Who has their Class A CDL?

[kevinwak]

I have a class 1 in Alberta. I think it is the same as an A? Not sure though. It is all encompassing, tankers, trains etc. The only thing I am really not sure about is what they (Alberta DOT) call a LCV (long combination vehicle). That is a pair of 53' van trailers hitched together. I think the licensing is the same everywhere, but with different terminology.
I got my class one when I was 18. I was fresh out of high school and the oil industry was booming and I was looking for a job as a vac/water truck driver. Well I never did end up driving trucks as a job, not even one day. I do pull a few loads of grain and hay a year for my dad around the farm. It was with his help and trucks that I got the license and it is fun to drive an 18 wheeler now and then.....

 

[Looking4new]

I have a class 1 in Alberta. I think it is the same as an A? Not sure though. It is all encompassing, tankers, trains etc. The only thing I am really not sure about is what they (Alberta DOT) call a LCV (long combination vehicle). That is a pair of 53' van trailers hitched together. I think the licensing is the same everywhere, but with different terminology.
I got my class one when I was 18. I was fresh out of high school and the oil industry was booming and I was looking for a job as a vac/water truck driver. Well I never did end up driving trucks as a job, not even one day. I do pull a few loads of grain and hay a year for my dad around the farm. It was with his help and trucks that I got the license and it is fun to drive an 18 wheeler now and then.....

A Alberta Class 1 IS the same as a Class A.
When I went to Alberta I traded in my Ontario license for a Class 1 and got the bus endorsement (I was driving for the DND at one time so needed the Class 2 for commercial bus.
I escaped from Alberta and came back to Ontario and traded my cl1 in for an Ontario Class AB. I hauled school kids for a few winters and finally saw the light and dropped the B.

 

[Looking4new]

I have a class 1 in Alberta. I think it is the same as an A? Not sure though. It is all encompassing, tankers, trains etc. The only thing I am really not sure about is what they (Alberta DOT) call a LCV (long combination vehicle). That is a pair of 53' van trailers hitched together. I think the licensing is the same everywhere, but with different terminology.
I got my class one when I was 18. I was fresh out of high school and the oil industry was booming and I was looking for a job as a vac/water truck driver. Well I never did end up driving trucks as a job, not even one day. I do pull a few loads of grain and hay a year for my dad around the farm. It was with his help and trucks that I got the license and it is fun to drive an 18 wheeler now and then.....

A Alberta Class 1 IS the same as a Class A.
When I went to Alberta I traded in my Ontario license for a Class 1 and got the bus endorsement (I was driving for the DND at one time so needed the Class 2 for commercial bus.
I escaped from Alberta and came back to Ontario and traded my cl1 in for an Ontario Class AC. I then upgraded to a Class AB which covered the C as well as all the classes right down to but not including M. I hauled school kids for a few winters and finally saw the light and dropped the B. I agree, hauling kids, people and/or livestock is a huge P.I.T.A.

 

[Copperhead]

I actually liked hauling doubles except for the single axle rag wagons that jostled your insides. That and terminal managers that are complete jerks especially if you have to make or break your own sets. Never did drive a stagecoach nor did I really want to. I just got the endorsment because, well, you never know. As for the school bus gig, as a co-worker once stated, "it would be a great job if not for the kids", lol!

Yeah, the terminal manager thing is what caused me to go elsewhere. Lots of stories there. While I got the passenger bus endorsement, I am not sure I could get the additional school bus thing and haul kids. But then, I have issues with hauling anything that breaths.

 

[Looking4new]

I hauled those little unh darlins for four years. (I am a slow learner). Never again! In my experience Catholic high school kids are the VERY WORST kids to haul in Ontario!

 

[dhagood]

CDL A with everything but Hazmat. I let the hazmat go because it was a pain to keep. CJ

me too. i have 10 years of experience and i hope i never have to drive professionally again. i'm too old (or lazy) to work that hard anymore.

