CDL - how much of an expense and hassle is it?

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The whole world gets more complicated and more expensive all the time. :laughing::laughing:

I'm sure I'm not the only TBN member that's old enough to remember how simple it used to be.

I got a drivers license when I was 16 in Marlow, OK (early 1956), a little written test and took the state trooper for a short ride. Then I did the same in McKinney, TX (late 1956) when we moved to Texas. Of course that was all the license required for motorcycles, too.

But then we had some customers in Dad's service station who had tractor/trailer rigs we serviced; gasoline powered, manual transmissions. So I went back to McKinney (1957 or '58) and took the written test only to drive big trucks; such things as weight limits, height and length limits, lighting requirements, etc.

In 1959, I was working for the Dallas Post Office and went and took another written test only for a chauffeur's license (required to haul passengers for hire) and I became a part time taxi cab driver for a moonlighting job. And while working nights in the Post Office (1960-61 or maybe a year later) I drove a school bus for one year for a moonlighting job. So that made me licensed to drive anything you could put on the road.:laughing:

I believe it was 1969 when Texas started requiring a motorcycle endorsement; separate written and driving test. At the time, I had a little 308cc Yamaha motorcycle, so it was back to the license station (that time in Farmers Branch) for the motorcycle endorsement.

And all of those put together wouldn't amount to half the hassle and expense of getting a CDL today.:laughing::laughing:

I kept my license up to date until Texas sent me a letter that I'd revert back to a standard operator's license (with motorcycle endorsement) unless I came in for new written and driving tests, and with a commercial vehicle for the driving test for a CDL, and at double the license cost for half the length of time. I didn't need it so I went back to the standard operator's license. I kept the motorcycle endorsement for several years, even though I sold my last motorcycle in 1988. It only cost an extra $5 each renewal, but I finally dropped that, too, a few years ago.

Beyond a pickup, the first truck I drove was in 1967 when I went to work for an excavating contractor. "Take that truck to the quarry for a load of 2b" he said as he pointed. I don't recall the exact year it was when I was living in PA that the state sent me a renewal form for again if I recall correctly was termed a chauffeur's license. Send in a bit more money was all.

I moved to NJ to take a driving job and only had to take a written test but again with a little more money involved, lol! Then, I went back to school for an electronics degree and got on with AT&T. When the CDL came around I figured I was set so why bother?

When my high tech job went overseas and around 4000 people got the axe, my options were somewhat limited so I took a free (being laid off) CDL class. I got on with an LTL and had two more weeks of training on doubles. Geez? Does the training ever stop?

When I moved to where I am now, local meant out of town only two or three days. That's not for me so I got on with an aerospace manufacturer. More training and D&A testing, ugh! So, after four years of that I decided to take early SS. But, I still needed medical so I got on driving school bus. Still better than two days on, two off wearing steel toes.

Anyway, the ironic part was that when I went to school for the CDL, they used a school bus for the stagecoach endorsement. At that time I figured, ah, I won't ever need "S" so I only took the stagecoach part, lol! Back to class for the "S" endorsement, lol!

Lastly, I get the impression that many people look at taking a CDL class akin to jury duty. You might be surprised that the knowledge you would gain really is beneficial even though alot of it does not apply. The instructors I have had had a variety of experiance and would likely help clear the grey areas.