How to upgrade from Class B to Class A
Why the upgrade has its own curriculum
49 CFR part 380, appendix C is the Class B to A upgrade curriculum. It assumes you already know the basics from your Class B and focuses on what changes with a trailer: coupling and uncoupling, combination vehicle inspection, air brake systems across units, off-tracking, and the handling differences of a long, heavy combination.
The steps
- Complete the upgrade theory with a registered provider. ELDT365 files it to the registry when you finish.
- Get a Class A learner permit by passing the combination vehicles knowledge test (and air brakes if you carry that restriction).
- Behind-the-wheel training in a tractor-trailer with a registered school or employer.
- Pass the Class A skills test: pre-trip on a combination, backing maneuvers, road test.
Time and cost
Theory is about 30 minutes. Upgrade BTW programs are shorter than full Class A, often 1 to 2 weeks and $1,500 to $3,500, and many carriers run upgrade programs for their Class B drivers at no cost.
Questions drivers ask
Do I have to redo the full Class A theory?
No. The FMCSA created a separate, shorter upgrade curriculum for Class B holders. That is what ELDT365 provides.
I had a Class B before 2022. Do I need ELDT to upgrade?
Yes. The upgrade to Class A is a new class of license, and ELDT applies to it regardless of when you got the Class B.
Can I keep my endorsements?
Endorsements carry over to the new license, though some states retest hazmat.
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