To hire military drivers, post your roles where veterans and transitioning service members search, name the license class and route type clearly, and know the federal rules that speed up their licensing. Many former military drivers can skip the CDL driving test and the entry-level training curriculum. You still have to run the same pre-employment checks on them as on any other CDL hire.
This guide is for FedEx-contracted Service Providers who recruit linehaul, CDL-A team, CDL-A solo, and pickup and delivery drivers. It covers what military driving experience does and does not qualify for, the compliance steps you cannot skip, and a hiring process you can put in place this month.
TL;DR
- Service members and veterans with two years of safe military vehicle driving can get a CDL without the skills test under the FMCSA Military Skills Test Waiver. The program is available in every state.
- Anyone who qualifies for that waiver is also exempt from the Entry-Level Driver Training requirement, which shortens onboarding.
- Run a full pre-employment query in the FMCSA Clearinghouse before a military hire performs any safety-sensitive work. A limited query is not enough.
- Match the role to the experience: not every military driver has hauled heavy loads over long distances, and not every one has a CDL yet.
- Post on a board that FedEx-experienced and veteran drivers already use, with the route, schedule, and pay stated plainly.
Table of Contents
- Why military drivers fit FedEx Service Provider work
- What the military CDL waiver covers
- Match the applicant to the right role
- Compliance checks you cannot skip
- Where to find military drivers
- Write a job posting that military applicants can evaluate
- A hiring process that works for military applicants
- Our perspective
- Post your open roles on UCEP
- FAQ
- Sources
Why military drivers fit FedEx Service Provider work
The U.S. Department of Transportation points out that military drivers have already completed standardized, demanding training on heavy equipment. That is a useful starting point for roles that depend on routine, inspection discipline, and schedule reliability.
In practice, three things tend to matter to a Service Provider:
- Vehicle familiarity. Many applicants have operated large, multi-axle vehicles and know pre-trip and post-trip inspection habits.
- Structured work. Linehaul and pickup and delivery routes run on fixed schedules, and applicants coming from military logistics are used to that.
- Faster licensing. The waiver programs described below can remove two of the slowest steps in getting a new CDL holder on the road.
Military experience is not a guarantee. A veteran who drove a light tactical vehicle or worked in a non-driving specialty may have no qualifying experience at all. Treat each applicant's record individually.
What the military CDL waiver covers
The waiver is the biggest practical difference between a military applicant and a civilian one. Know its limits so you can screen accurately.
The Military Skills Test Waiver
The FMCSA program lets drivers with two years of experience safely operating heavy military vehicles obtain a commercial driver's license without taking the driving (skills) test. The same page says more than 40,000 service members and veterans have used it. Applicants must be currently licensed and must be serving in, or have left within the past year, a military position that required operating a vehicle equivalent to a commercial motor vehicle.
The applicant submits the waiver form with a standard CDL application to the State Driver's License Agency in the state where they apply.
State differences
The waiver is available in all states, but each State Driver Licensing Agency administers it. Paperwork and appointment procedures can differ. Tell military applicants to contact their state DMV or Department of Public Safety early, ideally before separation or as soon as they have a start date in mind.
Knowledge test waivers
Some states go further. FMCSA lists resources for transitioning service members, including the Even Exchange Program, which in participating states can waive the knowledge test as well as the skills test. FMCSA's list of participating states includes Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, New Mexico, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia, and the list can change. Check the current page before you advise an applicant.
Entry-Level Driver Training
Anyone who qualifies for a skills test waiver under 49 CFR Part 383 is also exempt from the ELDT curriculum. A civilian new to commercial driving would need to complete training from a registered provider first. That difference can save weeks.
What a waiver does not do
- It does not replace your own road evaluation or your onboarding.
- It does not give the driver the endorsements your route needs. Ask which endorsements the applicant holds and which the role requires.
- It does not remove medical certification, drug and alcohol testing, or Clearinghouse checks.
- It does not tell you whether the driver is a fit for team driving or overnight linehaul.
