CDL Glossary
Clear definitions for CDL applicants researching training, school, endorsements, jobs, and pay.
ELDT
The required entry-level training (ELDT). It's the federal minimum training many people need the first time they go for a Class A or Class B CDL, when they move up from Class B to Class A, or when they first get a hazardous-materials, passenger, or school bus add-on license.
TermCLP
The learner's permit (CLP). It lets you practice in a commercial truck as long as a licensed CDL driver is with you.
TermClass A CDL
The CDL class you usually need for tractor-trailers and other trucks pulling a trailer once they hit certain weight limits.
TermClass B CDL
The CDL class you usually need for heavy single-body trucks and some buses once they hit certain weight or passenger limits.
TermCPM
Pay per mile. A common way drivers get paid: your miles times a set rate per mile. They only count the miles the company pays for.
TermOTR
Over-the-road, or long-haul. Long-distance driving that keeps you away from home for days or weeks at a time.
TermRegional Driving
Routes that mostly stay within a group of nearby states. You're usually home more often than with long-haul work.
TermHome Daily
Driving jobs where you go home after every shift. Often local delivery, shuttle, trash, bus, construction, or port work.
TermHazMat Endorsement
An add-on license for hauling hazardous materials. First-timers usually need a written test, a TSA background check, and the classroom part of the required entry-level training (ELDT).
TermTanker Endorsement
An add-on license for driving tank trucks. The job means dealing with liquid sloshing around, loading, unloading, and safety rules that change with what you're hauling.
TermDoubles/Triples
An add-on license for pulling more than one trailer where it's allowed. Some states and routes don't allow triple trailers.
TermDOT Medical Card
The card from a certified examiner that proves you're healthy enough to drive commercially for the kind of driving you picked.
TermTraining Provider Registry
The federal list of approved schools, run by the trucking agency (FMCSA). It also holds records of who finished training. Check that a school is on this list before you pay.
TermTuition Reimbursement
A company program that pays you back for CDL school over time, usually after they hire you and only as long as you stay.
TermLease-Purchase
A deal where you lease a truck with the option or promise to buy it later. The danger is that the fixed weekly costs can eat up most of your take-home pay.