Commercial truck drivers must have a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL). Drivers need to obtain a CDL in Georgia if they will be driving a combination of vehicles weighing 26, 001 pounds or more, one vehicle that weights 26, 001 pounds or more, a vehicle that requires a placard of hazardous materials, or a vehicle that will be carrying over 15 people, such as a bus.
Large commercial vehicles can be quite different to drive than smaller vehicles. The CDL is designed to require both knowledge of how to operate the larger vehicles and a skills test that demonstrates the ability to do so. Specific tests are also required for specific types of vehicles (school buses, for example) or transport (such as hazardous materials).
The tests also require drivers to know pertinent information, such as how to check a truck’s load.
