Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT): What New Drivers Must Complete

Since February 7, 2022, ELDT applies to anyone getting a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time, upgrading from Class B to Class A, or getting the hazmat, passenger or school bus endorsement for the first time.

The rule is not retroactive. Drivers who already held a CDL or one of those endorsements before February 7, 2022 do not have to complete it for that license or endorsement.

Training must come from a provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry (TPR). Your state licensing office checks the registry before letting you take the skills test.

Providers must report your completion to the registry by midnight of the second business day after you finish. If your record is not there, you cannot test, so confirm it before you book.

You can search for registered providers yourself at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov. Do this before paying any deposit.

ELDT has two parts: theory and behind-the-wheel. Theory can be taught through lectures, online learning or simulators, and you must score at least 80 percent on the assessment.

Behind-the-wheel training takes place on a practice range and on public roads, and a simulator cannot replace it. There is no federal minimum number of hours; your instructor decides when you are proficient and must document your hours.

The Class A range curriculum covers vehicle inspection, straight line backing, alley dock backing, offset backing, parallel parking on both sides, and coupling and uncoupling a trailer.

The theory side covers about 30 topics, from basic operation and vehicle systems to hours of service, trip planning and drug and alcohol rules.

Because there is no federal hour minimum, programs vary widely in how much real driving they include. Some states add their own requirements on top of the federal rule.

Ask every school how many hours you will actually spend driving, how many students share a truck, and how much of that time is on public roads. More seat time usually means a smoother first job.

• Is the school listed on the Training Provider Registry for the class you want?

• Does tuition cover both theory and behind-the-wheel, or only one part?

• How many behind-the-wheel hours do students typically get?

• Will I test in a manual or automatic truck? (This affects the E restriction.)

• How quickly does the school report completions to the registry?

• ELDT is required for first-time Class A and B licenses, B-to-A upgrades, and first-time H, P or S endorsements.

• Only providers on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry count.

• Theory requires an 80% score; behind-the-wheel is judged by your instructor.

• There is no federal minimum of hours, so compare real driving time between schools.

• Confirm your completion appears in the registry before booking your skills test.

Federal rules set the minimum. Your state may require more. Confirm with your state licensing agency.