CDL jobs explained: which license and endorsements each job needs
A commercial driver's license is not one license. It comes in classes, and endorsements add the kinds of loads and vehicles you are allowed to drive. Which ones you need depends on the job you want. This guide walks through the most common CDL jobs, what each one is really like, and exactly what it takes to get there.
Tractor-trailer jobs (over-the-road, fuel, hazmat, LTL) need a Class A CDL. Heavy single trucks and most buses (dump trucks, delivery, garbage, transit, school bus) need a Class B. Endorsements add specific work: HAZMAT for hazardous materials, Tanker for liquids, Doubles/Triples for multiple trailers, Passenger for buses, and School Bus for school routes.
Every job at a glance
| Job | License | Endorsements | Median pay / year | ELDT365 courses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Over-the-road / regional | Class A | None to start (H and N help) | $57,440 | CDL Starter Pack, or Class A alone |
| Fuel & tanker hauling | Class A | HAZMAT + Tanker (X) | $57,440* | New Driver Bundle |
| Hazmat freight | Class A | HAZMAT (H) | $57,440* | Class A + HAZMAT |
| LTL / linehaul | Class A | Doubles/Triples (T) | $57,440* | Class A + Doubles/Triples |
| Dump truck & local delivery | Class B | Usually none | $57,440 | Class B |
| Garbage & sanitation | Class B | Usually none | $57,440 | Class B |
| Transit, shuttle & tour bus | Class B | Passenger (P) | $57,440 | Class B + Passenger |
| School bus | Class B | Passenger + School Bus (P, S) | $47,040 | Bus Driver Bundle |
| Moving up from B to A | Class A | Optional | $57,440 | B to A Upgrade, or Upgrade Pro |
| Owner-operator | Class A | As many as possible | Varies | All Endorsements |
Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, national median pay, May 2024. * Median for all heavy truck drivers; this specialty often pays above it. Pay varies a lot by state, company, and experience.
First, the basics: how a CDL works
Every new CDL follows the same path. You complete Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) theory with a provider registered with the FMCSA, pass the written knowledge tests at your state DMV to get a learner permit, complete behind-the-wheel training with a registered school or employer, and pass the state skills test, which includes the pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control, and a road test.
ELDT theory has been required since February 7, 2022 for first-time Class A and Class B licenses, the Class B to Class A upgrade, and the first time you add the HAZMAT, Passenger, or School Bus endorsement. The Tanker and Doubles/Triples endorsements only require a knowledge test at the DMV.
How much do CDL jobs pay?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median pay in May 2024 was $57,440 a year for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, $57,440 for transit and intercity bus drivers, and $47,040 for school bus drivers. The median is the middle: half of drivers earn more and half earn less. New drivers usually start below it, and pay varies a lot by state, company, and the kind of freight.
1. Over-the-road and regional truck driver
This is the job most people picture when they think of trucking: a tractor pulling a 53-foot dry van or refrigerated trailer between distribution centers, warehouses, and stores. Over-the-road (OTR) drivers run long distances and are usually out for one to three weeks at a time. Regional drivers stay within a few states and are typically home every week.
It is also the most common first job for new drivers. Many large carriers hire straight out of CDL school and pair new drivers with a trainer for their first few weeks.
What it pays
National median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (BLS, May 2024), before taxes. New drivers usually start below the median; OTR miles and experience push pay up.
How to get there
- Complete Class A ELDT theory with a registered provider.
- Pass the Class A knowledge tests at your DMV to get your learner permit (CLP).
- Complete behind-the-wheel training in a tractor-trailer with a registered school or carrier program.
- Pass the skills test: pre-trip inspection, basic control, and road test.
New Driver Bundle (no pre-trip videos): $45 · Just Class A: $20
2. Fuel and tanker hauler
Tanker drivers haul liquids in bulk: gasoline and diesel to gas stations, chemicals to plants, milk, water, and food-grade products. Fuel hauling is often local or regional, with drivers loading at a terminal and making several deliveries a day.
Liquid loads move as the truck brakes and turns (called surge), so tanker work rewards smooth, careful drivers. Because fuel is a hazardous material, fuel haulers need both the HAZMAT and Tanker endorsements. Together they print as an X on your license.
