The regulations and restrictions are worse for getting a CDL than a Private Pilots License.
The industry is doing what ever it can to make it harder and harder to get a CDL.
This.
Think a basic CDL is hard, try a Hazmat.
Every license renewal you have to go through the same procedure it takes
to get the intial endorsement. Except, pay the $5 permit fee.
Written test on a computer. 80% or above.
(Some really struggle, the answers do not match what's in the book)
Homeland security background check.
Get fingerprinted.
That adds up to over $100 for the one endorsement.
Used to be many big carriers required the endorsement.
They didn't pull much hazmat per driver, but...flexibility.
Now most have dropped the requirement.
It's just too much BS for a couple loads a year per driver.
The oil company hasn't needed me to fill in for several years,
so I let mine go. Getting a new one is only $5 more and some time.
Ain't paying for a physical every year either, so my license is in
an escrow type status.
Other than the dropped hazmat, I have every truck endorsement,
have pulled a number of trailer types,
can drive most every transmission, (Except auto, never have)
plus, log trucks, fuel trucks, and dumps(asphalt, milling, chipping experience)
At this time, if I needed to drive, it would probably take a month or
more to reactivate my license. After getting a physical.
The hazmat test could be passed in a week
if I could get in to test.
The background check can take weeks to months.