Match the applicant to the right role
Military driving backgrounds vary. Use the table below as a starting framework for a first conversation, not a rule.
| Background | Possible fit | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy equipment or tractor-trailer style vehicle operator, CDL in hand | CDL-A solo linehaul | Endorsements, medical card, comfort with overnight and long-distance schedules |
| Veteran or spouse pair with CDL-A experience | CDL-A team linehaul | Both licenses current, both pass screening, sleeper-cab expectations |
| Transitioning driver with waiver eligibility but no CDL yet | Pickup and delivery, or CDL-A once licensed | Waiver timeline with the state, vehicle class you operate |
| Military driver with light or medium vehicle experience | Pickup and delivery | Customer-facing comfort, package handling, route density |
Ask applicants to describe the vehicles they drove, the number of years, the type of loads, and whether they have held a civilian license. Keep the questions identical for every applicant.
Compliance checks you cannot skip
FMCSA Clearinghouse full query
Under 49 CFR 382.701(a), an employer must conduct a pre-employment query in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse before hiring a driver for a safety-sensitive function such as operating a commercial motor vehicle. The check looks for unresolved drug and alcohol program violations.
Two points that trip up new recruiters:
- Use a full query. The FMCSA employer guide explains that a full query is what determines whether a prospective driver is prohibited from safety-sensitive work. A limited query does not do that.
- Get electronic consent first. The driver must give consent through the Clearinghouse before you run the full query.
A military record does not substitute for this check. Someone who recently separated may have little or no Clearinghouse history, and that is normal, but you still have to run the query and document it.
Your own hiring file
Keep a consistent file for every driver: license copy, medical certificate, waiver documentation if the CDL was issued under it, Clearinghouse query record, and your road evaluation. If FedEx or an auditor asks how a driver qualified, the paperwork should answer it without a phone call.
For questions on which requirements apply to your operation, speak with your compliance advisor or review the current FMCSA guidance. This article is a hiring guide, not legal advice.
Where to find military drivers
Use the terms they search for
The Department of Transportation recommends that employers use specific job titles when searching veteran-focused boards, such as Truck Driver, Flatbed Driver, Tanker Truck Driver, and Bus Driver. Do the same when you write your own postings. Titles like "CDL-A Solo Linehaul Driver" and "Pickup and Delivery Driver" are specific enough to match how drivers search.
Reach veterans through public programs
The Department of Transportation runs a Veteran Transportation Career Center developed with the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Labor to help military members move into transportation careers. It is worth reviewing to learn what your applicants are being told to expect.
Post where FedEx-experienced drivers already look
General job boards bury a Service Provider posting among thousands of unrelated listings. A focused board narrows the audience to people looking for FedEx-related work. UCEP's job listings are organized into pickup and delivery, CDL-A solo linehaul, and CDL-A team linehaul categories, so a driver who has already decided what kind of route they want finds your listing directly.
Help applicants fund their CDL
Some of your best applicants will need a civilian CDL before they can start. Two developments are useful to know about:
- The VA reports that the Dole Act streamlined approval for using G.I. Bill benefits on CDL training, making it easier for veterans to use those benefits at new training locations.
- The Department of Transportation says its Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training grants are designed to help veterans and their families with tuition and training costs.
Pointing an applicant to these resources costs you nothing and can bring a qualified driver to your terminal sooner. Applicants should confirm their own eligibility with the VA or the training school.
If you are a growing Service Provider weighing the cost of added routes and vehicles alongside new hires, financing options for transportation businesses are worth comparing. That page is written for Virginia-area businesses, so check what applies where you operate.
Write a job posting that military applicants can evaluate
Veterans tend to want specifics. A clear posting also screens out poor matches before they apply.
Include:
- Role and class. CDL-A solo, CDL-A team, or pickup and delivery.
- Terminal location and route type. Name the city and state, and say whether the route is local, regional, or overnight linehaul.
- Schedule. Days, start times, and how predictable the schedule is.
