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Article by Rachaelle Lynn

Commercial truck drivers earn brilliant pay and benefits and are nearly guaranteed employment in this in-demand field. But, applicants for a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) are often confused by federal and state requirements. To make matters worse, failure of the General Knowledge test, required for all CDL applicants, and/or one or more endorsement tests is common. Some states report more than 50,000 failures on the CDL test every year.

Basic requirements for a CDL include:

Residency in the state in which you will be licensedBeing at least 18 years of age to drive within your own state and at least 21 years of age to drive out-of-stateA medical exam, vision screening, and drug testProof of your social security numberNo active driver’s license suspensions or revocations in any statePassing all applicable background screensSurrendering your state driver license once you earn a CDL

All Commercial Driver’s License applicants must pass the written General Knowledge test. Written tests for other endorsements may also be required, depending on the type of vehicle you wish to drive. In addition, one or more skills tests will be required.

Endorsements include:-T: Double/Triple Trailers (knowledge test only) -P: Passenger (knowledge and skills tests)

-N: Tank Vehicle (knowledge test only)

-H: Hazardous Materials (knowledge test only)

-X: Combination of Tank Vehicle and Hazardous Materials

In addition, many states have their own endorsements and accompanying tests.

If a driver either fails the air brake component of the general knowledge test or performs the skills test in a vehicle not equipped with air brakes, the driver is issued an air brake restriction, restricting the driver from operating a CMV equipped with air brakes.

Once you know what endorsements you need, you can start studying for the CDL test(s). Many applicants fail these tests at least once, so you’ll want to invest time and energy in studying. A free CDL practice test can help you choose whether an online CDL practice test is right for you. These tests help you review the CDL handbook in a way that facilitates the learning process by forcing you to interact with the material, rather than merely reading it.

About the Author

Rachaelle Lynn has been employed in the field of driver safety for 10 years in the areas of classroom training, curriculum development, and instructor training and compliance. In her current position as Curriculum Development Manager for the National Safety Commission, she writes driver prep courses for applicants for CDL Licenses and motorcycle licenses, as well as passenger vehicles. She writes a monthly Safe Driving Teen newsletter and is a frequent contributor to our blogs.