You get passengers or cargo from place to place safely and efficiently, so when hiring managers read your cover letter they want to know that you are careful and attentive. A superior transportation cover letter highlights both those attributes to steer your career to your next great job.
Luckily Resume.io is here to help with the secrets of creating a cover letter that helps you speed past the competition. In this cover letter guide, along with the corresponding transportation cover letter example, we’ll cover the following topics:
- How to choose the best cover letter format and what paragraphs the cover letter should include
- How to make the most of each cover letter paragraph (header, greeting, intro, body and conclusion)
- What tone and style to use when writing your cover letter
- What mistakes to avoid when writing your transportation cover letter.
The guide below will analyze the details (you can also check out our library of 125+ cover letter examples.)
Best format for a transportation cover letter
In transportation, the route you take structures your day. In your job application, the format you use structures your message. Most cover letters comprise the same sections and yours should, too.
Those elements are:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting / salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
Your transportation cover letter needs to convince hiring managers you are the best person for the job while avoiding sounding as though you are bragging. The tone you use and message you send will make all the difference in whether you get the interview.
Our comprehensive cover letter guide is a great read for general advice on writing cover letters, along with plenty of formatting tips.
The transportation cover letter example below gives you a basis from which to craft your own application:
Dear Mr. Kelleher,
Thank you very much for taking the time to review my application materials. I appreciate having the opportunity to express my interest in serving Easton Drivers as a dedicated, safe, and responsible Driver. I am very much aware of how much the community here depends upon the services that Easton Drivers offers, as I too have been a client of yours in the past.
I can assure you that I bring forth the proper experience, training, and personality to After I earned my Class A CDL License, I began working as a Driver for Senior Lifestyle, and more recently, Deepbrook Drivers. I brought forth a friendly and helpful attitude, and a commitment to establishing and following the best driving routes to achieve transportation goals in a safe and timely manner. This is precisely what I hope to do at Easton Drivers.
Please contact me at your earliest convenience to further discuss the value I can bring to Easton Drivers.
Sincerely,
Jillian Moore
If you’re looking for additional inspiration for cover letter writing, you can check out our related transportation cover letter samples:
Cover letter header
Why are you writing a cover letter? Simple: you want the job! That’s what makes your header so important. It tells recruiters how to reach you. This section is especially important if you are on the road (or on the water or in the air) for long stretches. What’s the best way to get a hold of you to schedule an interview? Make sure you make that clear here.
Your header must include your name, email and a good phone number to reach you. You should also think of this section as the one area to add a little design personality. Don’t go too crazy, but make sure this information stands out and give those recruiters an image they will remember.
Create consistency between your letter and resume
Use the same fonts and basic style for both elements of your application. This creates the look of a complete package. It also makes it easier to match up your documents in case they get separated during the applicant screening process. If any other supporting documents are required, make sure you align the style of those as well.
The aim of this section: Make it easy for a hiring manager to contact you for an interview while adding a bit of style to your letter.
Cover letter greeting
We’ve already mentioned the importance of tone. The greeting of your transportation cover letter needs to establish your professionalism from the start. That’s why we recommend starting off with “Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms. Surname,” as our cover letter samples do. It’s best to use the hiring manager or your prospective boss’s name (as long as you make sure you spell it correctly and use the appropriate honorific). This combination gives a professional yet personal touch to your application.
If you cannot find out the name of the hiring manager or your prospective boss, you may use “Dear (Company Name) Hiring Team.” More casual greetings should be reserved for cases in which you are absolutely sure they fit the tone of the business. The more you learn about your prospective place of employment first, the easier it will be to choose the correct greeting.
The aim of the cover letter greeting: Set the right tone from the start with a professional yet personalized opening.
Cover letter introduction
At the core of every job application interaction is the question, “Why should I hire you?” A great cover letter introduction drives home your answer to that question from the start. Don’t be afraid to use strong, positive language to describe your career here.
Choose your highest flying achievement to intrigue the hiring manager and get them to read on. This may be the time you helped a passenger in distress, rerouted an important delivery to get it there on time or developed a streamlined process within your area of expertise. Make sure this example shows how you go above and beyond the daily routine.
Your introduction must strongly state your message. If you don’t state why you’re an excellent candidate, you’re unlikely to get the interview.
The aim of the cover letter intro: Demonstrate that you will be an asset to the maintenance and repair team and give the hiring manager a reason to read on.
Check out the introduction from our cover letter sample below.
Dear Mr. Kelleher,
Thank you very much for taking the time to review my application materials. I appreciate having the opportunity to express my interest in serving Easton Drivers as a dedicated, safe, and responsible Driver. I am very much aware of how much the community here depends upon the services that Easton Drivers offers, as I too have been a client of yours in the past.
Cover letter middle part (body)
You’ve set the tone and delivered your key message, now you have a chance to spread your wings and explain how your work ethic and style will have the company flying high. Remember that recruiters are looking for ideas about who you are as well as your skills within this part of your application, so use language that expresses who you are.
What are the most important skills and attributes a transportation profession needs? If you take on passengers, customer service, attention to safety and maintaining calm in emergencies are high on the list. If you have anecdotes that illustrate these qualities, use them in the body of your transportation cover letter. Cargo transporters need knowledge of logistics and attention to timing and route details.
Go over the job listing carefully and match the stories you choose to the requirements of your desired job. Your goal is to demonstrate to the hiring manager that you are the solution to their problem.
Bullet items help highlight your skills and break up the blocks of text. Start each one with a strong action word and describe your success with detail and data.
The aim of the body of your cover letter: Show off the skills you have that will ease the burden on your future employer.
I can assure you that I bring forth the proper experience, training, and personality to After I earned my Class A CDL License, I began working as a Driver for Senior Lifestyle, and more recently, Deepbrook Drivers. I brought forth a friendly and helpful attitude, and a commitment to establishing and following the best driving routes to achieve transportation goals in a safe and timely manner. This is precisely what I hope to do at Easton Drivers.
How to close a transportation cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
The trip is coming to a close. Your passenger – or in this case the reader of your transportation cover letter – is eager to reach their destination. Before they disembark, make sure they remember the great things that are in store for them if they allow you on the journey.
In your conclusion, restate why you are the best person for the job. If you have space, offer a bit of more personal information. This serves as a way for the hiring manager to decide whether you are a good fit, but also offers an opportunity for a follow-up during the interview. Consider explaining why you got into transportation or mention a hobby (such as model trains, travel or auto repair) that meshes with your career.
Finally, politely float your request for an interview and end with “Sincerely” or “Best regards” and your full name.
The aim of the close of your cover letter: End with confidence and a reminder about why you are an excellent candidate.
Here is the conclusion from our cover letter sample:
Please contact me at your earliest convenience to further discuss the value I can bring to Easton Drivers.
Sincerely,
Jillian Moore
Writing psychology: how to convey your work ethic in your cover letter
We told you to express your personality, use strong language and adopt the proper tone. Not as easy as it sounds? Here are some more helpful hints to get your there:
Ask a friend or colleague to describe your work style. If you’re shy about using complimentary language about yourself, ask those who know you best. They may even come up with things you haven’t thought of. Then, incorporate their words into your letter.
Use examples that fit your new job. If you want to be a manager, tell a story of when you stepped in during the supervisor’s absence.
Broaden your skill base. In other words, make sure each anecdote illustrates a different aspect of your job. Don’t rely solely on customer-based stories. Try adding one about your technical or safety knowledge.
Tips for avoiding mistakes in a transportation application letter
Pay attention to the details. Use the tools you have at hand to avoid errors. Spellcheck, grammar check and have a friend or colleague read your application before you hit submit.
Don’t get too flowery. Use language that feels natural to you. Yes, be a little more formal than you are when talking to your buddies, but don’t go overboard. You want the hiring manager to get a sense of who you are.
Shorter is better. If you have a great story that requires too much background, save it for the interview. You have about 400 words to detail everything that makes you a fabulous candidate and one story won’t do the trick.
A simple cover letter page layout that’s clean and attractive can put you miles ahead of other candidates who didn’t even consider their professional image. Shave off some time with an expertly-designed cover letter template.
Key takeaways for a transportation cover letter
- Go beyond your demeanor around passengers and show off your technical, safety or logistics knowledge.
- Use anecdotes that show the hiring manager you understand what it takes to do the job they have open.
- Pump yourself up a bit with strong, positive descriptions and action words.
- Set the right tone from the beginning and maintain it throughout your application.
