How long does it take to get cdl in illinois

As you can imagine, getting a commercial driver’s license is trickier than simply getting a regular driver’s license. If you want to drive any type of commercial vehicle, you need to get more training, provide extra paperwork, take additional tests, and pay more fees. Here is how you can get a CDL license in Illinois without major difficulties.

CDL License Requirements
Before pursuing an Illinois CDL license, you should familiarize yourself with the many various requirements first. If you only want to drive in Illinois, you need to be 18 years old in order to get a commercial driver’s license. However, if you want to operate a commercial vehicle outside of Illinois, you need to be 21 years old.

If you want to be eligible for a CDL, you need to have a completely clean driving record. You also need to pass a physical exam every two years and you need to read and understand English well enough to comprehend road signs, create reports, and communicate with law enforcement as well as the public.

You might be unsure whether you truly need a Illinois CDL license. You need a commercial driver’s license if you want to drive a vehicle designed to hold at least 16 people, the driver included. If federal regulations require that the vehicle you want to drive be placarded while carrying hazardous materials, you need a commercial vehicle’s license. If you want to operate a vehicle or a combination of vehicles that has or have a GCWR of 26,0001 pounds or more, you will need a CDL.

CDL License Cost
Anyone who wants an Illinois commercial driver’s license should be prepared to pay a hefty amount of fees. Therefore, you should keep your wallet or checkbook handy to deal with the Illinois CDL license cost. Driver service facilities tend to not accept payment via credit cards or debit cards, so you’ll probably have better luck sticking to cash and checks.

There are basic fees that you have to pay, and then you also have to pay for the additional endorsements that come with getting a commercial driver’s license.

If you don’t already have a regular Illinois driver’s license, then you will be expected to pay $60 for your Illinois CDL. On the other hand, if you already have a regular Illinois driver’s license, you will only be expected to pay $50. Those applying for a limited school bus commercial driver’s license pay a relatively measly $20.

All other additional endorsements will cost you $5 each. Also, if you’re renewing your license, you should still keep your wallet handy because you will probably have to pay most of these fees again.

CDL License Training
As of now, there are no federal standards when it comes to Illinois CDL license training. The only thing you need to do is pass the CDL knowledge test, which is written, and the CDL driving tests, which test your skills on the road.

If you want to drive a longer-combination-vehicle, then you are required to have training in driver qualifications, whistle blower protection, driver wellness, and hours of service.

While the Illinois commercial driver’s manual is a great place to start for basic information, you will eventually need to be professionally trained. Typically, motor carriers will train their employees for free, while other commercial drivers have taken courses at community colleges, private driving schools, and vocational or technical schools.

CDL License Process
The very first thing you should do is study the Illinois Commercial Driver License Manual in preparation for the CDL knowledge test. You should mostly focus on the sections that pertain to the type of vehicle you want to operate once you get your CDL. For example, if you want to be a truck driver, you would study the truck driving portion of the manual.

The next thing you should do is take the CDL knowledge test until you pass. You will then get a CDL learner’s permit. Now that you have your learner’s permit, you should focus on getting professional training. After you’ve been adequately trained, you will need to take a skills test, which will involve you driving on the road. Typically, you will need to provide a vehicle for the test, so you may have to borrow or rent one.

However, before you can get take the CDL skills test, you will need to take a medical exam to prove you’re in good enough health to operate a commercial vehicle. Also, you will need to have a background check done if you want to transport hazardous materials.

Getting an Illinois commercial driver’s license will definitely take you more time and effort than if you were simply getting a regular driver’s license. However, once you get your license, it will definitely open up doors for you when it comes to employment.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Despite having one of the better safety records for commercial drivers in the country, Illinois recently considered rolling back requirements for many truck and bus drivers.

The I-Team began looking into this question of safety last month when we learned that Illinois Secretary of State officials had, in writing, a proposed plan to chop the number of required training hours in half for many commercial driver's license students.

It was especially puzzling because since the early1990's, Illinois has had one of the most stringent training requirements and among the lowest truck accident rates.

But in January the agency wrote a rule change that would reduce by 50% the training required for new truck drivers, from 160 hours to 80 hours.

The proposed regulation could have left more than a third of all newly licensed Illinois truckers with far less training than now required. The review of current requirements set off alarms among businesses that train and teach new drivers how to operate trucks safely on all roadways.

Steve Gold, the CEO and founder of 160 Diving Academy based in suburban Chicago, found out about the proposed change in an email.

"It was to all commercial truck driving schools in the state of Illinois," said Gold, "I think we all shook our heads and wondered what is going on? Why would the state want to do that?"

Gold claimed most companies don't want to hire new drivers with anything less than a guaranteed 160 hours of instruction. Many driving schools maintain more teaching time produces safer drivers.

"I don't think cutting the number of hours are gonna achieve anything but putting the general public at risk and putting us all at risk," said Gold.

Estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show fatalities involving large trucks were down in 2020 despite an overall increase in traffic deaths nationwide.

A spokesperson with the Commercial Vehicle Training Association, which represents truck driving schools across the U.S., also expressed concern about the idea of rolling back training hours.

"Illinois ranked among the lowest states for truck and bus highway fatalities. Thirty-third lowest state for heavy duty truck and bus fatalitie,s and that's according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. And that is an incredible record," said Bailey Wood, CEO and president of CVTA.

The I-Team contacted the Secretary of State's Office about the submitted change. Secretary of State Jesse White instituted commercial driver's license reforms decades ago, following a fiery crash that killed six children in 1994 and exposed a network of bribes-for-licenses uncovered by the I-Team that ended up landing White's predecessor, Governor George Ryan, in federal prison.

The proposed rule would have also cut the bus driver training requirement from 160 to 40 hours.

After the I-Team reached out to White's office, we were told the reduced CDL training plan was being withdrawn.

Kevin Dusterhuase, the longtime manager of the state's CDL program, explained that with shortage of drivers in Illinois and elsewhere, the agency needed to look at everything on the table and consider if changes were needed.

"I think with the federal government not having any minimal hours at all, a lot of states around us didn't have any hours at all either, so we looked at it. That's why we kinda kicked it around, maybe see if we wanted to lower it or not . We weren't really for sure," he said. "We had some that were obviously for it and some that were against it."

What set off the state's own review was new federal oversight that went into effect a month ago. For the first time, across the country, all entry level CDL drivers must meet the same standards, but the rule imposes no set requirements for behind-the-wheel training. States that certify driving programs have the option to set their own driving hours.

"We internally polled it, discussed it for many hours and we decided to stay with 160. We had our own data and we wanted to stay with the stringent law," said Duesterhuas, "One hundred-sixty hours; it's worked all this time and that is why we stuck with it."

When White retires this year and a new secretary of state is elected, will the cut-down CDL training plan resurface? Duesterhuas said he couldn't speculate.

"I really can't guess what's gonna go on. You know, the next administration or two or three years down the road. I really don't know. No," he answered.

Eric Crump, a truck company owner and CDL student, said he didn't mind the 160 hours of training because he sees it as a matter of safety. His advice for any government officials thinking about cutting hours for truck drivers is simple.

"Don't do it. Do not lower the standards. The standards were put in place for a reason," he said.