Introduction
People who operate those large and heavy commercial motor vehicles on the roads do not manage their tasks without specialized skills and preliminary training. An abbreviation “CDL” stands for Commercial Driver’s License, and it gives an individual permission to drive buses or large commercial vehicles (LCVs) on a highway in the US and Texas to conduct particular commerce. According to the website of the Texas Department of Public Safety (2020), there are two main commerce types that should be observed by a person beforehand. It is necessary to get the correct kind of license for a definite purpose; therefore, it will be described in the following essay.
Main body
The first commerce type is an intrastate CDL that allows one to transfer cargo in a particular area. Applying for an interstate CDL gives an opportunity to operate commerce either between different states or inside a particular one. Besides, the second type provides trade, traffic, or transportation through another state, while the first one is just for merchandise transportation (Texas Department of Public Safety, 2020). Consequently, a person may determine only one form of the license and receive a wanted certificate.
While the purpose is chosen, the next step is obtaining a CDL License. Due to the law, an applicant is required to be at least 21 years old to operate interstate and 18 to 20 years of age to drive intrastate (Driving Tests, 2020, para. 2). Then, an individual pays the appropriate fee, proves identity and US residency, and provides social security number verification. Accordingly, he or she submits “a completed Medical Examination Report Form and Medical Examiner’s Certificate Form Pass” (Driving Tests, 2020, para. 2). Finally, an individual passes a vision test, a knowledge exam, road skills examination, and after 14 days a person gets the License.
In general, there exist three classes of Commercial Driver’s License. They assign transports’ types depending on the total weight of vehicles or cargo, or whether there are human beings as passengers conveyed. Thus, it is crucially important to decide which class one needs to begin obtaining a CDL. In order to make all categories clear, one should specify features of each – A, B, and C category.
First, a Class A License is distributed to a multi-ton lorry, which weight is usually over 26,000 pounds and the vehicle that is being towed is over 10,000 pounds. For example, it could be trucks, trailers, flatbeds, or tractor-trailers (also known as 18-wheeler). Second, a Class B license is needed for a single vehicle that is the same weight as in the previous category, but the difference is that “any vehicle being towed” must be “under 10,000 pounds” (Driving Tests, 2020, para. 5). For instance, it could be a large passenger bus, a tank vehicle, or a delivery/furniture truck, but endorsements for those are required. Finally, a Class C License permits to transport 16 to 23 passengers with the driver himself or herself. Another case is to use the vehicle in hazardous materials transportation, but a person still needs an endorsement for every specification.
It is also vital to know about endorsements that are to be obtained by additional testing. According to the website of the Texas Department of Public Safety (2020), there are six following endorsements. They are double/triple trailer, passenger, tank vehicle (to transport liquid or liquefied gaseous materials safely). Likewise, hazardous materials (flammable or combustible liquids, gases, or explosives), school bus, and combination of N and H (hazardous materials in a tank vehicle) are also included in the endorsements list. Almost all of them demand additional road skills test, a knowledge test, some application forms, fees, and a background check.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be underlined that CDL’s definition and permissions, classes and capability, endorsements and obtaining were fully stated above in the essay. Although a person needs to spend some time investigating the sequence of steps while applying, it gives more opportunities to get a well-paid job. Thus, the majority believe that it is a great chance to apply for Commercial Driver’s License right after school graduation.
References
Texas Department of Public Safety (2020). How do I apply for a Commercial Driver License? Web.
Driving Tests (2020). How to get a Commercial Driver License in 2020. Web.