The Quest for a Commercial Driver's License

So, you've come to a precipice in your life that a decision needs to be made. The decision you've come to is to become a licensed truck driver. Keep in mind, however, that this new adventure comes with a great deal of legwork to be completed.
First and foremost, to obtain a truck driving job, one must get a Commercial Driver's License (CDL.) Earning a Commercial Driver's License requires the proper training, at an accredited truck driving school. In the United States, training can be obtained through various employers, truck driving schools, government institutions, and the private sector. However, each of these options is subject to inspection of their testing facilities, at any time. That being said, each of these institutions is an option when seeking your CDL. Whichever route you choose, make sure to expect to take part in the following areas:
• The General Knowledge Test
a. vehicle types and differences
b. types of endorsements
c. braking systems
d. safety precautions
• The Road Test
a. pre and post trip inspections
b. vehicle handling
c. on the road driving
The General Knowledge Test contains approximately 30 questions. To pass this assessment, a potential truck driver must receive at least an 80%. Once this hurdle is complete, one must then pass the driving test portion. During this portion, the truck driving student can expect to take part in numerous driving scenarios.
Once the truck driving student has successfully passed both the General Knowledge Test and Road Test, they can receive their CDL permit. This is the perfect opportunity to hone one's driving skills out on the actual roadway. The time spent driving with a permit is paramount, because you'll have another licensed and experienced driver riding next to you. This takes quite a bit of pressure off your shoulders for your first experiences out on America's roads.
When you actually receive your valid Commercial Driver's License that you've worked so hard for; it's a good idea to understand exactly what a CDL contains. Your Commercial Driver's License will contain the following criteria:
a. Your full name and legal address
b. Your accurate physical description (including height, weight, gender, etc.)
c. Your photograph (color)
d. State's license number
e. License expiration date
f. What vehicles you are allowed to operate
g. Any additional endorsements you may have earned
Additional endorsements can be tested for and earned if you choose to do so. Some of these additional endorsements can raise your pay nicely. Therefore, once you've earned your Commercial Driver's License, one may wish to attempt earning one of the following endorsements:
a. Hazmat
b. Tanker
c. Doubles/Triples
d. School Bus
In the end, the trucking industry is a vital component to the economic success of the United States. By becoming a truck driver, and earning your Commercial Driver's License, one can earn quite a good living. To expedite the process, one should prepare in advance by taking a CDL practice test. In addition, becoming a truck driver offers a sense of pride. Without the truck driving profession, American commerce would fail to work, leaving America's public and private sectors a disaster. Therefore, earn your Commercial Driver's License and hit the road to success.
CB39.org is a web site dedicated to truck drivers and coaching people to become truck drivers. You can find more information about a truck driving job here: CDL Learning Center - http://www.cb39.org/cdl_learning_center/cdl-learning-center.html CB39.org - http://www.cb39.org/index.htmlArticle Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Jeffrey_Hill

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7688273

Mobile Phone Restrictions

New Mobile Phone Restriction Rule For Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers

Overview and Background

A new FMCSA rule restricts the use of all hand-held mobile devices by drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). This rulemaking restricts a CMV driver from holding a mobile device to make a call, or dialing by pressing more than a single button. CMV drivers who use a mobile phone while driving can only use a hands-free phone located in close proximity.
Research commissioned by FMCSA shows that the odds of being involved in a safety-critical event (e.g., crash, near-crash, unintentional lane deviation) are 6 times greater for CMV drivers who engage in dialing a mobile phone while driving than for those who do not. Dialing drivers took their eyes off the forward roadway for an average of 3.8 seconds. At 55 mph (or 80.7 feet per second), this equates to a driver traveling 306 feet, the approximate length of a football field, without looking at the roadway!

What is the definition of using a mobile telephone?

The use of a hand-held mobile telephone means:

• Using at least one hand to hold a mobile phone to make a call;
• Dialing a mobile phone by pressing more than a single button; or
• Reaching for a mobile phone in a manner that requires a driver to maneuver so that he or she is no longer in a seated driving position, restrained by a seat belt.

