What disqualifies you from getting a CDL

What You’ll Learn

As you read about what disqualifies you from a CDL, you’ll learn:

• There are a number of different situations that could prevent you from getting a CDL or cause you to lose it once you have it.
• Commercial driving is an important and demanding job, so the industry has high standards for its drivers.
• If you can get and keep a CDL, you will be qualified to get some of Arizona’s best commercial driving jobs and beyond.

Obtaining Your CDL

Commercial driving jobs can make for a terrific professional career, but getting a commercial driver’s license is challenging in many ways. These drivers are held to a much higher standard than just about everyone else on the road, making it difficult to get one of these licenses. With that in mind, even the most experienced truck drivers need to stay up to date with the requirements they must meet to have their commercial driving license.

What Disqualifies You From Getting a CDL?

A simple mistake on the road might not be a big deal for most drivers, but it makes a world of difference for professionals. It’s important to know and understand all of the rules and regulations, so you know what to do and what not to do.

Even a simple violation might cost you your license if you aren’t careful, so get in the habit of familiarizing yourself with what disqualifies you from a CDL.

Disqualifying Situations

Since the degree of skill required to drive a commercial motor vehicle is so high, all of the following situations would disqualify you from your CDL:

1. Driving Without a CDL – Driving a commercial motor vehicle without a CDL can disqualify you from getting a CDL. In other words, even if you have your commercial driver’s license, make sure you always have it with you while you’re driving a CMV. This also applies if driving on a CDL is suspended, canceled, or revoked.
2. Excessive Speeding – Going too far over the speed limit in your CMV can cause you to lose your CDL. It is worth noting that the excessive speeding violation only applies while you are driving the CMV. If you get a violation for excessive speeding in your personal vehicle, you will not necessarily lose your commercial driving license.
3. Texting and Driving – In some states, you are likely to lose your CDL for using an electronic device while driving. This can happen even if you are at a red light. Using electronic devices while driving a CMV can result in disqualification.
4. Improper or Erratic Traffic Lane Changes – Failing to signal, failure to check blind spots, weaving in and out of traffic, and ignoring no passing zones can all qualify as improper or erratic lane changes.
5. Reckless Driving – Driving a vehicle recklessly is not acceptable for a CMV driver and can result in disqualification. This is somewhat subjective in some cases, but it is best to use good judgment and avoid things like following too closely.
6. Negligent Driving Resulting in Fatality – If a CMV driver is involved in an accident that results in fatality and is found to have been driving negligently, this can result in CDL disqualification. There may also be other serious consequences involved.
7. Leaving the Scene of an Accident – For any driver, leaving the scene of an accident is illegal. This is even worse for CMV drivers since they are held to higher standards. This can also lead to legal charges.
8. Driving Under the Influence – Driving any vehicle while intoxicated is illegal. The consequences may be especially harsh for CMV drivers, and the standards are even tighter as well. When driving with a CDL, the legal limit for alcohol is reduced to a BAC of 0.04, which is half of the legal limit for other drivers. This is true for any person who has a CDL, even if they are off-duty and driving a personal vehicle. Driving under the influence of other controlled substances can also lead to disqualification from having a CDL.
9. Refusing to Take an Alcohol Test – Just as driving under the influence of alcohol can result in CDL disqualification, so can refusing to take an alcohol test. Anyone who refuses the test will be assumed to be under the influence. Because of the assumed positive nature of the test, there will be a revocation of the commercial driver’s license.

Physical and Medical Standards in the Trucking Industry

In addition to the above, certain medical and physical standards are required of anyone who wishes to possess a CDL. These standards include requirements for vision and hearing.

Physical conditions such as narcolepsy and epilepsy can prevent a person from qualifying for a CDL. Some restrictions against receiving a CDL with sleep apnea and hearing impairments have been reduced in recent years, though these conditions can still be considered.

Other Considerations

A person must have a clean criminal record to receive a CDL. Having a suspended license for driving violations or criminal activity will disqualify a person from receiving a commercial license. In some cases, even if a driver’s criminal history does not necessarily prevent them from receiving a CDL, they can still have a hard time getting hired for trucking jobs. In addition to these restrictions on criminal records, there are age requirements and considerations of the driver’s previous driving experience.

Jobs for Commercial Drivers in Phoenix

If you can get a CDL, you can get a great job driving a commercial motor vehicle.

 

 

Here at Duncan & Son Lines, we offer some of the best CDL driving jobs in Arizona. We are consistently regarded as one of the best companies to drive for because we live by our company values:

• Investment in Safety – We want our drivers to have a safe work environment.
• Complete Customer Focus – We listen to our customers to ensure we provide excellent service, and we also do the same for our drivers.
• Total Employee Commitment – We are committed to creating a healthy, respectful environment for everyone who works for us. Our drivers are treated with professionalism and respect.
• Operational Excellence – We have a passion for constant improvement through process review, technology, and teamwork. Reach out to us if you want to work for an efficient company.

Here at Duncan & Son Lines, we hire experienced truck drivers who already know what they want from a career. If you already have your TWIC card, you will even get a $500 sign-on bonus in addition to the great benefits our drivers receive. There is excellent job security, too, because we are the largest intermodal or drayage carrier in Arizona, and we’ve been working in Port of Long Beach for 70 years already.

 

 

We have over 250 trucks here at Duncan & Son Lines, and we normally need an additional 10 or 20 drivers per month to keep up with growth. We’re looking for experienced drivers who want to go from Arizona to Long Beach and back, spending four nights per week at home. If that sounds like the trucking job you’ve been looking for, apply today!

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