• Texas CDL lawstruck image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
  
  If you are considering any one of the many lines of work as a professional driver in the state of Texas, you may need a commercial driver's license (CDL). To obtain this license, you will need to meet certain criteria set forth by the Texas Department of Transportation.
  
  

CDL Requirements

• Any driver in Texas operating any of the following must have a commercial driver's license (CDL): a single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR--maximum road weight capacity permitted by law) of 26,000 pounds or higher; a vehicle-trailer combination with a GVWR of more than 26,000 pounds where the trailer has a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds; a vehicle designed to transport more than 15 persons; or any vehicle carrying hazardous materials.
  
  

Exemptions

• Operators of certain classes of vehicles employed in certain uses are exempt from Texas CDL requirements. No CDL is required to operate a vehicle for farm use, which is transporting agricultural material to or from a farm, within 150 miles from the farm. Similarly, no CDL is required for the agricultural transport of seed cotton modules or of cotton burrs.
  
  No CDL is required for the operation of firefighting or emergency response vehicles as long as the vehicle is operated by an employee of a political subdivision or by a volunteer firefighter. No CDL is required for military personnel operating a military vehicle for military purposes. No CDL is required for airport or airline personnel to operate a transport or cargo vehicle on airport property.
  
  

Types of CDL

• In Texas, there are three classes of CDL applicable to various commercial vehicle use.
  
  A Class A license is needed by any driver operating a vehicle-trailer combination with a GVWR of more than 26,001 pounds, providing the trailer's weight exceeds 10,000 pounds.
  
  A Class B CDL is required for any driver operating a single vehicle with a GVWR of more than 26,001 pounds, or a vehicle-trailer combination where the trailer does not exceed 10,000 pounds GVWR. The Class B CDL also applies to bus drivers operating a vehicle designed to transport 24 passengers (including the driver) or more. This license only covers the operation of buses up to 26,001 pounds GVWR unless the driver's skills test was taken in a larger bus.
  
  The Class C CDL is required of drivers operating a bus with a capacity of 16 to 23 persons (including the driver) or for any driver transporting hazardous wastes as defined under Texas law.
  
  Such materials include, but are not limited to, explosives, flammable liquids, flammable gasses, flammable solid materials, radioactive materials, oxidizers, corrosives, infectious substances and poisons.
  
  

Testing

• All applicants seeking any class of Texas CDL will need to take and pass several tests administered by the Department of Transportation. These tests include a road skills test, a basic vehicles control test, a pre-trip vehicle inspection test and a hazardous material handling test (if seeking a Class C CDL).