FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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1 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS The state of Texas has 3,240 miles of highway crisscrossing the country filled with cars, motorcyclists, farm vehicles, and commercial trucks carrying everything from livestock to the state s major exports of petroleum and coal products. The number of jobs for commercial truckers is continuing to grow both in Texas and across the country, and if you are attracted to beginning a new career as a truck driver, you will first need to get a commercial driver license. To start your journey and get your CDL, you will need to pass a written knowledge test and any additional tests you choose to add endorsements on topics such as air brakes, Hazmat, tanker, combination vehicle, multi-trailer, passenger vehicle, or school bus driving on your license. The more endorsements you have, the more job opportunities can be opened to you. Your initial written exam and the endorsement tests will have questions all based on the 2018 Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Handbook. Is your school accredited? Black Wolf CDL Training Center is approved and regulated by The Texas Workforce Commission, Career Schools, and Colleges. Our school number is s5262. Do you have a semi-truck for the practical lessons and driver test or do I have to find my own truck? We provide the semi-truck for your driver lessons, and you will take your test in our truck. What time does your evening classes start and what if I cannot make it in time? Our evening classes start at 6 pm until 10 pm. However, we are flexible and will try to work around your work schedule. Do you have to have a car license to get a CDL? Yes, you do. That is the reason why you need to get a certified abstract of your complete driver record it cost about $20.00 from How long does it take to get your CDL license? In the State of Texas, it takes about three hours to get a CDL License. About one hour to pass the written exam and about two hours to pass the driving exam. However, to prepare to be able to pass those tests is a different question and depend entirely on how much time you have, your commitment and the availability of a driving test slot at the DPS office. Most CDL prep programs take anywhere from 4 weeks (200 hours) to 5 weeks (250 hours).

2 How do you get a CDL license? Either a company which will provide your CDL training in-house. These companies expect students to complete a working contract of one or more years to cover the cost of the training the student received. There are private independent truck driving schools, such as Black Wolf CDL Training Center. Community colleges also offer some programs. How do you get hazmat endorsements for a CDL license? The DPS in Texas has several regulations when it comes to a hazmat endorsement. Black Wolf CDL Training Center offers 20-hour hazmat and an 8-hour Tanker seminar to prepare students for the written tests. Once you passed the test, you must also be fingerprinted and go through a TSA background check. Some offenses and misdemeanors could prevent a student from getting a hazmat endorsement. You do not need a hazmat endorsement to take the tanker endorsement test. What is an x endorsement on a CDL license? The X endorsement is a combination of two endorsements - Hazmat (H) and tanker (K). What are the various license classes for the CDL? Class A: Combinations with a Gross Combination Weight Rating of over 26,000 lbs., in which the vehicle in tow (trailer) has a weight rating of over 10,000 lbs. Class B: Single vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of over 26,000 lbs., or combinations with a Gross Combination Weight Rating of over 26,000 lbs., in which the vehicle in tow (trailer) is not rated more than 10,000 lbs. Class C: Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of under 26,000 lbs., but which may still require a CDL. For example, vehicles carrying hazardous materials, or vehicles designed to transport more than 15 people (including the driver). New York State requires anyone operating a commercial vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of over 18,000 lbs. Can a felon get a CDL license in Texas? Yes, you can get a CDL license but getting a job is a different story. Some companies will hire you, but they will look at a time distance from the misdemeanor. They usually like to see a 5 to 10-year clean record. Some companies will not even look at you, but you should keep trying if you have over ten years from the misdemeanor. If you had a misdemeanor drug charge and you were given probation instead of jail time, you might want to try to and apply for an expungement of the drug charge so that they can clear your criminal record. It may be worth a shot. How old do you have to be to get a CDL license in Texas? CDLs are federally regulated - minimum ages are specific. In any state or territory of the US, you must be 18 to get a CDL. However, between the ages of 18 and 21, any CDL issued will come with an "intrastate only" restriction, which permits you to operate a commercial vehicle only within the state granting your license. To be able to operate a CMV across state lines, and/or to get a hazmat endorsement, TWIC card, etc., you must be 21. Can you get a CDL license taking Xanax? Quoted from the ICC Motor Carrier Safety Act: 1. PROHIBITIONS Drug Prohibitions: In accordance with FHWA rules, a urinalysis will be conducted to detect the presence of the following substances: o Marijuana, Cocaine, Opiates, Amphetamines, and Phencyclidine (PCP).

