Several changes went in to effect in July to state laws regarding commercial driver’s licenses or CDL’s.
Matt Coatney, CDL Program Manager for the DMV, says this was the most significant change to commercial driver’s licenses since they were in the late 1980s.
Coatney says one of the major changes is that everyone who gets or renews a CDL will have to bring in proof of US citizenship or lawful status.
He says this only has to be done one time and it will be noted on their record.
"And then the other thing that’s a pretty big change is if you’re getting your first Commercial Driver’s License or you’re upgrading, you now have to, by federal law, obtain a Commercial Learner’s Permit and hold that for 14 days before you can take your skills test which involves a pre-trip vehicle inspection, a backing test and an on the road test.”
Coatney says there are three classes of CDL Licenses. He says Class A is for large combination vehicles, Class B is for heavy single vehicles and Class C is for specialty vehicles designed to carry passengers and hazardous materials.