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Motor vehicle drivers

How to become a Truck Driver

Also called: Heavy truck driver, Light truck driver, Medium truck driver, Refrigerated truck driver

Drives trucks and other goods vehicles to transport freight.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education is required to start, but you need a class 1 driving licence. As well as a standard licence, you need a semi-medium, medium or heavy vehicle licence depending on the weight and load capacity of the vehicle. To encourage young drivers into the industry, you can now obtain a heavy vehicle licence from age 19 by completing a set amount of special training. To drive trailers you need a towing licence, to carry dangerous goods you need the hazardous materials handler qualification, and to carry high-pressure gas you need the high-pressure gas transport supervisor qualification. In jobs with a lot of loading and unloading, a forklift qualification widens the work you can do. Many drivers are hired mid-career as experienced people who can start work straight away. People usually find jobs through Hello Work (public employment service), job advertisements and referrals from other drivers. In recent years, better working conditions and pay have brought more women and young people into the job. The first one to three months are a probation period with practical training. Under a Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism notice (guidelines on instruction and supervision), new drivers must receive instruction riding along in a truck and classroom training on loading methods, daily checks and the features of truck design. After learning practical knowledge and skills from managers and supervisors, drivers start driving work. More companies now actively help staff obtain licences in order to attract workers. Even if you do not have the licence when hired, you can get a semi-medium, medium or heavy vehicle licence after joining and do well in the job. After gaining driving experience, some drivers obtain the operations manager national qualification and become dispatchers who manage drivers, and then move on from that to management roles such as depot manager. Some jobs involve long-distance or late-night driving, so looking after your health is important. Drivers' excessive working hours and time on duty are steadily being reduced along with their workload, and a strong safety awareness and commitment to following the law are now expected qualities in a driver.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Truck Driver?

No particular education is required to start, but you need a class 1 driving licence. As well as a standard licence, you need a semi-medium, medium or heavy vehicle licence depending on the weight and load capacity of the vehicle. To encourage young drivers into the industry, you can now obtain a heavy vehicle licence from age 19 by completing a set amount of special training. To drive trailers you need a towing licence, to carry dangerous goods you need the hazardous materials handler qualification, and to carry high-pressure gas you need the high-pressure gas transport supervisor qualification. In jobs with a lot of loading and unloading, a forklift qualification widens the work you can do. Many drivers are hired mid-career as experienced people who can start work straight away. People usually find jobs through Hello Work (public employment service), job advertisements and referrals from other drivers. In recent years, better working conditions and pay have brought more women and young people into the job. The first one to three months are a probation period with practical training. Under a Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism notice (guidelines on instruction and supervision), new drivers must receive instruction riding along in a truck and classroom training on loading methods, daily checks and the features of truck design. After learning practical knowledge and skills from managers and supervisors, drivers start driving work. More companies now actively help staff obtain licences in order to attract workers. Even if you do not have the licence when hired, you can get a semi-medium, medium or heavy vehicle licence after joining and do well in the job. After gaining driving experience, some drivers obtain the operations manager national qualification and become dispatchers who manage drivers, and then move on from that to management roles such as depot manager. Some jobs involve long-distance or late-night driving, so looking after your health is important. Drivers' excessive working hours and time on duty are steadily being reduced along with their workload, and a strong safety awareness and commitment to following the law are now expected qualities in a driver.

How much does a Truck Driver earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,485,500 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Truck drivers (commercial haulage, except heavy trucks), which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Truck Driver?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 11% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Truck Driver?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026