CDL Endorsements
Topic 18146 | Page 1
Heavy trucks; all tractor trailers have air brakes. Although the Hazmat endorsement is optional for a CDL A, air brakes is mandatory.
I suggest reading and studying the contents of the following links:
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road Training Program
The Trucking Truth starter kit includes the High Road Training course; this will help with understanding air brakes and how to inspect the system.
Good luck!
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.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Jeeze Janet - calm down.
If you are going Tractor Trailer combination - ANYTHING you are going to drive is going to have Air Brakes.
Getting a HazMat doesn't mean you are going to be hauling nuclear waste - many common household items are placarded (HM) loads in truckload quantities (car batteries, Clorox Bleach - get the idea?). Some companies require HM - and it would be in your best interest to HAVE IT - as this makes you available for more loads than others that do not (you like, want to make $$ - right?). Many companies require Tanker endorsement also - portable tanks (totes) over a certain quantity require the endorsement (even though you won't be pulling a tanker-trailer).
Thousands and thousands of folks take these exams, and have these endorsements. Do the High Road Training Program, and you'll pass all of them with ease.
And really - I know you're nervous - but unless you can't chew gum and walk at the same time - you'll do just fine. CALM DOWN.
Rick
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Jeeze Janet - calm down.
If you are going Tractor Trailer combination - ANYTHING you are going to drive is going to have Air Brakes.
Getting a HazMat doesn't mean you are going to be hauling nuclear waste - many common household items are placarded (HM) loads in truckload quantities (car batteries, Clorox Bleach - get the idea?). Some companies require HM - and it would be in your best interest to HAVE IT - as this makes you available for more loads than others that do not (you like, want to make $$ - right?). Many companies require Tanker endorsement also - portable tanks (totes) over a certain quantity require the endorsement (even though you won't be pulling a tanker-trailer).
Thousands and thousands of folks take these exams, and have these endorsements. Do the High Road Training Program, and you'll pass all of them with ease.
And really - I know you're nervous - but unless you can't chew gum and walk at the same time - you'll do just fine. CALM DOWN.
Rick
Thanks Rick. Hope this is area for responses that make it easier to read. Studying CDL materials here already. Need eye exam in March. After that I will probably try for school. Looking real hard@Swift.
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.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
I realize that this is a big step for you and that you are naturally nervous. But I agree that you need to relax and make this an enjoyable challenge rather than a chore. You would be amazed at how many people enroll in CDL schools and have never researched anything resembling a driver's manual or online study materials. A lot of them have just the first couple of days of classes to study for the written tests. You have the advantage of having found THE BEST FORUM that is full of people that sincerely want to help you and answer your concerns. On top of that, it also has the best online prep tool (High Road) that I have ever seen, BAR NONE.
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.
Bob H sounds the ring of truth:
You have the advantage of having found THE BEST FORUM that is full of people that sincerely want to help you and answer your concerns. On top of that, it also has the best online prep tool (High Road) that I have ever seen, BAR NONE
That is 100% true...thanks Bob!
Janet take great heed of the advise you have received here. The high road training program is very excellent. I can assure as a former driver the company is going to teach you so much more which will help build your confidence. The best advise I have to offer is when you go to orientation is to listen observe and follow directions. Just relax and have a good time with it. They no you have no experience and they will work with you to get you safe and secure.
Thanks Rick. Hope this is area for responses that make it easier to read. Studying CDL materials here already. Need eye exam in March. After that I will probably try for school. Looking real hard@Swift.
Excellent.
Glad you figured out how to post & quote.
Makes it much easier to follow the conversation.
Thank You...
Rick
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.
Thank you all for all the great advice and will do my best to heed all of it. 
You can be very happy if you research. I met a new solo driver who complained she should have all drop and hook and shouldn't have to wait to get loaded/unloaded cause her time is valuable. Then she complained that she wasn't getting any loads over 600 miles, moaning she is OTR and not regional. When she requested two weeks off and was told she would have to turn her truck in but the time was approved without pay...she flipped out. Oh...and she refuses to drive nights.
And she hit a fence and ran over a customers sign causing $2500 in damage. But she wants to dictate to her FM what she will and will not do. When I say new I mean two months newly solo and so demanding.
Funny thing is...she already shot herself in the foot. With her attitude. We talk about that a lot here. Learn to manage your time and become your FM's "go to" person. Not only will you get plenty of miles, but will get special treatment. Like a certain customer and want more loads there? An extra day of home time? Need an advance on your pay for something special? Feeling sick and want to slow down with drawn out loads or more down time?
All of these are possible with the right attitude. Show dispatch they can rely on you to get the equipment repaired when needed and get to the customers on time and safely....and well...its basically like being your own boss with none of the headaches ;)
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
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.Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
DAC:
Drive-A-Check Report
A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).
It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.
Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.
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How common is it for trucks to have these air brakes? What if i prefer not to have hazmat endorsement? Having to haul some of the products on this list scares me. For me, I prefer to pass up some opportunities vs haul products that I am way to nervous to do. It's going to be hard enough to keep it all straight for written exams anyway. Yes I know getting all endorsements is typically recommended so please don't go to hard on that.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations