Commercial driver's license - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

A Commercial Driver's License (CDL) is a driver's license

Driver's license

A driver's license/licence , or driving licence is an official document which states that a person may operate a motorized vehicle, such as a motorcycle, car, truck or a bus, on a public roadway. Most U.S...

required in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

to operate any type of vehicle which has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 lb (11,793 kg) or more for commercial use, or transports quantities of hazardous materials that require warning placards under Department of Transportation

United States Department of Transportation

The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...

regulations, or that is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver. This includes (but is not limited to) tow truck

Tow truck

A tow truck is a vehicle used to transport motor vehicles to another location , or to recover vehicles which are no longer on a drivable surface.Towing services are generally provided by an emergency road service operator...

s, tractor trailers, and bus

Bus

A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...

es.

The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 was signed into law on October 27, 1986. The primary intent of the Act was to improve highway safety by ensuring that truck drivers and drivers of tractor trailers and buses are qualified to drive Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs), and to remove drivers that are unsafe and unqualified from the highways. The Act continued to give states the right to issue CDLs, but the federal

Federal government of the United States

The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...

government established minimum requirements that must be met when issuing a CDL.

Pre-1986

Driving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), which are primarily tractor-trailers (or Longer Combination Vehicles (LCVs)), requires advanced skills and knowledge above and beyond those required to drive a car or other light weight vehicle. Before implementation of the Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Program in 1986, licensing requirements for driving larger vehicles and buses varied from state to state.

Many drivers were operating motor vehicles that they may not have been trained or qualified to drive. This lack of training resulted in a large number of preventable traffic deaths and accidents.

Class definitions

Since April 1, 1992, when this Act became law, all drivers have been required to have a CDL in order to drive a Commercial Motor Vehicle. The Federal Highway Administration

Federal Highway Administration

The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...

(FHWA) has developed testing standards for licensing drivers. U.S. states are able to issue CDLs only after a written and practical test have been given by the State or approved testing facility.

A driver needs a CDL if the vehicle meets one of the following definitions of a CMV:

Class A truck

Class A truck

A Class A truck is any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 lbs or more pounds, provided the GVWR of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds . This is also known as a tractor trailer...

Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds (11,793 kg) provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds (4536 kg).

Class B truck

Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds , or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR.A Class B commercial driver's license is needed to operate a Class B truck in the United States.-References:...

Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds (11,793 kg), or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds (4536 kg) GVWR.

Class C truck

Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is placarded for hazardous materials.

A state may also require a driver to have a CDL to operate certain other vehicles legally. A driver licensed in New Jersey

New Jersey

New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

must have a CDL to drive legally a bus, limousine

Limousine

A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....

, or van that is used for hire, and designed to transport 8 to 15 passengers. A driver licensed in New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

must have a CDL to legally transport passengers in school bus

School bus

A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...

es and other vehicles listed in Article 19-A of the state's Vehicle and Traffic Law.
Prospective licensees should verify CDL requirements by referencing their state specific CDL Manual.

The minimum age to apply for a CDL is usually 21, as required by the United States Department of Transportation

United States Department of Transportation

, although some states allow drivers who are 18 to 20 to apply for a CDL that is valid only within the driver's state of residence. A single state CDL only restricts driving of CMVs within the holder's state (not non-commercial vehicles), and automatically converts to a 50 state CDL at the age of 21.

Endorsements

Additional testing is required to obtain any of the following endorsements on the CDL. These can only be obtained after a CDL has been issued to the driver:

T Semi trailer Double or Triple (Written Test)
- Certain states prohibit triple trailers statewide, such as California, Florida, and New York
- A Class A license is required to obtain the T endorsement
P Passenger Vehicle (Written and Driving Tests)
S School Bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...

(Written and Driving Test, Background Check, Sex Offender Registry Check and P endorsement)
N Tank Truck
Tank truck
A tank truck or road tanker is a motor vehicle designed to carry liquefied loads, dry bulk cargo or gases on roads. The largest such vehicles are similar to railroad tank cars which are also designed to carry liquefied loads...

