Transportation and logistics has been one of the fastest growing areas of employment among small businesses in recent years.
Job search site Indeed says growth among commercial drivers over the past three years has increased by 190 percent, far outpacing all other small business sectors including construction and healthcare.
But whether you want to hire drivers for your small business or you intend to become a driver, you must understand that the operators of certain vehicles require special driver’s licenses (CDL) and special certificates depending on the type of vehicle to be driven or goods or people. transportation.
Federal law requires drivers of certain types of commercial vehicles to obtain a commercial driver’s license.
3 types of CDLs
There are three types of CDLS: Class A, Class B and Class C.
Class A
A Class A commercial driver’s license is required to operate any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight of at least 26,001 pounds, including a towing vehicle weighing more than 10,000 pounds.
A few vehicles that can be driven with a Class A CDL include:
- Trailers,
- Truck and trailer combinations, including double and triple trailers,
- tractor buses,
- tank cars,
- Livestock carriers,
- Apartments.
Class B
A Class B commercial driver’s license is required to operate a single vehicle with a gross combined weight of at least 26,001 pounds or any vehicle towing another vehicle weighing up to 10,000 pounds.
Some of the vehicles that license holders may use include:
- Straight trucks,
- Large buses, including city buses, tourist buses and school buses,
- Different buses,
- Box trucks, such as delivery drivers, couriers and furniture deliveries,
- Dump trucks with small trailers.
Class C
A Class C commercial driver’s license may be required if the vehicle being driven does not meet the specified requirements for a Class A or Class B license and is intended to transport at least 16 passengers, including the driver, or dangerous goods as defined by the federal government. guidelines.
Examples of vehicles that can be operated on a Class C CDL include:
- Small vehicles for dangerous goods.
- Passenger vans.
- Combination vehicles not specified in class A or B, such as a light truck towing a trailer.
Although each state issues its own licenses and individual states may have some of their own minimum requirements for obtaining them, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration maintains a set of minimum federal rules governing commercial truck drivers.
To apply for a CDL in any state, you must have a valid non-commercial driver’s license. General requirements for a CDL license usually include the following:
- Age restrictions,
- Personal identification documents, including proof of citizenship,
- Medical and physical standards,
- Language requirements,
- Written test and experience,
- Skills and road tests.
Depending on the type of vehicle to be used or the job to be performed, CDL drivers may need other certifications or endorsements, which are given to motorists after passing the appropriate tests.
The certification program is designed to quickly inform state troopers, police and licensing agencies of a driver’s skills and abilities. States may create their own permit classes, but the following certifications are common to all states:
- T: Double/Triple Trailers (driver is licensed to pull more than one trailer at a time)
- P: Passenger (driver can carry passengers)
- N: Tanker car (driver can transport liquid in the right car)
- H: Dangerous goods (driver can transport dangerous goods, and pass TSA fingerprint check)
- X: Combination of tank car and hazardous materials (Driver can transport hazardous liquids or waste)
- S: School Bus (driver
Driving in the Sun, Flatbed Truck, A coal truck, Hazmat Signs images via Shutterstock
