible.
• 💡 Be prepared for 4-8 weeks of OTR training with a mentor driver before going solo. Use this time to learn real-world skills like backing, trip planning, and log management.
• 💡 Avoid lease-purchase agreements as a new driver — the financial terms heavily favor the carrier and many new drivers end up losing money.

Frequently Asked Questions