What it pays
National median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (BLS, May 2024), before taxes. This is the median for all heavy truck drivers. Tanker and fuel work often pays above it.
How to get there
- Complete Class A and HAZMAT ELDT theory. Tanker has no federal ELDT requirement, but you still pass a tanker knowledge test.
- Pass the Class A, HAZMAT, and Tanker knowledge tests at your DMV.
- Apply for the TSA HAZMAT background check (fingerprints and a fee).
- Finish behind-the-wheel training and the Class A skills test.
Already have Class A? Hazmat Pro (HAZMAT + Tanker): $35
3. Hazmat freight driver
Hazmat freight drivers haul placarded loads in regular trailers: paint, batteries, chemicals, compressed gases, and similar products. The work looks like any other dry van or flatbed job, with extra paperwork, placards, and routing rules.
Fewer drivers hold the HAZMAT endorsement, so it can open better-paying freight and makes a resume stand out.
What it pays
National median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (BLS, May 2024), before taxes. This is the median for all heavy truck drivers. Hazmat loads often pay above it.
How to get there
- Complete HAZMAT ELDT theory, plus Class A or B theory if you do not have a CDL yet.
- Pass the HAZMAT knowledge test at your DMV.
- Complete the TSA background check.
- The endorsement is added once the TSA check clears.
Just HAZMAT: $20
4. LTL and linehaul driver (doubles)
Less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers move smaller shipments from many customers, sorting them at terminals. Linehaul drivers run between terminals, often overnight, frequently pulling two shorter trailers at once (doubles). City drivers handle pickups and deliveries around one terminal.
Many LTL jobs are local or overnight routes that get drivers home daily, which makes them popular with drivers who have families.
What it pays
National median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (BLS, May 2024), before taxes. This is the median for all heavy truck drivers. Unionized LTL carriers often pay above it.
How to get there
- Complete Class A ELDT theory.
- Pass the Class A knowledge tests and the Doubles/Triples knowledge test at your DMV. Doubles/Triples has no ELDT requirement.
- Complete behind-the-wheel training and the Class A skills test.
Already have Class A? Just Doubles/Triples: $20
5. Dump truck, construction, and local delivery
Class B covers heavy single vehicles: dump trucks, concrete mixers, box trucks, flatbed straight trucks, and many delivery trucks. These jobs are almost always local, with drivers home every night.
Construction work can be seasonal in colder states, while delivery work tends to be steady year round.
What it pays
National median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (BLS, May 2024), before taxes. Dump truck and straight-truck drivers are counted in this same federal category.
How to get there
- Complete Class B ELDT theory.
- Pass the Class B knowledge tests at your DMV to get your learner permit.
- Complete behind-the-wheel training in a Class B vehicle.
- Pass the Class B skills test.
Just Class B: $20
6. Garbage and sanitation truck driver
Sanitation drivers run residential and commercial waste and recycling routes for cities, counties, and private haulers. Routes start early and finish the same day, and public employers often offer stable benefits.
It is a good fit for drivers who want local, predictable hours and do not mind physical work.
What it pays
National median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (BLS, May 2024), before taxes. Sanitation truck drivers are generally counted with heavy truck drivers. City and county jobs often add benefits.
How to get there
- Complete Class B ELDT theory.
- Pass the Class B knowledge tests to get your learner permit.
- Complete behind-the-wheel training and the Class B skills test.
Just Class B: $20
7. Transit, shuttle, and tour bus driver
Bus drivers carry people instead of freight: city transit routes, airport and hotel shuttles, and charter or tour coaches. Any vehicle designed for 16 or more people, counting the driver, requires the Passenger endorsement.
Transit agencies and bus companies often run their own behind-the-wheel training at no cost to new hires.
What it pays
National median for transit and intercity bus drivers (BLS, May 2024), before taxes. Many transit agencies are unionized, with set pay scales and raises by seniority.
How to get there
- Complete Class B and Passenger ELDT theory.
- Pass the Class B and Passenger knowledge tests.
- Complete behind-the-wheel training in a bus, often provided by the employer.
- Pass the skills test in a bus.
Already have Class B? Just Passenger: $20
8. School bus driver
School bus drivers run morning and afternoon routes for school districts or contractors, often with summers and school holidays off. Many districts also offer field trip and athletics routes for extra hours.