(Written Test)
H Hazardous materials (Written Test and Background Check through the Transportation Security Administration
Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the safety and security of the traveling public in the United States....

)
X Combination of Tank Vehicle and Hazardous Materials (Written Test)
W Tow truck. (Written Test)

Test requirements

Formal training is not mandatory to obtain a CDL. Although each state may add additional restrictions, there are national requirements in the United States
. A prospective driver must pass a written test on highway safety and a test about different parts of a truck with a minimum of 30 questions on the test. To pass this knowledge tests student drivers must answer at least 80 percent of the questions correctly. To pass the driving skills test the student driver must successfully perform a set of required driving maneuvers. The driving skill test must be taken in a vehicle that the driver operates or expects to operate. For certain endorsements, such as Air Brakes, the driving skills test must be taken in a vehicle equipped with such equipment.

Testing facilities

Employers, training facilities, States, governmental departments, and private institutions may be permitted to administer knowledge and driving test for the State. The test must be the same as those given by the State issuing the CDL and the instructors must meet the same professional certification

Professional certification

Professional certification, trade certification, or professional designation, often called simply certification or qualification, is a designation earned by a person to assure qualification to perform a job or task...

as State instructors.

States are required to conduct an inspection of any testing facility and evaluates the programs by taking an actual test as if they were testing driver at least once a year, or by taking a sample of drivers tested by the third party and then comparing pass/fail rates.

In addition, the State's agreement with the third party testing centers must allow the FMCSA and the State to conduct random examinations, inspections, and audits without notice.

A CDL must contain the following information:

(a)(1) The prominent statement that the license is a “Commercial Driver’s License” or “CDL,” except as specified in §383.153(b);

(a)(2) The full name, signature, and mailing address of the person to whom such license is issued;

(a)(3) Physical and other information to identify and describe such person including date of birth (month, day, and year), sex, and height;

(a)(4) Color photograph of the driver;

(a)(5) The driver’s State license number;

(a)(6) The name of the State which issued the license;

(a)(7) The date of issuance and the date of expiration of the license;

(a)(8) The group or groups of commercial motor vehicle(s) that the driver is authorized to operate, indicated as follows:

(a)(8)(i) A for Combination Vehicle;

(a)(8)(ii) B for Heavy Straight Vehicle; and

(a)(8)(iii) C for Small Vehicle.

(a)(9) The endorsement(s) for which the driver has qualified, if any, indicated as follows:

(a)(9)(i) T for double/triple trailers;

(a)(9)(ii) P for passenger;

(a)(9)(iii) N for tank vehicle;

(a)(9)(iv) H for hazardous materials;

(a)(9)(v) X for a combination of the tank vehicle and hazardous materials endorsements;

(a)(9)(vi) S for school bus; and

(a)(9)(vii) At the discretion of the State, additional codes for additional groupings of endorsements, as long as each such discretionary code is fully explained on the front or back of the CDL document.

(b) If the CDL is a Nonresident CDL, it shall contain the prominent statement that the license is a “Nonresident Commercial Driver’s License” or “Nonresident CDL.” The word “Nonresident” must be conspicuously and unmistakably displayed, but may be noncontiguous with the words “Commercial Driver’s License” or “CDL.”

(c) If the State has issued the applicant an air brake restriction as specified in §383.95, that restriction must be indicated on the license.

CDLIS Clearinghouse

The Commercial Driver's License Information System

Commercial Driver's License Information System

Mandated by the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act 1986 , CDLIS helps control issuance of a Commercial driver's license and the withdrawal of a commercial driver by the CDLIS jurisdictions...

(CDLIS) and the National Driver Register

National Driver Register

The National Driver Register is a computerized database of information about U.S. drivers who have had their licenses revoked or suspended, or who have been been convicted of serious traffic violations...

