Before the CDL, how did people become school bus / truck drivers?

Got my chauffeur's license at 18.
Was just a written test.
Turned 20 and used my motorcycle as a down payment for my first truck.
And the rest is history.

 

Had a special class license because I was running heavy tow trucks. Then one day, got a letter in the mail, said I needed to go to my local DMV and get a new license. Took a written test and now had a class “B”. Some time later, upgraded it to a class “A” had to do a written test and skill test. That was like a long time ago, maybe 30 years ago, maybe a bit more.

 

You’ve basically got the history right—and your question is a good one. The system before CDLs was very different and much less standardized.

️ The Federal Change (What Happened in the Late ‘80s)
You’re referring to the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986.

• It required a national CDL system
• Pressured states to comply by tying it to federal highway funding
• Full implementation deadline: April 1, 1992

So yes—by the early ’90s, CDL became mandatory nationwide.

Before CDL (Pre-1992): How It Worked
1. States Ran Everything
Before CDLs, each state made its own rules for commercial drivers.

• Some had chauffeur licenses
• Some had “Class 1, 2, 3” systems
• Others barely distinguished between car and truck licenses

There was no national standard

2. Training & Testing Varied A LOT
Depending on the state:

• Some required:
  • Road tests in a truck
  • Written exams
• Others:
  • Had minimal testing
  • Or allowed upgrades with little verification

A driver in one state might be highly trained…
While another barely had formal training

3. License “Shopping” Was a Real Problem
This was a big reason CDL was created.

Drivers could:

1. Lose their license in one state
2. Go to another state
3. Get a new license with no shared records

No national database = no accountability

4. Endorsements Were Inconsistent
Things like:

• Hazmat
• Passenger buses
• Tankers

Were either:

• Handled differently by each state
• Or not regulated much at all

⚠️ Why the CDL System Was Created
The federal government stepped in because of:

• Rising truck and bus accidents
• Poor driver qualification tracking
• Lack of uniform safety standards
• Inability to track violations across states

What Changed After CDL (Post-1992)
The CDL system introduced:

1. Standardized license classes
   • Class A, B, C
2. National driver record system
   • No more license hopping
3. Required endorsements
   • Hazmat, tanker, passenger, etc.
4. Stricter testing
   • Skills + knowledge exams

Bottom Line

• Before 1992, states controlled everything, and it varied widely
• There was no consistent national standard for truck or bus drivers
• The CDL system was created to fix safety gaps and loopholes

Your Comparison (Drinking Age Law)
You’re also right about the similarity—
like with the drinking age, the federal government used funding pressure to get states to comply.