Have you always dreamt of driving a big rig down the open road? A CDL is your ticket into a great career in the transportation business, so help yours by following these essential tips.
Do you want to know how to get a CDL? All will be learned here, and we've got you covered from meeting necessary needs to mastering the CDL exam. It doesn't matter whether you're going into long-haul trucking or making local deliveries; this article covers all the information that you need to prepare yourself for your new career path.
Now, down to the nitty-gritty: it's time for you to hit the highway to success with your CDL.
Contents:
- What is a CDL? Who needs it?
- How Old Do You Have to Be to Get a CDL?
- How to Get Your CDL
- Have a copy of CDL manual
- Conclusion
What is a CDL? Who needs it?
In order to drive a semi-truck, also known as a "Big Rig," and make a good salary that goes along with this job, you must have your CDL. This is a special license which must be obtained for the operation of 18-wheelers – commercial motor vehicles with a weight over 10,000 pounds. The CDL is not only required for truck drivers who drive tractor-trailers.
Obtaining a commercial driver's license speaks for the driver's capabilities and training to operate such large vehicles in a safe and efficient manner. A CDL establishes a driver's capability to drive bigger vehicles while dealing with the corresponding complexities and responsibilities entailed. Let's delve into the details and steps of how to get your CDL.
How Old Do You Have to Be to Get a CDL?
Age limits for CDLs can vary by state or by commercial application. For the most part, one will be able to get a license at 18 years old to drive in the state as an intrastate driver, 21 years old to drive across state lines, or older than 21 years to transport hazardous materials.
These are supposed to cover whether maturity has been reached or enough of the days experienced can equip them to handle the job's demands.
Other states also possess more restrictions or prerequisites with age, so it would be best to know the regulations of your home state.
How to Get Your CDL
Obtaining a CDL, therefore requires two steps: first learn the required skills through the mandated training program and then pass a detailed exam. This will all have the added expectation of any prospective employee under medical and residency requirements to qualify to secure a license to operate a motor vehicle.
Pass Medical Examination
Before you hit the road with your CDL, it is very important for you to establish the fact that you are capable and qualified to drive a semi and haul loads. This begins with a very thorough medical examination and evaluation of your physical capability relative to the needs of commercial driving.
Every CDL driver involved in driving any commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce whose gross vehicle weight is rated at a greater value than 10,000 pounds shall acquire and retain a valid Medical Examiner's Certificate. Those who operate commercial motor vehicles requiring a CDL undergo an additional level of scrutiny regarding their health. You need to prove to your state that you're medically qualified. This usually means getting a DOT medical card by passing a physical DOT test. Most commercial driving jobs require this card.
The medical examination is divided into its own parts. The first is quite simple: a vision test, which undercuts other CDL examinations. Yet part of the second, detailed part involves handing in required medical documentation. Effective 2024, a new regulation will require that all drivers now send in two very important documents to the state's commercial driver licensing agency, whether a driver drives exclusively within one state or across state lines. These will be the Medical Examination Report Form and Medical Examiner's Certificate Form.
It is, therefore, crucial to have the forms above completed by a Medical Examiner registered in the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. Make sure that your medical examiner is registered with the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners so that completion of these forms can be done effectively and correctly.
Check and make sure there is a medical examiner on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners, so the forms are completed with the proper directions. Following through on these steps will ensure all the correct medical standards are met, allowing you to obtain the proper CDL and start a career as a commercial driver.
Have a copy of CDL manual
All the theoretical information you need to prepare for the knowledge test, which you must pass to get your commercial learner's permit, is contained in a handbook called the Commercial Driver's License Manual. You may also access the CDL Manual from DMV locations or download it from the FMCSA website.
Reading the information from this handbook is an important step to get your CDL license, as it ensures a successful pass of the written (or online) theoretical exams.
Choose CDL Type and Endorsements
The class of CDL a driver holds shall be the appropriate class of commercial motor vehicle that the driver is required to hold a license to operate with respect to any class of, whether it is Class A, B, or C. The next step is to see if there are any additional endorsements that need to be added to the CDL: Hazardous Materials (H), Passenger Transport (P), and Tank Vehicles (N).