- Pay. Pay structure and any bonuses, in plain numbers.
- Requirements. License class, endorsements, medical card, and experience.
- Military language. State that you welcome veterans and applicants using the Military Skills Test Waiver. Say whether you will hire a driver who is still completing the state licensing process, and on what timeline.
- Equipment. Tractor type, sleeper details for team roles, and technology the driver will use.
Do not copy a competitor's pay figures. Check what comparable roles near your terminal currently pay and state your own.
A hiring process that works for military applicants
- Screen the application. Confirm license class, endorsements, and, for military drivers, the vehicles and years of service.
- Hold a short call. Ask about schedule expectations, home time, and route preferences.
- Verify licensing status. If the applicant is waiting on a waiver CDL, agree on a realistic date and keep the offer conditional on it.
- Get Clearinghouse consent and run the full query. Document the result.
- Complete drug and alcohol testing and medical certification as required for the role.
- Run your road evaluation. A waiver means the state skipped the skills test. It does not mean you must skip your own check of how the driver handles your equipment.
- Onboard to FedEx-specific expectations. Cover scanner use, delivery standards, safety practices, and your company policies.
- Check in at 30 and 90 days. Ask what is working and what is not. Applicants who have just left service are adjusting to a new work culture.
Our perspective
We built UCEP for one audience: Service Providers contracted with FedEx and the drivers who work for them. That focus shapes how we think about military hiring.
Most recruiters we see treat "veteran" as a label and stop there. The more useful approach is to treat it as a set of questions. What did this person drive? How recently? Are they licensed? What route do they want? Those answers decide whether the applicant belongs in a pickup and delivery van, a solo linehaul tractor, or a team seat.
We also think the quality of the posting matters more than the volume of applicants. A listing that states the route, the schedule, and the licensing path gets fewer misfits and more drivers who can actually start. Our directories and built-in applicant tracking exist to keep that process in one place, so you are not tracking applicants across email threads and spreadsheets.
Our reach is among drivers who already have FedEx experience, which we put at more than 140,000. That is relevant for military hiring because a veteran who has since driven for another FedEx contractor can be a stronger match than someone with no civilian record, and both types of applicant can be found in one place.
— Aaron
Post your open roles on UCEP
If you are ready to recruit, UCEP offers a Complimentary Trial Listing for new recruiters and a Standard Monthly Plan at $99 per month. Plans include job postings and a built-in applicant tracking system. You can review both on the UCEP pricing page, or see how listings appear to drivers on the jobs page.
FAQ
Do military drivers need a CDL before I can hire them?
Yes, to operate a commercial motor vehicle they need a valid CDL. Military experience alone is not a license. Eligible drivers can use the FMCSA skills test waiver to get one without the driving test, but they still have to apply through their state licensing agency.
How long after leaving the military can a driver use the waiver?
FMCSA says the applicant must be currently licensed and either serving in or employed within the past 12 months in a qualifying military driving position. Applicants who are near that window should contact their state agency promptly.
Do I still have to run a Clearinghouse query on a veteran?
Yes. Federal rules require a full pre-employment query for any prospective CDL driver in a safety-sensitive role, with the driver's electronic consent. Military status does not change that.
Are military drivers exempt from entry-level driver training?
Those who qualify for a skills test waiver are also exempt from the ELDT curriculum, according to FMCSA. Applicants who do not qualify for the waiver must complete ELDT from a registered provider before they take the CDL test.
Sources
- Military Skills Test Waiver Program, FMCSA
- Federal resources for transitioning service members and veterans, FMCSA
- Entry-Level Driver Training, FMCSA
- When must employers conduct a Clearinghouse query, FMCSA
- Conduct a Full Query: Employer guide, FMCSA Clearinghouse
- Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver, U.S. Department of Transportation
- Veteran Transportation Career Center, U.S. Department of Transportation
- Access to commercial driver's license training, VA News
- CMVOST grant announcement, U.S. Department of Transportation