Florida CDL
Topic 6254 | Page 1
There aren't any rules that prevent you from obtaining a cdl and not using it right away. It's the same as a non cdl, it's good for however many years your state had set between renewal. ( Florida is every 8 years) Your medical certificate is only good for 2 years and without that, your cdl isn't valid. However there is a down side to having the cdl and not driving. If you let it go too far you'll have trouble getting a driving job without "recent" experience. Case in point. I maintained my A licence the 10 years I lived in Chicago but didn't drive a tractor trailer. I maintained my med cert the entire time. This year when I wanted to come back to driving truck's I couldn't get a job anywhere cuz it had been so many years without driving tractor trailer. I had to take an 80 hour refresher course thru an accredited school ($ 2,500) in order to get hired. I was basically uninsureable.
So the longer you go without driving, the harder it will be to find a job. Food for thought =)
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.
There aren't any rules that prevent you from obtaining a cdl and not using it right away. It's the same as a non cdl, it's good for however many years your state had set between renewal. ( Florida is every 8 years) Your medical certificate is only good for 2 years and without that, your cdl isn't valid. However there is a down side to having the cdl and not driving. If you let it go too far you'll have trouble getting a driving job without "recent" experience. Case in point. I maintained my A licence the 10 years I lived in Chicago but didn't drive a tractor trailer. I maintained my med cert the entire time. This year when I wanted to come back to driving truck's I couldn't get a job anywhere cuz it had been so many years without driving tractor trailer. I had to take an 80 hour refresher course thru an accredited school ($ 2,500) in order to get hired. I was basically uninsureable.
So the longer you go without driving, the harder it will be to find a job. Food for thought =)
same here. I got a CDL 12 years ago but never used it and now have to re-take an entire 3 week CDL training course. I am pretty sure that if you don't do something within 90 days or so it's tough to get a job. You'd be better off waiting until you are ready to move into trucking and then do it.
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.
You'd be better off waiting until you are ready to move into trucking and then do it
I agree completely. There's no advantage to getting the CDL now if you're not going to use it. Only disadvantages.
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.
There aren't any rules that prevent you from obtaining a cdl and not using it right away. It's the same as a non cdl, it's good for however many years your state had set between renewal. ( Florida is every 8 years) Your medical certificate is only good for 2 years and without that, your cdl isn't valid. However there is a down side to having the cdl and not driving. If you let it go too far you'll have trouble getting a driving job without "recent" experience. Case in point. I maintained my A licence the 10 years I lived in Chicago but didn't drive a tractor trailer. I maintained my med cert the entire time. This year when I wanted to come back to driving truck's I couldn't get a job anywhere cuz it had been so many years without driving tractor trailer. I had to take an 80 hour refresher course thru an accredited school ($ 2,500) in order to get hired. I was basically uninsureable.
So the longer you go without driving, the harder it will be to find a job. Food for thought =)
Sir, what do you mean, your CDL isn't "valid" without your medical certificate?
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.
Sir, what do you mean, your CDL isn't "valid" without your medical certificate?
You have to have a current medical card or most states will not issue a permit or a CDL. If you already have a CDL and your medical card lapses many states will demote you from a CDL to a standard license. For instance in New York if you go to renew your CDL and your medical card is expired they will issue you a standard license instead. You then have one year to get your medical card renewed and they will return your license to a CDL.
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.
There aren't any rules that prevent you from obtaining a cdl and not using it right away. It's the same as a non cdl, it's good for however many years your state had set between renewal. ( Florida is every 8 years) Your medical certificate is only good for 2 years and without that, your cdl isn't valid. However there is a down side to having the cdl and not driving. If you let it go too far you'll have trouble getting a driving job without "recent" experience. Case in point. I maintained my A licence the 10 years I lived in Chicago but didn't drive a tractor trailer. I maintained my med cert the entire time. This year when I wanted to come back to driving truck's I couldn't get a job anywhere cuz it had been so many years without driving tractor trailer. I had to take an 80 hour refresher course thru an accredited school ($ 2,500) in order to get hired. I was basically uninsureable.
So the longer you go without driving, the harder it will be to find a job. Food for thought =)
Sir, what do you mean, your CDL isn't "valid" without your medical certificate?
As I stated, you must be physically fit to have a cdl. You must pass a physical to get a certification. Those are good for two years. If the medical certificate expires, your cdl will be recsinded by your state after 10 days. Some states have exemptions. I don't know which ones. I'll attempt to post the FMCSA link. FMCSA
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.
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
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.
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.HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Sir, what do you mean, your CDL isn't "valid" without your medical certificate?
You have to have a current medical card or most states will not issue a permit or a CDL. If you already have a CDL and your medical card lapses many states will demote you from a CDL to a standard license. For instance in New York if you go to renew your CDL and your medical card is expired they will issue you a standard license instead. You then have one year to get your medical card renewed and they will return your license to a CDL.
Thanks Mr. Aquila! I challenged that because, in Florida, I am not required to carry my MC while driving public transit buses with my Class B. Florida has a code in their DMV computers that allows for an "exemption" to that requirement. My current card is good until August 2016.
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.
Dm:
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.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
There aren't any rules that prevent you from obtaining a cdl and not using it right away. It's the same as a non cdl, it's good for however many years your state had set between renewal. ( Florida is every 8 years) Your medical certificate is only good for 2 years and without that, your cdl isn't valid. However there is a down side to having the cdl and not driving. If you let it go too far you'll have trouble getting a driving job without "recent" experience. Case in point. I maintained my A licence the 10 years I lived in Chicago but didn't drive a tractor trailer. I maintained my med cert the entire time. This year when I wanted to come back to driving truck's I couldn't get a job anywhere cuz it had been so many years without driving tractor trailer. I had to take an 80 hour refresher course thru an accredited school ($ 2,500) in order to get hired. I was basically uninsureable.
So the longer you go without driving, the harder it will be to find a job. Food for thought =)
Sir, what do you mean, your CDL isn't "valid" without your medical certificate?
As I stated, you must be physically fit to have a cdl. You must pass a physical to get a certification. Those are good for two years. If the medical certificate expires, your cdl will be recsinded by your state after 10 days. Some states have exemptions. I don't know which ones. I'll attempt to post the FMCSA link. FMCSA
Thank you!
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.
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
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.
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.HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook
Ok I am wanting to get into truck driving with my wife but we just can't make the transition from our current careers at this time. My question is can I get my CDLOk and endorsements now then in a year or so make the change. My plan is to get all the endorsements that I can . Is there any rules preventing me from doing this?
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: