New Training Requirements for Entry-Level Drivers Getting The CDL

Starting February 7th, 2022, drivers attempting to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License for the first time, upgrade an existing license or get specific endorsements will have to complete a new Entry-Level Driver Training. Completing the new Entry-Level Driver Training is required before a prospective commercial driver can schedule a CDL skills test, CDL written exam, or specific endorsements tests. The FMCSA has a list of authorized training providers to help get this necessary new training. Getting a Class A CDL is a minimum requirement for becoming a truck driver, the new training now being another part.

Why Are There New Training Requirements for Entry-Level Drivers?

The new training requirements were part of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, signed into law on July 6th, 2012, and have since been aiming to fund transportation development. A significant issue addressed in the act was rising highway fatalities. The FMCSA reported over 4,000 crashes involving large trucks for 2019, which has only increased each year since 2012. Ensuring that more drivers on the road have better training means better safety for drivers and those around them. Hopefully, it will lower crashes in the long run, especially those involving large trucks.

Are there New Requirements for Drivers with a current CDL?

Those who currently have a CDL or prior endorsements DO NOT have to complete the new entry-level driver training. The new training will also be required if upgrading an existing CDL to a different class, such as Class A. Individual states offer other exemptions for the new training based on CDL requirements.