3 Detection levels requiring a determination of a positive result shall be in accordance with the guidelines adopted by the FHWA in accordance with the recommendations established by the DOT. This program prohibits any drug use that could affect the performance of safety-sensitive functions, including: o Use of any drug, except by doctor's prescription, and then only if the doctor has advised the driver that the drug will not adversely affect the driver's ability to operate the commercial motor vehicle safely. o Testing positive for any drug. o Refusal to Take Required Test: Refusal by an employee to submit to a required alcohol and/or drug testing will constitute a positive test result. Prescription Medications Drivers taking legally prescribed medications issued by a licensed health care professional familiar with the driver's work-related responsibilities must report such use to their immediate supervisor or dispatcher and may be required to present written evidence from the health care professional who describes the effects such medications may have on the driver's ability to perform his/her tasks. In the sole discretion of the driver's supervisor, a driver may be temporarily removed, with pay, from a safetysensitive position if deemed appropriate. Can you get a CDL license if you have points on your license? For a CDL license, it is not necessarily the points anymore. They have changed the law, and now your CDL license will be suspended if you receive two serious CDL violations within a three-year period. Please refer to pages 4 6 on the Texas DPS CDL Handbook. What should you study to get a CDL license? Most, if not all states have a Commercial Driver's manual much like the one you might use for your car license, but much thicker. That manual and your regular car driver s manual should have all the information needed to pass your written test. However, this is not all the information you are required to know to become a professional truck driver. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) stipulates what knowledge CDL drivers should have to enable them to be safe drivers. Black Wolf CDL Training Center adhere strictly to these guidelines. We will not only help you to pass the DPS written test but also acquire the necessary information to make you a great driver. How do you get a CDL license in Texas? You could try to prepare for the CDL permit on your own, or you could register for the Professional Commercial Truck Driver Class A program at Black Wolf CDL Training Center and attend the Day, Evening or Weekend classes. Once you have done the prep classes, you would take the written tests for General Knowledge, Air Brakes (if applicable), Combination Vehicles (for Class A). You would now have a learner's permit and could train in a Commercial vehicle with an instructor. You need to hold your permit for at least 14 days before you can take your driving test. Once your instructor deems you ready, you will take your driving test at the DPS in Hearne. When you have your license, you can then enroll for the Hazmat and Taker seminar classes at Black Wolf CDL Training Center. These seminar courses offer more than the minimum knowledge needed to pass the endorsement tests and take place on specific weekend dates. Ask your instructor for more information. What happens if you do not pass your driving test The DPS officer will explain in detail where she/he marked you down and they will provide you with a copy of your mark sheet. Your instructor will work with you to practice those issues again. You will have to wait another 14 days before you would be able to reschedule another driving test. The critical thing to remember is that most people are nervous whenever they must take a test and many drivers fail because their nerves get the better of them. It is vital that you feel confident and that you are well rested on the day of your test.

4 How can your CDL license be suspended? The same way any other license can be suspended... nonpayment of fines, excessive points acquired, operating a vehicle (of any type) under the influence. While the above is correct, there is a new Federal law that will require your CDL license to be suspended if you receive two serious CDL violations within three years. Most companies will not hire you if you have just one serious ticket. Some of the serious violations are speeding 15mph or more over the limit, following too closely, lane violation, etc. A CDL driver should contest any speeding ticket since your job depends on keeping your license. Remember, CDL drivers do not have the option to attend a Defensive Driving Course for a speed violation. Will a warrant suspend your CDL license? Usually, no, but it is a moot point. You are not going to want to continue operating a CMV if there's an active warrant out for you. When you get pulled for a random DOT inspection, they run your license, as well. Can I get a CDL if I had a violation in my personal vehicle? Yes, you can, but the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act (MCSIA) of 1999 requires a CDL holder to be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle if the CDL holder has been convicted of certain types of moving violations in their personal car. o If your privilege to operate your personal vehicle is revoked, canceled, or suspended due to violations of traffic control laws (other than parking violations) you will also lose your CDL driving privileges. o If your privilege to operate your personal vehicle is revoked, canceled, or suspended due to alcohol, controlled substance or felony violations, you will lose your CDL for one year. If you are convicted of a second violation in your personal vehicle or CMV, you will lose your CDL for life. o If your license to operate your personal vehicle is revoked, canceled, or suspended, you may not obtain a hardship license to operate a CMV. Can you get a CDL license after a DWI? Yes, you can but what you want is a job using your CDL. Most companies will hire someone with a DWI after 10 (clean) years have passed. Some will look at you after five years, but most want 10. If you have more than one DWI, you will most likely be done. If your DWI is recent, you should either wait to get a CDL or decide on something else. When do you have to have a CDL license? When you are operating: A commercial vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of more than 26,000 lbs. A combination vehicle used for a commercial purpose which has a Gross Combination Weight Rating of more than 26,000 lbs. (so, even if each of the two vehicles does not require a CDL, if the weight rating of the combination is over 26k when the trailer is attached, a CDL is required). Commercial buses of any weight class which are designed to transport more than 15 persons (including the driver). Any vehicle of any weight class which is transporting quantities of hazardous materials which require the display of hazmat placards. Although exempted from requiring a CDL under the federal regulations, many states and individual fire departments require their vehicle operators to possess a CDL. Can you get your CDL with hardship license? If you have a hardship license, then you are most likely under the age of 18. The minimum requirement to obtain a CDL is 18. There is no "hardship CDL" - hardship licenses cover only regular passenger vehicles and, in some states, motorcycles.

5 Can you have a Class A and a Class B CDL licenses? You may only have one license at any one time. If you have a Class A CDL, you can operate a vehicle requiring a Class B or Class C CDL, so long as you have the endorsements necessary for the vehicle type (e.g., tank endorsement for tank vehicles, passenger endorsement for passenger vehicles, hazmat endorsement for vehicles hauling hazardous materials, etc.). What is a Z endorsement on a CDL License? Z is not an endorsement but a restriction. If the driver takes the test in a vehicle with an air over hydraulic brake system, then they will have a "Z" no full air brake restriction placed on their license. In either case the driver is not authorized to operate a CMV equipped with full air brakes.