endorsements

This is a wise answer STexan. As a soon to be student getting a CDL A I am curious as to the process for obtaining extra endorsements. My path will be company OTR Van driver going through Company School. I need to get my Michigan CDL permit prior to attending school. What is the process, requirements for getting the hazmat for instance endorsement. Is this just a test I take at DMV/SOS or is there more to getting that endorsement like a school? thanks..

 

check your local DMV site on the parameters for obtaining them.

 

I was under the impression that, by definition, a CDL-A license required Air Brakes. However, the Manual does not classify Air Brakes as an Endorsement, but rather as a Knowledge Test that must be passed "if your vehicle has air brakes." The Endorsements listed in the Manual are: Double/Triple Trailer (T), Tank Vehicle (N), Hazardous Material (H), Combination of N and H (X), Passenger (P), School Buses (S). Also listed are possible Restrictions: No Air Brakes (L), Intrastate Only (M) and (P) which requires a licensed CDL Operator in the front seat with you.

My school requires students to pass five Knowledge Tests prior to being allowed in trucks for Skills Training. The five tests are: General Knowledge, Air Brakes, Combination Vehicles, Pre-Trip Inspection and Texas Special Requirements. They also strongly recommend passing the Double/Triple Trailer and Tanker Vehicle Endorsements as well as passing the Hazardous Material Endorsement when eligible (in Texas, you must actually possess a CDL license, not just the Permit, prior to taking this Knowledge Test).

So, yes, obtain all of the Endorsements available as they do, as Hammer71 stated, make one more marketable.

 

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Yeah, I hooked up my inverter,
nothing to it !!
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Get the inverter endorsement.

 

I wouldn't waste the time or money on a TWIC card unless you know the company your going to requires them.

I have them all and use none of them. I got the tanker, doubles,triples and haz-mat when I got my CDL. I've used the Haz-mat 4 times.

Just mostly depends on where you plan to go.

 

Get everything including a TWIC & passport. That dry van is going to get old real quick when you realize with endorsements you can increase your pay dramatically.

 

How? .

 

I was told by SNI that i needed hazmat just to go to work but i have everything including TWIC

 

The Air Brake Endorsement really isnit an endorsement that appears anywhere BUT as you pointed out, if the vehicle you take the skills and pre-trip in is not equipped with air brakes you are restricted from driving vehicles equipped with them. There are many drivers out there driving class a vehicles (All the CDL does is allow you to driver vehicles above a certain GVWR and and the only difference in a class A & B is that with an A you can drive combination vehicles (pull trailers) Like the Hot shot drivers who's vehicles pass the GVWR (both their trucks and trailers) to need a CDL A license. Since most of these vehicles do not have airbrakes, the never get the airbrake endorsement and are restricted.