(NDR) exchange information on traffic convictions and driver disqualifications of commercial drivers. States have to use both CDLIS and NDR to check a driver's record before a CDL can be issued. To gain permission to access to the CDLIS and NDR databases one should visit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Technical Support Web site for instructions on how this information is accessed and who can access it. Trucking companies can use a commercial service that has clearance for providing this information as a means of screening prospective employees.

If Convicted while driving a CMV

Driving without a CDL, or suspended CDL, incurs a civil penalty of up to US$2,500 or, in aggravated cases, criminal penalties of up to US$5,000 in fines and/or up to 90 days in prison.

An employer is also subject to a penalty of up to US$10,000, if they knowingly permit a driver to operate a CMV without a valid CDL.

Two or more serious traffic violations, including excessive speeding, reckless driving, improper or erratic lane changes, following the vehicle ahead too closely, and traffic offenses in connection with fatal traffic accidents, within a three-year period: a 90-day to five-year suspension.

One or more violations of a Motor vehicle declared out of service
Motor vehicle declared out of service
-Motor vehicles declared out of service:A Motor vehicle is declared in the United States as out of service by personnel authorized to perform inspections of commercial motor vehicles and are designated as Special Agents of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration...

order within a 10-year period: one year suspension.

Driving under the influence of a controlled substance
Controlled substance
A controlled substance is generally a drug or chemical whose manufacture, possession, or use are regulated by a government. This may include illegal drugs and prescription medications ....

or alcohol, or leaving the scene of an accident, or using a CMV to commit a felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...

: three year suspension.

Any of the one-year offenses while operating a CMV for hazardous materials or second offense of any of the one-year or three-year offenses, or using a CMV to commit a felony involving manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing controlled substances: life suspension.

States can reduce certain lifetime disqualifications to a minimum disqualification period of 10 years if the driver completes a driver rehabilitation program approved by the State. Not all states do this: it is available in Idaho and New York State but not California or New Jersey.

If a CDL holder is disqualified from operating a CMV they can not be issued a "conditional" or "hardship" CDL, but can continue to drive non-commercial vehicles.

Any convictions are reported to the driver's home State and Federal Highway Administration and these convictions are treated the same as convictions for violations that are committed in the home State.

The Commercial Drivers License Program collects and stores all convictions a driver receives and transmits this data to the home State so that any disqualification or suspension can be applied.

The FHWA has established 0.04% as the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level at or above which a CMV driver is deemed to be driving under the influence

Driving under the influence

Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...

of alcohol

Alcohol

In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....

and subject to lose his/her CDL. Additionally, an operator of a CMV that is found to have 'any detectable amount of BAC above 0.0%' will be put out of service for a minimum of 24 hours.

A driver must report any driving conviction within 30 days, except parking, to their employer regardless of the nature of the violation.

Employers must be notified if a driver's license is suspended, revoked, or canceled. The notification must be made by the end of the next business day following receipt of the notice of the suspension, revocation, cancellation, lost privilege or disqualification.

Employers cannot under any circumstances use a driver who has more than one license or whose license is suspended, revoked or canceled, or is disqualified from driving. Violation of this requirement may result in civil or criminal penalties.

CDL Training in United States

In the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, training may be obtained by completing a qualified CDL training program through a truck driving school. These training programs specialize in teaching potential truck drivers the necessary skills and knowledge to properly and safely operate a truck, including map reading, trip planning, and compliance with Department of Transportation

Department of Transportation

The Department of Transportation is the most common name for a government agency in North America devoted to transportation. The largest is the United States Department of Transportation, which oversees interstate travel. All U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and many local agencies also have...

laws, as well as backing, turning, hooking a trailer, and road driving. The overall purpose of these training schools is to help truckers-to-be pass the CDL knowledge and skills tests as well as advanced driving techniques such as skid avoidance and recovery and other emergency actions for situations such as a break away trailer and hydroplaning. These classes usually go well beyond the training the typical non-commercial driver receives, such as the drivers education provided in high school.

