Getting A CDL Permit?

Topic 10429 | Page 1

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Ron H.'s Comment
member avatar

Should I try to get my CDL permit first before going to a school or is it something they do during the training?

It would seem faster to try and get one first.

Thx!

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Susan D. 's Comment
member avatar

It depends on what state you live in and where you are going to school. Your school will tell you what you should do.

I happen to be going to school in my state of residence and my cdl school pays all the fees and dot physical as part of our tuition, so we don't test until the school (and the state) says we can ( state approves our application for cdl) and school provides the check for the fees.

My state will not issue a cdl permit or license to a non resident of the state, and I believe most states have gone to that. You'll probably have to get your permit in your home state, go to school and drive test in the state the school is located in and have that state send your road exam info back to your home state, where your home state will issue your cdl. A few states will require you to road test in your home state.

Again, your school is the one to ask for the definite answer.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

DOT:

Department Of Transportation

A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.

State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.

Sonnydogg's Comment
member avatar

I'll be starting school next month here in Michigan. I was told by my advisor to get my permit 1st, so I'm not waisting time studying for both the permit and CDL at the same time. It does seem it would be a distraction from the class. Jus my 2c

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Phil C.'s Comment
member avatar

It is usually done during the training, but I would ask the school if you should or not. They will surely be covering that material first so you might be wasting your time and money to get it ahead of time. Never hurts to start using the High Road program here and start learning what you will need to know.

High Road Training Program

Phil

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Doc's Comment
member avatar

I'm in my last week of school in Michigan, and for the first week(Monday-Wednesday) in the morning we studied everything we needed for the TIP test, or CDL learners permit. Thursday Morning we did some last minute studying until 9 am when the 6 of us headed down to the Secretary of State to take our tests. The school gave us a $25 check to cover the test once you pass. In the afternoons during the first week we were in the yard driving the trucks around, learning shifting, pretrip and backing maneuvers. We also spent time in the Simulator getting shifting paterns down and down shifting timing right so we werent destroying the trucks.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Sonnydogg's Comment
member avatar

I'm in my last week of school in Michigan, and for the first week(Monday-Wednesday) in the morning we studied everything we needed for the TIP test, or CDL learners permit. Thursday Morning we did some last minute studying until 9 am when the 6 of us headed down to the Secretary of State to take our tests. The school gave us a $25 check to cover the test once you pass.

My school does not offer this, so be sure to ask.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Errol V.'s Comment
member avatar

This last July the FMCSA set a rule that you can get your permit in your home state, then take the skills portion in a different state (where your school's at).

I think this is not fully implemented, or the people you ask may not know all the details, but, well, it's supposed to be this way now.

CSA:

Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)

The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle

FMCSA:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.

What Does The FMCSA Do?

  • Commercial Drivers' Licenses
  • Data and Analysis
  • Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
  • Research and Technology
  • Safety Assistance
  • Support and Information Sharing

Fm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
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