What does this rule mean to drivers and carriers?

• Fines and Penalties - Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving a CMV can result in driver disqualification. Penalties can be up to $2,750 for drivers and up to $11,000 for employers who allow or require drivers to use a hand-held communications device while driving.
• Disqualification - Multiple violations of the prohibition of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving a CMV can result in a driver disqualification by FMCSA. Multiple violations of State laws prohibiting use of a mobile phone while driving a CMV is a serious traffic violation that could result in a disqualification by a State of drivers required to have a Commercial Drivers License.
• What are the risks? - Using a hand-held mobile phone is risky because it requires the driver to reach for and dial the phone to make a call. Reaching for a phone out of the driver’s immediate area is risky as well as dialing because these actions take the driver’s eyes off the roadway.
• The rule applies to drivers operating a commercial motor vehicle on a roadway, including moving forward or temporarily stationary because of traffic, traffic control devices, or other momentary delays.
• A mounted phone is acceptable as long as it is mounted close to the driver.
• Impact on Safety Measurement System (SMS) Results - Violations negatively impact SMS results, and they carry the maximum severity weight.

Compliance

Make sure the mobile telephone is within close enough proximity that it is operable while the driver is restrained by properly installed and adjusted seat belts.

• Use an earpiece or the speaker phone function.
• Use voice-activated dialing.
• Use the hands-free feature. To comply, a driver must have his or her mobile telephone located where he or she is able to initiate, answer, or terminate a call by touching a single button. The driver must be in the seated driving position and properly restrained by a seat belt. Drivers are not in compliance if they unsafely reach for a mobile phone, even if they intend to use the hands-free function.

No Call, No Text, No Ticket!

Mobile_Phone_Rule_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Commercial Driver's License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse

FMCSA proposes to establish the Commercial Driver's License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse), a database under the Agency's administration that will contain controlled substances (drug) and alcohol test result information for the holders of commercial driver's licenses (CDLs). The proposed rule would require FMCSA-regulated motor carrier employers, Medical Review Officers (MROs), Substance Abuse Professionals (SAPs), and consortia/third party administrators (C/TPAs) supporting U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) testing programs to report verified positive, adulterated, and substituted drug test results, positive alcohol test results, test refusals, negative return-to-duty test results, and information on follow-up testing. The proposed rule would also require employers to report actual knowledge of traffic citations for driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) while under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs. The proposed rule would establish the terms of access to the database, including the conditions under which information would be submitted, accessed, maintained, updated, removed, and released to prospective employers, current employers, and other authorized entities. Finally, it would require laboratories that provide FMCSA-regulated motor carrier employers with DOT drug testing services to report, annual, summary information about their testing activities. This rule is mandated by Section 32402 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act.

View PDF full version

CMV drivers must obtain medical certificates from certified medical examiners listed on the National Registry

Effective May 21, 2014: 

CMV drivers must obtain medical certificates from certified medical examiners listed on the National Registry

• Drivers are required to obtain physical examinations and a medical examiner’s certificate from a certified medical examiner listed on the National Registry.

• Interstate CMV drivers can find certified medical examiners in their area, or anywhere in the country, on the National Registry website.

• Drivers will still receive a medical certificate from the medical examiner after passing their examination; however, medical certificates will now include the certified medical examiner’s National Registry Number.

Currently all interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers are required to have a valid medical certificate signed by a healthcare provider. The only change created by the implementation of the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners is that, within 2 years of the rule's effective date, all CMV drivers must be examined by a ME who is listed on the National Registry.

The National Registry provides CMV drivers and carriers with a convenient list of medical examiners in their area who have been certified as having the knowledge to determine if a driver can safely handle the medical demands of driving a CMV.

Certified medical examiners will begin to be listed on the National Registry within 4 months of the publication of the rule.

Additional information and updates for CMV drivers and carriers will be posted here as they become available.

4 months after the rule is published, drivers may search for certified medical examiners by entering search criteria here: https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/NRPublicUI/Drivers.seam