What Is A CDL Permit
Topic 9723 | Page 1
I recently got my CDL class A permit (learners permit) in Mississippi. I studied the general knowledge, air brake and combination sections of the manual and here online. I presented them with my DOT medical card, my current MS drivers license and I took the tests on the above subjects. They then took my money and gave me the permit.
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.
Further, its my understanding that the only additional written tests will be for endorsements like hazmat , tanker, etc.
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
Look at it this way: the DMV wants to know if you have head knowledge of the laws before they will let you go out and practice. You get the written test for that. (Yes, each endorsement has its own written test.)
That gets you a learners permit so you can get into a truck, drive on roads and learn how to handle the beast.
You're final hurdle is the hands-on part - the Pre-trip and the road test.
If you can keep the truck between the dotted lines, and not wipe out sign posts or car hoods, you get the full on CDL license.
I was just thinking, does anyone do a hands-on test for flatbed securement?
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.
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.
Thanks Slim Okay I will start studying the written tests for the CDL. Just wanted to make sure I studying the right material.
Further, its my understanding that the only additional written tests will be for endorsements like hazmat , tanker, etc.
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
Paul, you really should avail yourself of the excellent free study materials here in the High Road Training Program. There is a lot of information to retain, and there is no greater program available to help you accomplish that goal than the one offered here.
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.
Indeed our High Road Training Program is awesome and it will prepare you for your CDL permit exam and all of your endorsement exams. There's even more to it though. Here's what we have and how it breaks down:
To Get Your CDL Permit:
- Rules & Regulations
- Driving Safely
- Transporting Cargo Safely
- Air Brakes
- Combination Vehicles
- Pre-Trip Inspection
- Driving Exam
To get your CDL endorsements which are optional but highly recommend:
- Transporting Passengers
- Doubles And Triples
- Tankers
- Hazardous Materials
Two sections we've built ourselves with info you'll need for everyday life on the road:
- Logbook
- Weight & Balance
Two sections for anyone considering flatbed:
- Cargo Securement
- New York State Coil Endorsement
Pre-trip Inspection:
A pre-trip inspection is a thorough inspection of the truck completed before driving for the first time each day.
Federal and state laws require that drivers inspect their vehicles. Federal and state inspectors also may inspect your vehicles. If they judge a vehicle to be unsafe, they will put it “out of service” until it is repaired.
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.
Logbook:
A written or electronic record of a driver's duty status which must be maintained at all times. The driver records the amount of time spent driving, on-duty not driving, in the sleeper berth, or off duty. The enforcement of the Hours Of Service Rules (HOS) are based upon the entries put in a driver's logbook.
Combination Vehicle:
A vehicle with two separate parts - the power unit (tractor) and the trailer. Tractor-trailers are considered combination vehicles.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
I was just thinking, does anyone do a hands-on test for flatbed securement?
Believe it or not there is no testing of any sort done for flatbed. I guess they figure if you drop a coil off a bridge then you didn't know proper securement. It seems to me there should be a flatbed endorsement that requires both a written and a hands-on test to prove you know what you're doing. But they've always left that up to the flatbed companies themselves to handle. You know, the always effective "self-governing" model.
Why don't they do self-governing for logbooks? I promise I won't drive too much. I mean, if you'll trust a guy to secure a 30,000 pound coil you'll trust anyone to do anything it seems.
Logbook:
A written or electronic record of a driver's duty status which must be maintained at all times. The driver records the amount of time spent driving, on-duty not driving, in the sleeper berth, or off duty. The enforcement of the Hours Of Service Rules (HOS) are based upon the entries put in a driver's logbook.
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Is the CDL permit test the only written test needed. They say my fist step for my CDL license is to obtain a CDL permit. It that the same as the CDL written test to obtain your CDL license or once I get my CDL permit do I have take more CDL written tests later to get my CDL license? I need to study for the CDL permit just wondering if they are the same or different.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: