CDL Training Facts To Know
Anyone who wants to drive a vehicle in the United States and in most other countries is required to have a license of some kind. To operate most vehicles, all that is required is a regular driving license. But people who drive bigger vehicles, like buses and heavier trucks, are required to have a type of license that is known as the Commercial Drivers License, or CDL License.
By definition, a CDL license is required to operate any moving vehicle that weighs more than twenty five thousand pounds. In the year 1986, lawmakers passed the Commercial Vehicle Safety Act. This was an attempt to get the people who drove bigger vehicles properly trained and licensed so as to cut down on accidents. Although issuing CDL licenses is done by the states, the federal government laid out the minimum requirements that must be met in all states.
If a person wants to obtain a Commercial Drivers License they are first required to pass several exams. These exams include a comprehensive health exam, a written exam, and an examination to test driving proficiency, most commonly called “the road test”. Since the issuing of CDL’s is the job of states, the requirements to receive a CDL vary slightly in each of the different states.
Federal requirements state that a driver who wants a CDL license has to be at least twenty-one with a clean driving record. Some states allow younger drivers to obtain CDL’s, but these licenses are usually conditional, and only allow for driving within that particular state. Some states require a driver to have a CDL license to drive anything that is not a car.
There are quite a few places a person can go to learn the skills necessary to get a Commercial Drivers License. Many truck driving companies offer to teach prospective drivers how to correctly operate one of their vehicles. There are also several independent trade schools that teach the same skills. Getting a CDL license is not overly difficult, but it is certainly not simple either. Driving larger vehicles is a big responsibility, and drivers should be fully trained in their safe operation.
Driving without a CDL is never a good idea. It is virtually impossible to move a truck or larger vehicle without running into checkpoints, way stations, and other places where a driver may be required to furnish proof of license and insurance. A person should never attempt to drive a vehicle which they are not certified to operate. There are way too many accidents on the road as it is.
Getting a CDL license can open new career doors for you. Tractor trailer drivers make good money making deliveries across the country and back. The demand for certified CDL operators is only going to continue to grow, no matter how the world changes, people are going to need things shipped to them. Anyone that is willing to work hard can get a CDL license. The question a person needs to ask themselves is, “Can I safely operate that truck?” If you can answer yes to that, then you may want to get a Commercial Drivers License. The pay is good, the job outlook is pretty good too, and as a truck driver, you will certainly get to see a lot of places.
