Illinois Farm Bureau will provide information about new entry-level driver training (ELDT) related to the new Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) requirement at an Aug. 31 online informational meeting, starting at noon.
Rodney Knittel, IFB assistant director of transportation and infrastructure, said Dan Meyer with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will speak.
Beginning Feb. 7, 2022, a driver must complete ELDT before applying for or upgrading to a Class A or B CDL or seeking an endorsement for hazardous materials (H), passengers (P), or school buses (S). ELDT regulations are not retroactive and do not apply to individuals with a valid CDL or who obtain an S, P or H endorsement before Feb. 7, 2022, Knittel said.
Those renewing their existing CDL and not seeking to change the class of license or add an endorsement will not be required to go through training, Knittel added.
Likewise, individuals with a non-CDL driver’s license are not required to have training. This includes those with a non-CDL J50 and the non-CDL J51 license available to individuals who qualify for farmer exemptions from the CDL. The non-CDL license can only be used with farm plated vehicles and requires the same written and skill testing as the CDL, Knittel pointed out.
The transportation specialist suggested those considering a CDL plan ahead. If an applicant who obtained a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) before Feb. 7, 2022, gets a CDL before the CLP or renewed CLP expires, that person would not be subject to the ELDT requirements.
Drivers 18 and older are eligible to get a class A or B CDL. Those younger than 21 will be restricted to in-state or intrastate travel. After written tests are passed, the applicant receives a CLP, which is good for 180 days and may be renewed for another 180 days.
Contact the DeKalb County Farm Bureau to register, 815-756-6361.