There are a number of licensed CDL training schools around the United States, and many trucking companies operate their own schools as well.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

the PCV Licence (PCV stands for Passenger Carrying Vehicle) enables the holder to drive bus

Bus

es and/or minibus

Minibus

A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...

es, subject to what kind of Practical Driving Test the licence holder passes.

Category C+E Vehicles over 3500 kg with a trailer over 750 kg also known as Large Goods Vehicle normal max gross weight 44000 kg (97416 lbs): minimum age 21. 17 if in the Armed Forces & now 18 if you meet certain requirements regarding CPC

Category D1 allows the holder to drive a vehicle with between nine and sixteen passenger seats with a trailer up to 750 kg maximum authorised mass.

Category D1+E allows the holder to drive a vehicle with between nine and sixteen passenger seats with a trailer over 750 kg maximum authorised mass, provided that the maximum authorised mass of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the vehicle being driven and the combined maximum authorised mass of both the vehicle and trailer does not exceed 12 t (12000 kg).
- For example, a vehicle with an unladen mass of 2650 kg and a MAM of 4005 kg, with a trailer MAM of 2200 kg will give a combined MAM of 6205 kg - but the Unladen Mass of the vehicle being driven (2650 kg) is greater than the MAM of the trailer (2200 kg) so is acceptable. However, a vehicle with an unladen mass of 2650 kg and a MAM of 4005 kg, with a trailer MAM of 2700 kg will give a combined MAM of 6705 kg - but because the MAM of the trailer (2700 kg) exceeds the Unladen Weight of the vehicle being driven (2650 kg), you would need a Category D+E licence to drive that vehicle.

Category D allows the holder to drive a vehicle with more than eight passenger seats with a trailer up to 750 kg maximum authorised mass.

Category D+E allows the holder to drive a vehicle with more than eight passenger seats with a trailer over 750 kg maximum authorised mass.

Australia

All places in Australia have a mostly similar driver licence system, although some things can change in each state or territory (e.g. what classes of license are available).

Australian license classes

C Car: A 'Class C' licence covers vehicles up to 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass (GVM)

GVM is the maximum recommended weight a vehicle can be when loaded. A 'Class C' Licence allows the holder to drive cars, utilities, vans, some light trucks, car-based motor tricycles, tractors and implements such as graders. You can also drive vehicles that seat up to 12 adults, including the driver.

R Rider: Motorcycle riders require a 'Class R' licence.

LR Light Rigid: 'Class LR' covers a rigid vehicle with a GVM of more than 4.5 tonnes but not more than 8 tonnes. Any towed trailer must not weigh more than 9 tonnes GVM. This class also includes vehicles with a GVM up to 8 tonnes which carry more than 12 adult including the driver and vehicles in class 'C'.

MR Medium Rigid: 'Class MR' covers a rigid vehicle with 2 axles and a GVM of more than 8 tonnes. Any towed trailer must not weigh more than 9 tonnes GVM. This class also includes vehicles in class 'LR'.

HR Heavy Rigid: 'Class HR' covers a rigid vehicle with 3 or more axles and a GVM of more than 8 tonnes. Any towed trailer must not weigh more than 9 tonnes GVM. This class also includes articulated buses and vehicles in class 'MR'.

HC Heavy Combination: This licence covers heavy combination vehicles like a prime mover towing a semi-trailer, or rigid vehicles towing a trailer with a GVM of more than 9 tonnes. This class also includes vehicles in class 'HR'.

MC Multi-Combination: This licence covers multi-combination vehicles like Road Trains and B-Double Vehicles. It lso includes vehicles in class 'HC'.

Medical standards

The medical standards for drivers of commercial vehicles are set by the National Transport Commission and AUSTROADS, and are set out in 'Assessing Fitness to Drive' (available from the AUSTROADS website).

For those applying for heavy vehicle licence classes MR (Medium Rigid), HR (Heavy Rigid), HC (Heavy Combination) or MC (Multi Combination), it is strongly recommended that the applicant ensure they meet the medical requirements before commencing any training or tests for a heavy vehicle licence.

