CLASS A, B, AND C TRUCK DRIVING LICENSES: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
Operating a heavy-duty vehicle requires specialized knowledge and licensing that far exceeds the basic skills needed to drive cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs.
Drivers must acquire the knowledge, experience, skills, and physical abilities necessary to operate Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV) and then pass a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) examination. Applicants face testing that covers safety and practical knowledge, as well as the ability to handle a big rig in real-time.
In recent years, agencies such as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) created additional physical fitness standards. As a result, professional truck drivers must now demonstrate their health and wellness to operate a CMV safely.
Let's break down key differences among Class A vs. B vs. C CDL licenses, as well as vehicle and job types one can expect to be authorized to drive and attain under each class.
DETERMINE WHAT CDL LICENSE CLASS YOU NEED
What types of CDLs are there?
To obtain a CDL, it will be necessary for you to determine which class you will need. There are three basic classes of CDLs:
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Class A – Permits the holder to operate any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle or vehicles towed exceeds 10,000 pounds
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Class B – Permits the holder to operate any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, any one of those vehicles towing a vehicle that does not exceed 10,000 pounds GVWR, and any vehicle designed to transport 24 passengers or more, including the driver. If the skills test is taken in a bus with a GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds, the holder will be restricted to operating busses under 26,001 pounds GVWR.
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Class C – Permits the holder to operate any single vehicle or combination of vehicles that is not a Class A or B if the vehicle is designed to transport 16 to 23 passengers including the driver, or used in the transportation of hazardous materials that require the vehicle to be placarded under 49 CFR, Part 172, Subpart F.
Once you've determined which of the commercial licenses classes you need, you are ready to learn more about common vehicles under each CDL class, driver responsibilities, and pay for CDL drivers.
WHAT IS A CLASS A CDL LICENSE?
Class A licensing is widely considered the most common type of CDL license held by drivers. It allows truckers to operate iconic tractor-trailers. A Class A license is typically what everyday people imagine when talking about operating big rigs on the open road.
With a Class A commercial driver’s license, truckers can operate any combination of vehicles whose gross weight exceeds 26,001, as long as the towed portions are over 10,000 pounds. Common vehicles driven include:
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Tractor-trailers
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Trucks with a trailer combination
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Livestock vehicles
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Flatbed trailers
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Tankers
It is also not uncommon for states to require people who own and drive large RVs to possess a Class A or appropriate CDL.
Truckers who secure their Class A driver's license generally earn good salaries, and the persistent national driver shortage means drivers with clean records remain gainfully employed. Many Class A CDL-holders also enjoy the opportunity to increase their salaries by earning what the FMCSA calls “endorsements.”
By passing tests to haul sensitive or hazardous materials, truckers typically see pay increases. The following lettered endorsements correspond to niche loads truckers can haul.
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H: This designation allows professional drivers to transport loads considered hazardous material or HAZMAT. After obtaining a Class A CDL, drivers must pass a written knowledge test.
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N: This endorsement allows truckers to operate tanker vehicles carrying sometimes volatile liquids and gasses. Drivers must pass a written knowledge test to earn this designation.
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T: Although Class A CDLs clear truckers to operate semis, hauling multiple trailers requires this endorsement. Operating a double or triple trailer usually requires drivers to pass an additional knowledge test.
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X: Although the H endorsement allows truckers to haul HAZMAT loads, additional knowledge is required to transport tankers filled with these sometimes dangerous materials. The X designation tasks CDL-holders with passing another niche knowledge examination.
SALARY OUTLOOK FOR CLASS A DRIVERS
The Bureau of Labor and Statistics pegged median heavy-duty truck driver salaries at $54,320 per year or $26.12 per hour in 2023. Higher demand for qualified men and women with a Class A driver’s license has prompted freight carriers and fleet operations to dramatically increase salaries and offer sign-on bonuses. Truck drivers employed by some large fleet operations and Owner-Operators can enjoy top salaries that exceed $100,000.
WHAT IS A CLASS B CDL?
Traveling America’s highways as a long-haul trucker is not necessarily for everyone. Those who wish to earn a steady income as a truck driver without driving long distance can secure a Class B driver’s license.
This type of CDL allows professionals to operate certain vehicles with a gross combination weight at or above 26,001 pounds.
While that threshold mirrors a Class A driver’s license, women and men with a Class B driver’s license cannot lawfully tow a trailer or other load that exceeds 10,000 pounds.
That may seem like hair-splitting to people unfamiliar with the freight hauling industry. However, it typically separates over-the-road (OTR) truckers from those working local or regional routes and occupations.
With a Class B driver’s license, drivers can operate CMVs that include the following:
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Straight Trucks
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Passenger and Public Transportation Buses
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Segmented Passenger Buses
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School Buses
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Box Trucks
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Dump Trucks Pulling Low-Weight Trailers
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Tractor-Trailers that Do Not Exceed Weight Thresholds
Like professionals who earn a Class A, qualified Class B CDL-holders can also secure endorsements. The endorsement restrictions placed on a Class B driver’s license involve gross weight and not necessarily the materials. Note: One endorsement people with a Class B driver’s license generally pursue more than Class A CDL-holders is “P.” The P endorsement allows professionals with a Class B driver’s license to operate school buses.
SALARY OUTLOOK FOR CLASS B DRIVERS
Workers with a Class B driver’s license average wages near $44,000 in 2023, and top earners exceeded $50,000. People who work as Class B drivers enjoy job growth rates of approximately 5 percent, year-over-year, as well as steady employment in most regions.
WHAT IS A CLASS C CDL?
Earning a Class C CDL license allows men and women to operate a single vehicle with a weight lower than 26,001 pounds. A Class C CDL opens the door for drivers to tow another vehicle of no more than 10,000 pounds as well as passenger vehicles of 15 riders plus the driver, totaling a maximum of 16 people.
Common commercial vehicles operated by drivers with a Class C CDL include:
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Straight Trucks
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Cement Mixers
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Passenger Buses
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Segmented Buses
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Food Trucks
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Garbage Trucks
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Box Trucks
Like a Class A and B CDL, endorsements can be secured by passing knowledge examinations. The “H” or HAZMAT endorsement ranks among the more prevalent among Class C CDL-holders.
5 STEPS TO GET A CDL LICENSE
Age Requirements: To operate a CMV in the State of Texas (Intrastate) drivers must be 18 years or older. To operate a CMV across state lines (Interstate), drivers must be a least 21 years old. The federal government has carved out some exceptions. A qualified CDL can usually operate CMVs within a particular state, depending on its regulations.
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Apply: Apply with the state you possess a driver’s license and include appropriate documentation, including identity verification, proof of residency, and your Social Security number.
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Testing: Applicants must submit a completed Medical Examination Report Form and Medical Examiner’s Certificate, as well as pass a vision and knowledge test.
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Learner’s Permit: Following the successful completion of knowledge and physical testing, applicants are typically issued a commercial learner’s permit (CLP). The minimum wait time to schedule a CDL road skills test is 14 days.
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Road Test: Applicants must pass the new modernized pre-trip inspection, four (4) backing maneuvers and a road skills exam and pay the standard fees after receiving a passing grade. Applicants need to keep in mind that TXDPS CDL centers do not provide a CMV. Remember to make advanced arrangements to have a CMV available for the road skills test. Get Your CDL Quick offers class A & B trucks and trailers for rental to test at the TXDPS CDL centers. We also rent passenger bus and school bus for the TXDPS CDL tests for passenger and school bus endorsements.
