Commercial driver's license (CDL)

Definition

The license class a driver needs for a heavy vehicle, graded by weight, passengers, and hazmat cargo.

Why It Matters

It is the constraint on every fleet of heavy trucks or of buses seating sixteen or more. It is also slower to replace than a payroll line suggests: entry-level training from a federally registered provider now gates the skills test, so a driver is a matter of months instead of a week. In diligence the roster is the capacity statement, and the credential detail matters as much as the count: an endorsement for passengers, a school bus, or hazardous materials is a separate test and a separate pool of people.