These are very key selections, as every class and endorsement has its requirements and tests. Basically, with a Class A CDL, one is able to drive tractor-trailers. With a Class B, you can handle single vehicles like buses or dump trucks.
Meet the standards for Entry-Level Driver Training
Base training before becoming eligible for the CDL skills test is called entry-level driver training (ELDT). This is a crucial and absolute prerequisite for new applicants for CDL. It makes sure that everybody who is applying for a Class A or Class B license, as well as those upgrading their Class B license, obtains a general level of uniform knowledge and behind-the-wheel training.
ELDT is not just theory in the classroom, but rather includes behind-the-wheel training. The critical course content of ELDT includes vehicle operation, safe driving practices, and identification of hazards. Practical driving skills are acquired when hands-on experience is implemented. Finally, your training provider will submit all your records to TPR, which will make you eligible to take an official written knowledge test at a state DMV. This is needed by a driver to gain a CLP.
Obtain a Commercial Learner's Permit
After you succeed in Entry-Level Driver Training, you can advance to another stage – practice driving a semi-truck. For that purpose, you will need to receive a Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP). The permit grants legal consent for driving commercial motor vehicles, but only under very close guidance from a CDL carrier. With a CLP, you can apply to truck driving schools of any kind. However, getting a CLP is not an ordinary routine.
To get this kind of permit, you should apply at your local Department of Motor Vehicles in person or online. You will need to bring the following forms of IDs:
- Valid driver’s license;
- Social Security card;
- Proof of lawful permanent residency.
Then you must attend a driver licensing center and pass a knowledge test which consists of these three sections:
- General knowledge;
- Air Brakes;
- Combination Vehicles;
- Optionally – Tanker and HazMat endorsements.
You'll find all the info you need for the exam in the CDL Manual. Earning 80% of correctly answered questions is considered a passing score
When you’re successfully done with the theory, you may take and complete your behind-the-wheel training program. Federal Regulations in most cases require you to practice your driving on an 18-wheeler within 14 days before taking the final road skills test for a CDL. A CLP doesn’t allow you to drive a big rig as a commercial driver. This kind of permit is usually valid for one year and, in some cases, it is nonrenewable.
Apply for CDL: Test Your Knowledge and Skills
With a CLP, you can attend any type of CDL training program. After a minimum of 3 weeks training behind the wheel of a semi-truck, then you are finally able to take your CDL test. You have met all the other prerequisites.
Contact the nearest DMV or any other appropriate local office in your state regarding a CDL, and you will be told about the full list of documents to be submitted. Typically, the said documentation list includes:
- a valid driver's license;
- medical examination report;
- social security card;
- proof of address.
Be sure to have everything well in advance so that you can provide them during the application process.
The other piece is how to take exams and complete your training. You can typically take the knowledge exam online in theory. You then find a time to take the hands-on exam, that comes with an observing safety specialist, and consists of three parts:
- Pre-driving vehicle check (pre-trip inspection);
- Basic control of the 18-wheeler;
- On-road driving
The semi-truck for the practical examination is not provided by default. Want to know how to get a truck for the CDL test? In many instances, businesses and people rent their trucks and trailers for testing purposes, so just check within your community or with the DMV. If third-party testing facilities are allowed in your state, they often have trucks available for use.
If you do not pass one part of the skills test, all other testing will be delayed. You are allowed three chances to pass the skills test. Each time you retake the skills test you must pay a fee before you can test again. When you have passed the CDL skills test a certificate will be sent to you. Do surrender your CLP at the DMV (or any other authorized Licensing Center) to obtain your CDL and start your career as a commercial truck driver.
Conclusion
Understanding the process for obtaining your CDL is the initial step toward a prosperous career as a commercial truck driver. Follow the steps outlined above to meet the requirements, and you will be there in no time to get your CDL and hit the roads. Just remember, this industry is all about safety and proper training, so take the time to prepare thoroughly. It is through hard work and dedication that you will achieve the objective of being a commercial driver with good job opportunities available in the transport field.
If you're looking to join a company that values its drivers, HMD Trucking is the place for you. With the frontline approach to trucking, we top the list in being the best option for drivers with at least 12 months of experience working as CDL A. Apply now, and let's kick off your trucking career with us!
