What is the difference between commercial and non-commercial driver’s license?
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Anyone driving a motor vehicle on the road is legally required to possess a driver’s license. A driver’s license will confirm that you are a fit and can drive a vehicle in a particular class.

What is the difference between a commercial and non-commercial driver’s license? A commercial driver’s license will allow individuals to drive commercial vehicles meaning vehicles for work purposes, non-commercial drivers license holders will only be able to drive private vehicles with a few exceptions.

A commercial driver’s license allows you to drive vehicles with certain exceptions. A commercial driver’s license can have an endorsement that will allow you to carry up to 15 passengers or more depending on your do your CDL license. The law is quite specific on commercial driver’s licenses. With that, you can only apply for it in the state that you are living in. In the case of applying for hazardous goods transportation, you will need to be over the age of 21, and your CDL needs to indicate a valid endorsement.

A non-commercial driver’s license Will allow you to drive a vehicle of 8000 LBS or less. Dramas as young as 15 can obtain a learner permit for passenger vehicles in certain states. A non-CDL license will allow you to drive passenger vehicles, trucks, vans, and SUVs. 

Learners license you need to be accompanied by her over 21-year-old license holder when going out on the road when the driver is 15 years of age. 

Your license will be endorsed with special needs that are required by the driver example driving with class and when you are allowed to drive vehicles, e.g., during the day. The same applies to motorcycle license.

What is the fastest way to get to a commercial driver’s license (CDL)?

The minimum requirement to get a commercial driver’s license is to be of 18 years of age. Do you need any specialized training? No, you don’t, but it is advisable to go for training with the driving school that will give you the knowledge and skill to be the best CDL driver. The commercial driver’s license takes on average one week. It will take longer if you go to commercial driving school to learn the basics of driving, on average, 4 to 6 weeks. Some states require you first to attend a commercial driver’s school before they issue you with a commercial driver’s license (CDL).

We advise all drivers to attend a commercial driving school to improve themselves, tick all the boxes, and reduce the risk factor as you will be driving in your employer’s vehicles or your own. You will need to ensure that you drive as safely as possible and avoid accidents. It takes years of experience to drive a vehicle faultless and very carefully. The school will provide you with insight into safe driving and taking care of your load and the people on the road. To drive a truck always easy; it is the elements of the road that makes it difficult.

We recommend that all drivers read your state commercial driver’s license handbook. You will find this for most states and available at the Department of motor vehicles (DMV). Alternatively, you can visit the Department of motor vehicle website. Your test will be based on what is in the handbook.

What is required when attending your commercial driver’s license?

You need your state-issued driver’s license and Social Security card when visiting the Department of motor vehicles. You will need to complete a CDL application form, well you will need to fill in your full details like address, social number, etc.

The CDL driver’s license consists of three different classes A, B, and C. To transport hazardous material is an additional endorsement on your commercial driver’s license (CDL). The different CDL classes allow drivers to drive different size vehicles. It is explained in our blog post What is the largest truck one can drive without a CDL License?. 

Class A: A commercial driver’s license (CDL) required to drive any vehicle towing a unit over 10,000 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) with a gross combination weight (truck plus trailer) over 26,000 pounds.

Class B: A CDL required to drive any single-unit vehicle over 26,000 pounds. These are sometimes called “straight trucks,” meaning that all axles are attached to a single frame.

Class C: A CDL required to drive a single-unit vehicle 26,000 pounds or less GVWR, with one or more endorsements for hazardous materials, passenger or school bus.

You will be required to complete a written test for your commercial driver’s license (CDL). Each class has got a different set of tests for the respective category. You are required to inspect the vehicle similar to the one you are driving in conjunction with the written test to comply with the CDL rules and regulations and driving laws of the state you are applying in. 

The commercial licenses make it legal for you also to drive the class below. In other words, with a Class B CDL, you can also drive a Class C vehicle. With a Class A CDL, you can drive vehicles in all three commercial classes, A, B, and C.

Class D: Regular driver’s license

We don’t recommend drivers to go from the onset and get a hazardous goods endorsement at the start of their driver’s license. To transport of dangerous goods requires additional safety and security measures to make it safe for transportation. As a new driver, you have enough responsibility to drive without the worry driving commercially then to worry about the cargo on the back of your truck example oils, batteries, corrosive materials and so many more, all products with a harmful effect to the environment and can land you in lots of trouble if a spillage or accident is not treated the right way. We are not saying don’t get endorsed for hazardous goods transport but rather get comfortable with your new commercial driver’s license (CDL) and gain some well-needed experience and knowledge of the road and the elements of driving in the city and the long haul.

It would be best if you were warned that after completion of your CDL skills test, some states require you to do a follow-up test within six months after the issue date of your commercial driver’s license (CDL). The follow-up test consists of an actual driving skills test. There is a general cost associated with this test. There is no free lunch, as we know. Commercial driver’s license (CDL) is a proper endorsement issued to applicants to successfully passes the skills test.

In some cases, employers will provide free training. Please be aware that there will be certain conditions that you need to meet. But be aware of possible scammers, so do not provide banking details to pay for your position with a future employer to get the job. Here are some websites that you can visit to find employment like getmedrivers.com, Indeed, Monster, JobTrend Etc. 

Our advice is to go with a recruiter that specializes explicitly in CDL and non-CDL recruitment like GetMeDrivers.com. GetMeDrivers.com specializes in driving for commercial businesses and is build on that passion. That makes us GetMeDrivers.com unique to the normal recruitment agencies available today that try and cover for every part of the business, please go ahead and sign up today you won’t regret it.