Overview
One of the biggest changes in the Canadian economy over the past couple of years is the chronic shortage of truck drivers that the transportation industry currently has. Due to this shortage, the commercial driver’s license has become more valuable in the marketplace than ever before. Truck drivers that take their work seriously can earn a lot of money in Canada. In addition to the high earnings potential, truck drivers can also control their own destiny with the hours that they work and their travel. However, there are several steps that must be taken in order to get a commercial driver’s licence in New Brunswick, and it is not an easy process. Getting a commercial driver’s license is much more difficult than a typical one, just because when making a mistake driving a larger vehicle the stakes are much higher.
CDL Requirements
There are several requirements in order to get a commercial driver’s license in Canada. First of all, you must be 21 and have a clean driving record. There are many people that have had a lot of traffic tickets and wrecks within their driving history that could prevent them from getting a commercial driver’s license. It is important to understand that any past negative marks on your driving record could hurt your chances of getting a commercial driver’s license. However, for minor traffic incidents and speeding tickets it may not be enough to prevent your application from going through. The current environment for truckers is in such high demand that many people are passed through during the application process.
Training
The training before taking tests for the commercial driver’s license is very intense. Lasting several months, good instructors and schools will take a bottom up approach to teaching someone how to drive a truck. There are many different nuances to driving a big rig that the typical person does not know. In addition, trucking companies have a huge liability if one of their truckers causes an accident. Investing in the training of their drivers is one of the most important things that any trucking company can do. In addition, it makes a safer road for everyone. The training for the commercial driver’s license will go over different aspects of driving from both a physical and mental stand point. Then, after completing training, there will be both a written and road test to demonstrate what a person has learned while in school.
Written Test
The written test for a commercial driver’s license is very extensive and lasts several hours. With a time limit, the test takers must answer hundreds of questions surrounding what they learned in school. They must get a certain number of answers correct on the written test in order to move along to the next stage in the process. Many people report that the written test is one of the hardest parts of getting a commercial driver’s license. However, if you put in the work ahead of time it will be much easier to score the grade that you need on your test.
Road Test
After getting to this stage, many people start to feel burned out on driving school. However, the road test is the most important aspect because if you fail at this stage you cannot pass. For a commercial driver’s license, the test is over several days in many different road conditions. Driving in the rain is something that every truck driver is going to have to do at some point in their career, so the instructors want to make sure that they know how a driver will perform. If you can pass both the written and road test, you will be well on your way to a great career in trucking.
Final Thoughts
Overall, for those in New Brunswick that are interested in getting a commercial driver’s license there are many rewards for doing so. There is a shortage of qualified drivers right now so the value of a commercial driver’s license has never been higher. Going through the testing process is not something that is fun, but the rewards at the end are well worth the work. If you have a good employment history and clean driving record you should be able to make it in to CDL school. For those that enjoy making good money while working their own hours, few professions are as good as trucking.
New Brunswick Air Brake Written Test – Practice Quiz 1
New Brunswick Air Brake Written Test – Practice Quiz 2
New Brunswick Air Brake Written Test – Practice Quiz 3
New Brunswick Air Brake Written Test – Practice Quiz 4
