The Definitions
Federal rules define the classes by weight rating. A Class A CDL is required for any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, where the vehicle being towed is rated over 10,000 pounds. That is a tractor-trailer. With the right endorsements, a Class A holder can also drive anything that requires a Class B or Class C.
A Class B CDL covers a single vehicle rated at 26,001 pounds or more, or such a vehicle towing something rated at 10,000 pounds or less. Think dump trucks, cement mixers, large box trucks, straight trucks, and buses.
What You Can Drive With Each
| Vehicle | Class A | Class B |
|---|---|---|
| Tractor-trailer (dry van, reefer, flatbed, tanker) | Yes | No |
| Doubles and triples (with T endorsement) | Yes | No |
| Straight truck, box truck, dump truck | Yes | Yes |
| Cement mixer, garbage truck | Yes | Yes |
| City bus or school bus (with P or S endorsement) | Yes | Yes |
The pattern is obvious: Class A does everything Class B does and adds the entire tractor-trailer world on top.
The Jobs Behind Each License
Class A is the license every over-the-road and regional carrier hires for. It is also what local tractor-trailer work, port and intermodal hauling, tanker, flatbed, and most dedicated-account jobs require. Because the pool of Class A jobs is so much larger, it is also where the most recruiting and the most sign-on incentives happen.
Class B jobs are typically local and home daily: construction and dump work, municipal trucks, delivery straight trucks, transit and school buses. Good jobs, but a narrower list, and many of them still prefer a Class A applicant because it shows more training.
The recruiters who come to the ACE campus to meet students before graduation are there for Class A drivers. That alone tells you where the demand is.
Why We Tell Most People to Go Class A
- It is the superset. You never have to come back and upgrade. Upgrading from B to A later also triggers the federal ELDT requirement all over again for the new class.
- More jobs, more leverage. When you can apply to every carrier, you can be choosy about home time, freight, and pay.
- Faster than you think. ACE's Class A day program has most students finishing in about three to four weeks, with testing right on campus.
- Both transmissions. We train manual and automatic so you qualify for any carrier's equipment. Read about the E restriction before you decide.
When Class B Makes Sense
If you already have a specific local job lined up that only needs a Class B, and you have no interest in ever pulling a trailer, Class B is a legitimate shorter path. School bus driving is the classic example, and it is a job many people love.
ACE trains both. Our Class B program uses the same yard, instructors, and on-campus testing as Class A. The one piece still on the way is school bus driver training with the P and S endorsements, which is taking waitlist sign-ups. If Class B is your goal, call us and we will tell you honestly whether B or A gets you to the job you want sooner.