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JOB
resources
more than a
license
Endorsements can expand the
possibilities of your driving career
One of the most common mistakes new
truck drivers make occurs before they
even get their commercial driver’s license
(CDL). New drivers often have a good idea
of what job they will be taking once they
have their license, and often obtain only the
endorsements they’ll need for that job.
An example is the driver who accepts a
job while still in CDL school with a company
that pulls dry van trailers. Aside from air
brakes, no other endorsements are required.
After months on the road, it becomes evident
that the weeks away from home are
putting a strain on family relationships
— and the search is on for a local job that
allows more time at home. One local job
involves tankers pulling petroleum products.
Another opportunity with great pay
requires a doubles endorsement. The driver
isn’t qualified for either job and will need to
find a way to study — and then use up more
valuable home time to take the exam for the
required endorsements.
The reality is that the trucking industry
routinely reports an annual turnover rate approaching
100%. That means that, on the
average, almost every driver makes a job
BY CLIFF ABBOTT / CONTRIBUTING WRITER
change once per year. Of course, that’s only a
statistical average; some drivers stay with one
company for many years while others switch
companies after only a few months. Still, new
drivers are highly likely to have more than
one job in their first year of employment. So,
the question for every driver is this:
Why wouldn’t you want to be as qualified
as possible to accept any job in the industry?
CDL manuals from nearly every state
contain study sections for each endorsement,
and CDL schools often cover those
endorsements in the classroom curriculum.
It’s usually easier to pass the state exams
while the information is fresh. Available
endorsements include the following:
Air Brake
It may seem like a given that you’ll need
this endorsement, but it is possible to obtain
a CDL without it. Some vehicles require a
CDL because of weight or the cargo they
haul, and when hooked to trailers may require
a Class A license.
Doubles-Triples
Shorter “pup” trailers are often used by
less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers, including
package and parcel carriers. Some of
the jobs LTL carriers offer are over the
road, while many are “pedal” runs to and
from the same terminal. Depending on the
distance, the driver may get home every
night, every other night, weekly or some
other schedule.
Most of these jobs are in demand, and
turnover among them is generally low,
meaning that drivers tend to stay. Some
LTL jobs offer excellent pay and benefits.
To pass the exam, you’ll need to know how
to properly hook up multiple trailers and
understand weight distribution and special
driving techniques.
Tanker
These jobs can be local or long-haul,
and many involve hazardous materials.
Many people think of liquids when
they think of tank trailers, but powdered
or granular products are often hauled in
“pneumatic” tankers that can be unloaded
through a hose by trickling the product
into a stream of air.
Local jobs often deliver petroleum products
to gas stations, airports, trucking terminals
and other locations. Another common
local job is concrete hauling; both the Class B
6 THE TRUCKER JOBS MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.THETRUCKERJOBS.COM