Before you can have a commercial driver's license (CDL) to drive trucks in North Carolina, you will first need to obtain a learner's permit awarded by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) and then complete a minimum 160-hour program at a certified school.
The exam, only theoretical, which is carried out on the NCDMV computers and can be done in Spanish, includes questions about general knowledge of transportation, air brakes and combination vehicles.
If you pass it, the permit is granted for the first time, for 180 days, and then, if eligible for renewal, it is also valid for the same time. After completing this step at the NCDMV, the process must be completed at a certified school, as mandated on February 7, 2022 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
“The FMCSA established that to meet the minimum requirements for Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT), you must attend a certified school before being issued a commercial driver's license (CDL),” he explained to Enlace Latino NC , Víctor Torres, school director A2z Trucking Academy.
Truck driver's license: academic training
Torres commented that the training course taught at the academy comprises 160 hours that includes 50 hours of class/instruction, 50 hours of shooting range/practical training and 60 hours of road training (driving/observation).
"When you come to school, we have to retrain your brain. I'm going to tell you to do the exact opposite of your driving experience of perhaps more than 20 years," he commented.
"If you want the trailer to go left, you'll have to go right. This isn't what you do with a private vehicle: you go right and it goes that way," he added.
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CDL Driver's License Test in North Carolina
After completing the 160-hour program, students are ready to take the practical knowledge tests required to obtain a commercial driver's license.
"There are three tests: vehicle inspection, maneuvers, and then road driving," Torres explained.
Regarding the truck inspection test, Torres indicated that the exam is shorter, but more precise than previous years.
Regarding the backing test, Torres explained that there are 3 exercises: backing in a straight line of 100 feet, blind side parking and backing up at 90 degrees.
When it comes to the test drive, the focus is on how you interact with traffic.
"Be a courteous driver, don't push other cars too hard. Keep both hands on the wheel, constantly checking both mirrors, and shift gears in good time, without being abrupt," Torres said.
"We know we'll see mistakes on a test. What we don't want to see are key errors: you going into a car, running a red light, something fatal, and then going in front of a car when turning at an intersection if you have a trailer," he added.
If you pass the tests, the next step is to go to the NCDMV office for your photo and pay the driver's license issuance costs.
"As a certified school, we're connected to the NCDMV system. So, we provide your information and the evaluation, and you just have to go to an office for the final administrative process and begin your career successfully," Torres concluded.
Requirements to obtain a truck driving license in North Carolina
- Be at least 18 years old to drive (21 for operations in interstate commerce).
- Own one valid driver's license.
- Pass a physical and drug exam.
- For non-citizens of the US, a document issued by the US government that indicates legal presence in the country. If you have work permit.
- Basic English to understand the instructor's instructions.
Scam alert
On the other hand, the FMCSA warned of a scam Phishing, (a technique that seeks to obtain your personal and, in some cases, banking data), posing as a company or institution, aimed at training providers in this area.
The email comes from alan.leon.student@scs-school-cedargrovenj.org tells the recipient that the message is the “final awareness for information verification” and states “we will have to revoke your license if we do not receive your verification/update” within 24 hours.
FMCSA will never send email requests requesting personal or payment information.
Do not reply or click on links in any suspicious emails.
Training providers should follow their company or agency policy if you receive a phishing scam email.
If you require more information about CDL – Commercial Drivers License in North Carolina, visit the NCDMV website.
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