Paying passengers

The driver of a vehicle carrying paying passengers (such as a school bus or tourist coach) requires an appropriate driver licence and a 'Public Passenger Vehicle Driver Authority' which is issued by the Ministry of Transport.

New Zealand

In New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

, driver licensing is controlled by the New Zealand Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA). Broadly there are six classes of motor-vehicle licence. Class 1 governs vehicles with a GLW less than 4500 kg, and Class 6 governs motorcycles. Classes 2–5 govern heavy vehicles.

A Class 2 licence allows the holder to drive:

any rigid vehicle (including any tractor) with a GLW of more than 4500 kg but less than 18,001 kg
any combination vehicle with a GCW of 12,000 kg or less
any combination vehicle consisting of a rigid vehicle with a GLW of 18,000 kg or less towing a light trailer (GLW of 3500 kg or less)
any rigid vehicle with a GLW of more than 18,000 kg that has no more than two axles
any vehicle covered in Class 1.

Class 3 allows the holder to drive:

any combination vehicle with a GCW of more than 12,000 kg but less than 25,001 kg
any vehicle covered in classes 1 and 2.

Class 4 allows the holder to drive:

any rigid vehicle (including any tractor) with a GLW of more than 18,000 kg
any combination vehicle consisting of a rigid vehicle with a GLW of more than 18,000 kg towing a light trailer (GLW of 3500 kg or less)
vehicles covered in classes 1 and 2, but not Class 3.

Class 5 allows the holder to drive:

any combination vehicle with a GCW of more than 25,000 kg
vehicles covered by classes 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Before getting a Class 2 licence, a driver must be at least 18 years of age and have held an unrestricted Class 1 licence for at least six months. Gaining a Class 5 is not dependent on holding a Class 3. Once a driver has a Class 2 they can progress straight through to Class 4 and Class 5. Each progression (2 to 3, 2 to 4, or 4 to 5) requires having held an unrestricted licence of the preceding class for at least six months. For drivers aged 25 or over the minimum period for holding the unrestricted time is reduced to three months, or waived entirely on completion of an approved course of instruction.

Additional endorsements on an NZ driver's licence govern provision of special commercial services. The endorsements are:

D - Dangerous Goods: transporting hazardous substances. Must be renewed every five years
F - Forklift operator
I - Driving Instructor: An "I" endorsement is awarded for a specific Class of licence, e.g.: 5-I
O - Testing Officer: Driving assessors who test a person prior to being granted a particular class of licence
P - Passenger: Transport of fare-paying passengers (bus and taxi drivers, limo
Limo
Limo may refer to:* Limousine, a luxury car* Limo , an administrative division in southern Ethiopia* Limousine , a song from the band Brand New* LiMo Platform, a mobile phone and device operating system...

-for-hire drivers, and dial-a-driver services)
R - Roller: Special vehicle equipped with rollers
T - Tracks: Special vehicle equipped with tracks
V - Vehicle recovery: Operating a tow truck
Tow truck
A tow truck is a vehicle used to transport motor vehicles to another location , or to recover vehicles which are no longer on a drivable surface.Towing services are generally provided by an emergency road service operator...
W - Wheels: Special vehicle equipped with wheels, other than fire appliances, buses, tractors, vehicle-recovery vehicles, or trade vehicles.

The F, R, T and W endorsements are for operating special types of vehicle on the road. Where the holder also has a heavy vehicle (Class 2 or Class 4) licence, they are permitted to drive heavy special vehicles. Otherwise the limits for Class 1 (4500 kg) apply.

Being granted a I, O, P and/or V endorsement requires that the applicant pass a "fit and proper person" check, to screen for people with criminal convictions or serious driving infringements. These endorsements are issued for one or five years, at the option of the applicant at the time of purchase.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Pre-1986

Class definitions

Endorsements

Test requirements

Testing facilities

Contents

CDLIS Clearinghouse

If Convicted while driving a CMV

CDL Training in United States

United Kingdom

Australia

Australian license classes

Medical standards

Paying passengers

New Zealand

See also

External links