Canadian Trucker

Topic 2690 | Page 1

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Ken E.'s Comment
member avatar

I just recently moved back to states,;from Canada,and is looking forward to driving truck down south,, was curious if i could use my Canadian CDL or do i need to re- do my testing for a American CDL. I have 4 months experience and is looking for work in Washington state.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Starcar's Comment
member avatar

I know that you will have to have a US drivers license. Now will your canadian cdl transfer over ??? I think the dmv can tell you that....Will companies take you without some classroom time ?? I doubt that...they want you educated on US DOT rules...So you are gonna kinda start from scratch, but you will be a quick study....

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

DOT:

Department Of Transportation

A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.

State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.

Dm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.

DMV:

Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles

The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.

Daniel B.'s Comment
member avatar

You're going to have to start from scratch with the schooling. So don't expect to just get keys to a truck.

Also, I don't think your Canadian license can simply transfer over since it's a different country. Trucking companies require the applicant to have a regular US drivers license for a minimum of one year. So if it does not transfer over then you'll have to get a regular license and won't be eligible to drive until a year passes.

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Foreign Drivers Getting Your CDL
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