https://cdlcoachup.com/blog Plain-English explainers for the topics most CDL applicants get wrong, from CDL Coach Up. en-us Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/how-many-questions-on-cdl-test https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/how-many-questions-on-cdl-test Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT One of the most common questions we get from new applicants is, "How many questions are on the CDL knowledge test?" The honest answer is that the question count is not fixed by federal regulation — each state pulls its live exam from the federal pool of approved questions independently — but the typical counts are well-documented and consistent enough that we can give you a reliable expectation. https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/cdl-passing-score-explained https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/cdl-passing-score-explained Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT The federal Commercial Driver's License regulations require a minimum passing score of eighty percent on every CDL knowledge exam, in every state, for every endorsement. The figure is set by 49 CFR Part 383 and is binding on state licensing agencies; no state can lower the threshold and remain in compliance with federal CDL standards. https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/how-to-get-hazmat-endorsement https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/how-to-get-hazmat-endorsement Thu, 02 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT The Hazardous Materials (H) endorsement is the highest-stakes endorsement available on a U.S. Commercial Driver's License. It opens up significantly higher-paying loads, but the application process is meaningfully more involved than for any other endorsement. https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/class-a-vs-class-b-cdl https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/class-a-vs-class-b-cdl Wed, 25 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT The choice between a Class A and a Class B Commercial Driver's License determines what kinds of vehicles you can legally operate — and, by extension, what kinds of jobs you can apply for. The decision matters more than most new applicants realize. https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/tanker-endorsement-tips https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/tanker-endorsement-tips Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT The Tanker (N) endorsement covers the operation of vehicles transporting bulk liquids or gases in containers with a capacity of one thousand gallons or more — singly or in combination. The written exam is shorter than General Knowledge, but it tests a meaningfully different set of physical principles, and it is one of the endorsements where applicants most commonly miss questions on first read. https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/school-bus-endorsement-prep https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/school-bus-endorsement-prep Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT The School Bus (S) endorsement is unique among CDL endorsements in that it requires both a written knowledge test and a separate skills test conducted in a representative school bus. It is the only endorsement where the skills test is a federal requirement layered on top of the base CDL skills exam. https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/air-brake-pre-trip-checklist https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/air-brake-pre-trip-checklist Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT The air brake portion of the CDL skills test pre-trip inspection is one of the most-failed components of the entire CDL examination. The good news is that it is also one of the most studyable: the script is finite, every item is checkable in advance, and good preparation produces a near-certain pass. https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/cdl-medical-card-2026 https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/cdl-medical-card-2026 Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT The DOT medical certificate — colloquially the "med card" — is the single most-overlooked compliance item among CDL holders, and it is the most common reason a CDL gets downgraded without warning. https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/why-cdl-applicants-fail https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/why-cdl-applicants-fail Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT The first-attempt failure rate on the CDL written exam is meaningfully higher than most prospective applicants assume. The skills test failure rate is higher still. After a decade of working with applicants and instructors, the same five reasons account for the vast majority of failures. https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/eldt-entry-level-driver-training https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/eldt-entry-level-driver-training Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) is the federal training requirement that applies to anyone applying for a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time, anyone upgrading from Class B to Class A, and anyone applying for Hazardous Materials, Passenger, or School Bus endorsements for the first time. https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/cdl-third-party-testing https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/cdl-third-party-testing Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT Many states authorize third-party CDL testing facilities — typically training schools or large carriers — to administer the CDL skills test on behalf of the state DMV. Third-party testing can substantially shorten the wait between completing training and getting tested, but it carries trade-offs worth understanding. https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/cdl-job-pay-by-state https://cdlcoachup.com/blog/cdl-job-pay-by-state Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT Commercial driver pay varies significantly by state, by application (long-haul versus local versus specialty), and by employer (mega-fleet versus regional carrier versus owner-operator). The state-level pay numbers below are 2026 medians for company drivers in long-haul tractor-trailer applications, drawn from carrier postings and Bureau of Labor Statistics data.