The CDL License has been getting harder and harder to get.
You used to be able to study hard, read the handbook, take your written test, acquire the permit, and after learning the ropes, you take your driving test, then…
BANG! You have got yourself a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
Historically, it’s been almost as easy as completing a vehicle inspection!
But starting February 7th of 2022, which is rapidly approaching, all of that is going to change.
Starting this February, entry-level drivers are going to be federally required to participate in and complete ELDT or Entry-Level Driver Training before being issued a CDL.
The reason for the change in training requirements to attain a commercial driver’s license is to set a Federally determined standard curriculum that all states are required to abide by before issuing entry-level drivers a CDL.
So you may wonder, “What exactly is considered an entry-level driver?”
Here is a verbatim description from the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) outlining who will be subject to these new training standards.
“Note: Beginning February 7, 2022, entry-level drivers will be subject to the requirements in the Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) regulations. This includes drivers applying to:
- Obtain a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time.
- Upgrade an existing Class B CDL to a Class A CDL; or
- Obtain a school bus (S), passenger (P), or hazardous materials (H) endorsement for the first time.”
(https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license/drivers)
So, if you do not currently hold a CDL and were thinking about getting one and expanding your skillset,
NOW is the time get the ball rolling!
The rest of you may be thinking, well I do not need to upgrade mine, so am I exempt from this training?
Yes, you may be. But are you going to want to upgrade your CDL anytime in the near future? Do you have any employees you have been encouraging to go get theirs?
If you can answer yes, or even a maybe, to either one or both of these questions, perhaps reconsider doing it sooner rather than later.
These new training standards are not only going to take up more of your precious time but they will also be accompanied by a fee that is a significant increase from what it has cost financially to acquire a CDL in the past.
Got to love the government, right?
In a nutshell, the cost financially to get yourself a CDL and the time it will cost you to complete the new training are easily going to be double what we, in the industry, are accustomed to.
But before you freak out….
Not to worry! Eclipse-DOT is doing everything we can to ensure we will be able to continue offering training and CDL testing at a friendly-to-the-wallet figure.
That being said, it is still going to be a lot of hoops to jump through if you wait until February 7th of 2022 to get yourself licensed.
If you are interested in getting your CDL and avoiding the headache of enduring the new federal ELDT requirements, please drop us a line at info@eclipse-dot.com! Or reach out to our team and we can get you set up for success before the clock strikes midnight on our current CDL training and testing procedures.
Can’t get your CDL that quick?
Not an issue, the Eclipse Team is here to help you.
We are already certified and registered with the FMCSA so we can provide you the CDL training you need no matter what class of CDL or endorsements you need.
Can’t make it to Durango for CDL training? No problem, we’ve got you covered. Our instructors can travel to your team and train your people at your location.
We won’t be able to give them the CDL test, but we can definitely get them ready for it!
Reach out to the Eclipse team to find out how we can help you. Info@Eclipse-dot.com
