If you get CDL-A can you then drive any CDL class

you can drive about any thing with a class A.
The next thing you have to have is the right endorsements hazmat, doubles/tripples, tanks, & passenger.
Passenger is broken down in two classes, (15 people) small buses and large busses.

 

yes there is a test to get the hazmat, plus a background check..
and for passenger the normal road test, and I have no Idea about bus companys. I have never done that.

 

Hazmat is just paperwork...... but passenger buses require a seperate driving test in our state...... in addition to the written........

 

Yes...(In California) the Hazmat endorsement is only a written test. I got my Hazmat when I first got my CDL. The last time I had to renew they wanted me to re-test, AND pay DMV $95 for a background check! They told me the required background check was due to the 9/11 attacks. I told them to keep their hazmat.

 

It takes a little while to do the background and fingerprinting so if you are going to even think about hazmat I would start the process now.........

If you find a company that will hire you with no experience...... they are not going to want to wait for all your paperwork to go through...... they'll probably give the job to someone else while you are checking the mailbox every day.........

just my opinion......... maybe someone else has experience with this?

 

Certain amounts of certain hazmats are legally shipped without requiring placarding everyday (you do need to know what's legal and what's not, regardless), so unless your company specializes in hazmat shipments or is/has a hazmat division, you probably won't need the endorsement. I will get mine eventually, but not until after I've finished training and been OTR for awhile, just because of the time and expense of the fingerprinting and background check.

 

You will also get finger prints taken when they do a background check as part of the Hazmat endorsement