As we said in one of our previous blogs “Commercial driving is one of the most growing industries in America, actually, it’s the 5th fastest growing industry in the nation.”
If you have a Commercial Driver’s License or CDL it shows to your future employers and carriers that you are well trained and a competent Professional Driver.
Driving a commercial motor vehicle or CMV requires a higher level of knowledge, experience and physical ability than simply driving a normal automobile, it actually requires specialized skills.
There are different types of CDL, and choosing the right one for you depends on the type of experience you may have or the job you are most interested in.
Just to make it easy and clear let’s say this:
CDL Class A is for any combination of vehicles weighing 26,001 or more pounds provided the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds, while de CDL Class B allows you operate any heavy straight vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 26,000 pounds, as well as any vehicle towing another vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
Important fact is that the Class B is not for tractor trailers, it is usually for single framed vehicles only.
With the CDL Class A you would be allowed to drive across state lines and with CDL Class B you may only move into the state in which the Commercial Driver’s license is issued.
What kind of trucks can I drive with a CDL – Class B?
Well, in this matter with the Class B the typical types of trucking jobs may include pickup and delivery (PU&D), parcel delivery, furniture delivery and household goods movers or transport people between various places—including work, school, and shopping centers.
Some of the type of CMV´s you can drive with a Class B may include:
Straight trucks.
Large Passenger Buses: (city buses, tourist buses, and school buses)
Segmented Buses
Garbage Truck
Box trucks for delivery drivers.
Dump trucks with small trailers.
Cement Mixer
Food Truck.
There is something else:
To drive certain specialized types of vehicles such as buses or tank trucks or carry hazardous materials, you must also apply for the proper endorsements on your CDL – Class B
Endorsements include:
Passenger (P), allowing you to carry passengers.
Tank (T), allowing you to drive trucks containing liquid cargo.
Hazardous Materials (H), allowing you to drive trucks containing such hazardous materials as flammable liquids, explosives, or radioactive substances.
Having a CDL Class B can provide you with valuable behind-the-wheel experience as you build up your future trucking career.
Now let´s talk about the money:
According to The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
The median annual wage for bus drivers, school or special client was $32,420 in May 2018.
The median annual wage for bus drivers, transit and intercity was $42,080 in May 2018.
Overall employment of bus drivers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2016 to 2026
You can enroll in a CDL training programs to get ready for the required exam. Those training programs combine behind-the-wheel training with classroom instruction.
Here at Boston CDL Driving School we offer classroom training in which you can enroll today and start your new career, check out here the next session available.