 

[Copperhead]

Well, I still own and operate a semi, but it is more on my terms. I only will haul for a certain group of customers. I stay within a 500-600 mile radius of the house. And I am by the house a couple of times a week and off on the weekends, unless I take a "weekend" during the week based on how stuff is moving. I will not refuse to haul for anyone, but some folks are just going to have to pay more for me to haul for them or find someone else to do it. Same principle that applies to most things. If I had a nice apartment complex with apartments to rent, I would just price them so as to attract only a certain type of renter. Well, some folks I have no desire to haul for them for various reasons, but if they want to pay a premium, I will not refuse.

 

[bdog]

I have my class A. Got it earlier this year. I picked up the CDL manual from the DMV and read 3/4 of it that evening, finished the next morning and went straight to the DMV and took the test. I passed everything first try including air brakes. I did not get any endorsements because I have no need or desire to pull doubles or tankers. I may get Hazmat at some point because I have an explosives license and it might be nice to be able to transport them myself vs paying to have them delivered.

I have been pulling gooseneck trailers up to 40' for 20 years as well as driving class 6 26k non CDL straight trucks but I had never even sat in the drivers seat of a tractor trailer until the day I took my road test. I drove for about 30 minutes practicing in the morning before the test and then I took it that afternoon. I scored a 92/100.

I now have a tandem dump truck and a Peterbilt with a 53' step deck. I primarily got the Pete to haul my own stuff to job sites but I just recently got a MC number so I can haul stuff for others. It is a lot of fun but also a big responsibility. I have became a much more cautious driver since getting the CDL. I am so worried about getting points I don't speed any more and am generally more aware when driving. I never drive drunk but pre CDL I would have 1 or 2 (no more) beers at a restaurant and drive home but now that I have the CDL I won't drink a drop and drive.

 

[Ron50]

I too have Class A with all endorsements for everything that goes down the road. Seems like on the written tests it's the hazmat one that gives people the most trouble, at least the first time. You will take it,get fingerprinted, and background checked many many times.
As far as the driving part experience really helps. Now days that is hard to get when you're young. I was actually driving trucks, and other stuff, before I even had a license. Farming community, small town so no big deal. I think I only had to take a written test for a chauffeurs license back then. Long time ago now. Did have a friend show up with a loaded log truck to get his first driving license. Lot tougher on young guys now days with all the naney police.
I moved from Washington to Oregon in 1990 and had to take a truck driving test to get an Oregon license though. I couldn't get an appointment in the Portland area, but I was going to Bend in a couple of days so booked an appointment for 9:00 am. Of course it snowed like a SOB all day and night before I got there. One and half feet of snow in the parking lot and seeing as I was their only customer that morning, parking was easy. Still had chains on 4 of 7 axels. The ol' retired truck driver said he won't make me crawl through the snow to due the pretrip and seeing as I even got there I passed the test, but we should probably take a trip around the block to make it look good. That was my one and only driving test.
As far as driving ability goes; some are born with it, some learn it, some never get it. You either like it or you don't. Not really a lot of gray, or you don't stick with it.

 

[Ron50]

I too have Class A with all endorsements for everything that goes down the road. Seems like on the written tests it's the hazmat one that gives people the most trouble, at least the first time. You will take it,get fingerprinted, and background checked many many times.
As far as the driving part experience really helps. Now days that is hard to get when you're young. I was actually driving trucks, and other stuff, before I even had a license. Farming community, small town so no big deal. I think I only had to take a written test for a chauffeurs license back then. Long time ago now. Did have a friend show up with a loaded log truck to get his first driving license. Lot tougher on young guys now days with all the naney police.
I moved from Washington to Oregon in 1990 and had to take a truck driving test to get an Oregon license though. I couldn't get an appointment in the Portland area, but I was going to Bend in a couple of days so booked an appointment for 9:00 am. Of course it snowed like a SOB all day and night before I got there. One and half feet of snow in the parking lot and seeing as I was their only customer that morning, parking was easy. Still had chains on 4 of 7 axels. The ol' retired truck driver said he won't make me crawl through the snow to due the pretrip and seeing as I even got there I passed the test, but we should probably take a trip around the block to make it look good. That was my one and only driving test.
As far as driving ability goes; some are born with it, some learn it, some never get it. You either like it or you don't. Not really a lot of gray, or you don't stick with it.