What is a CDL Driver

What is a CDL Driver?: All Your Commercial Driver’s License Driver Questions Answered

Sometimes, the number of driver’s licenses available to the public can get confusing, especially for people trying to get a commercial driver's license. There are several different classes of driver's licenses, all with unique requirements and permissions.

This means people who are applying for a commercial driver's license need to know exactly what they need their CDL for and what types of permissions they need to do their job properly.

In this article, you will get all the answers to the most common questions about commercial driver's licenses, including what they are, the different classes, and more!

What is a Commercial Drivers License?

To drive a commercial motor vehicle, also known as a CMV, the driver must have an appropriate driver's license. The driver's license needed to operate a commercial motor vehicle is a commercial driver's license.

In addition, the driver must also have the right class of driver's license. Different classes of commercial driver's licenses have different restrictions and permissions, so the driver must be compliant with all the restrictions.

What are the Classes of Commercial Drivers License?
There are three types of commercial driver's license classifications and each one allows the driver to drive certain types of commercial motor vehicles. The classes are Class A, Class B, and Class C.

Which type of CDL classification is determined by the commercial motor vehicle gross vehicle weight rating and other requirements about the vehicle. Below we will explain the requirements for each of the commercial driver's license classes.

Class A
The Class A commercial driver's license allows the driver to drive any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, as long as the vehicle towed is heavier than 10,000 pounds.

The vehicles that a Class A commercial driver's license holder is permitted to drive include tractor-trailers, tanker vehicles, flatbeds, truck, and trailer combinations, and most vehicles that fall under Class B and Class C classifications.

Class B
Class B commercial driver's license allows the driver to operate any one vehicle that is not attached to a trailer, which includes commercial trucks that have an attached cab and cargo area with a total combined weight greater than 26,000 pounds. This also includes trucks with a detached towed cargo vehicle that weighs less than 10,000 pounds.

Class B commercial driver's license holders can drive large buses such as city buses, school buses, tourist buses, straight trucks, segmented buses, delivery trucks, furniture trucks, dump trucks with small trailers, box trucks, and some Class C commercial motor vehicles.

Class C
Class C commercial driver's license holders are allowed to operate one vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of fewer than 26,001 pounds or a vehicle towing another vehicle as long as the towed vehicle weighs less than 10,000 pounds. In addition, they can operate one vehicle that transports 16 or more passengers including the driver.

The vehicles that Class C commercial driver's license holders can drive include double trailers, triple trailers, tank trucks, buses, and hazmat vehicles.