How long can I stop trucking before my CDL becomes worthless?

I think it's 2 years? Most companies that I've seen want 6 months in the last 3 years I believe. Even then you might have to be "trained" again.

 

It depends on where you want to work when you return to trucking. In my state if my CDL is downgraded for 5 years and one day I have to g through everything again like I never drove with a CDL. If I want to get hired at the very best jobs, they get itchy with more than 30 days of unexplained time. Between the state's maximum possible gap and the best company's smallest allowable gap is every other company. Have a plan based on where you want to work and guess right about if the industry will be hiring everybody they can find or only hiring drivers with everything going for them as drivers. It depends.

 

I have been told recently, 2 years, but the 3rd year should show full time employment as an truck driver.

 

There's another thread here on the Forum about this very same topic.

Bottom line: it really depends on how long you are out of a truck, & the carrier in question. Some are REALLY ANAL about it -- while others are pretty chill.

If you are out of a cab for X amount of time, or longer....some carriers offer a "refresher"...to get you back in your groove.

It just depends. There's no hard-&-fast "universal" rule, that every single carrier embraces.

If you need time away from CDL duty -- take it.

-- L

 

Keep your physical up-to-date and you can always get back on the road.
Abilene Motor Express has hired drivers that have been off the road 20 years.

 

I'm in NY, and here you can 'downgrade' your Class A CDL to "in-state only", which does not require yearly DOT physicals. It only costs $40 and a physical to bring it back to interstate status.

 

As far as your license goes, go to the DMV and convert it over to 'Excepted IntRastate' before it expires (from Unrestricted Interstate). You will then never need to get a physical again, and your CDL qualifications will remain intact forever. The downside to this is that, in most states, you will not be able to drive a commercial vehicle at all, even within that states borders. Although I believe there might be a few red state exceptions to this - Texas, etc.? Want your unrestricted CDL back? Just return to the DMV with a new signed physical form in hand, and you can then switch over again.

As for how any company may view your qualifications, I'm sure that varies greatly. Even within any particular company, depending on how many qualified drivers are currently available. But me, I wouldn't worry excessively about this. I'd imagine most of the time a company will prefer a qualified driver to any rookie, and that if they have doubts, they'll just send you out with a trainer for a check ride or two.

 

it may also depend on how many yrs experience you have.

2yrs exp and take 2 yrs off? nope, retrain

15 yrs and take 2 off, probably not a big deal

 

Stay local and you might not have to worry about it.

If you want to go back to otr. Stick with smaller companies that don't use dac.

Why anyone prefers megas is beyond me.

I've been local 8 years now. If I wanted to hit the road again. I'm screwed with any mega. Not that I care anyways.

If you don't drive at all. Your license qualifications won't matter as long as you stay current on everything.