School bus requires both the Passenger and School Bus endorsements, plus a state criminal background check and fingerprinting.
What it pays
National median for school bus drivers (BLS, May 2024), before taxes. School bus work usually follows the school year and is often part time, so yearly pay is lower even when the hourly rate is solid.
How to get there
- Complete Class B, Passenger, and School Bus ELDT theory.
- Pass the Class B, Passenger, and School Bus knowledge tests.
- Complete behind-the-wheel training in a school bus, usually provided by the district or contractor.
- Pass the skills test and your state background check.
Already have Class B? Passenger + School Bus: $35
9. Moving up from Class B to Class A
Many drivers start with a Class B and later move to tractor-trailers for more job options. The FMCSA created a separate, shorter B to A upgrade theory course for this, so Class B holders do not repeat all of Class A theory.
This applies even if you got your Class B before ELDT started in 2022, because Class A is a new class of license.
What it pays
National median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (BLS, May 2024), before taxes. Moving from Class B to Class A typically opens the full range of tractor-trailer jobs.
How to get there
- Complete the B to A upgrade ELDT theory.
- Pass the Class A knowledge tests (including combination vehicles) to get your Class A permit.
- Complete tractor-trailer behind-the-wheel training.
- Pass the Class A skills test.
Just the B to A Upgrade: $20
10. Owner-operator or "take any load" driver
Owner-operators run their own truck, either leased to a carrier or under their own authority. The more endorsements you hold, the more loads on the board you can accept: fuel, chemicals, doubles, and even passenger work.
Running your own operation also takes more than a license, including operating authority, insurance, and a USDOT number, but the CDL and endorsements come first.
What it pays
Owner-operators earn what the truck brings in minus fuel, insurance, payments, and repairs, so take-home pay varies too much for one number.
How to get there
- Get your Class A CDL (theory, permit, behind-the-wheel, skills test).
- Add endorsements: theory where required, then the knowledge tests, plus the TSA check for HAZMAT.
- Set up your business: authority, insurance, and registrations.
Need Class A too? Add it at checkout: +$20
How to choose
- You want to be home every night
- Class B jobs (dump truck, delivery, sanitation, bus), LTL city routes, and local fuel hauling are the usual picks.
- You want the most job options
- Class A. It covers tractor-trailers and also lets you drive most Class B vehicles.
- You want to stand out to employers
- Add endorsements. HAZMAT and Tanker are the ones carriers ask for most.
- You like working with people
- Transit, shuttle, tour, and school bus driving.
Whatever you choose, the pre-trip inspection is part of every skills test, and it is where many drivers lose points. Our guide to what to say on the pre-trip and the air brake test steps are free to read.
Common questions
Do I need ELDT for every endorsement?
No. ELDT theory is required for first-time Class A and Class B CDLs, the B to A upgrade, and first-time HAZMAT, Passenger, and School Bus endorsements. Tanker and Doubles/Triples only require the DMV knowledge test.
Do these online courses give me a CDL?
No. Online ELDT theory is one step. You still need a learner permit, behind-the-wheel training with a registered provider, and the state skills test. ELDT365 files your theory completion with the FMCSA Training Provider Registry the moment you finish.
Class A or Class B: which should I get?
If you want tractor-trailer work or the widest range of jobs, get Class A, since it also covers most Class B vehicles. If you know you want local straight-truck or bus work, Class B is faster and cheaper.
How long does it take to get a CDL?
It depends on the school and your schedule. ELDT theory itself takes a few hours online. Behind-the-wheel training and testing usually take a few weeks.
Can I add endorsements later?
Yes. You can add any endorsement at any time, but adding them together saves trips to the DMV.
Sources
Requirements in this guide come from the federal Entry-Level Driver Training rule (49 CFR Part 380) and the TSA HAZMAT endorsement program. Pay figures are national medians from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (May 2024); monthly and weekly figures are the yearly median divided by 12 and 52. Employers and states can require more, so check your state CDL manual and the job posting.
BLS: Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
BLS: Bus drivers (transit, intercity, and school)
FMCSA Training Provider Registry
TSA HAZMAT endorsement threat assessment