Take your Class B CDL up a grade
Experienced drivers earn Class A CDLs with Halvor’s help
Outside of commercial truck driving, most people don’t know the difference between a Class B and a Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL). While there are many similarities, the differences are big when it comes to pay and career potential.
That’s why many Class B CDL holders are going back to school or signing up for paid Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) programs like the one offered through Halvor Lines. With a Class A CDL, drivers can:
- Haul vehicles with a total weight rating of 80,000 pounds (vs. 26,000 with a Class B CDL)
- Qualify for good-paying interstate commercial truck driving jobs
Recently, Halvor had three Class B CDL holders at their training facility in Superior Wisconsin. Here’s what they had to say about the value of moving up to a Class A CDL:
Paul used his Class B license while driving the fire engine for his local volunteer fire department in Sturgeon Lake, MN. When he switched careers after 20 years in corrections, it prepared him for earning a Class A CDL through Halvor’s paid CDL training program.
“I have experience driving large trucks. We had to haul 3,000 gallons of water to fires,” says Paul. “But I needed to go back to school to learn how to manage a bigger truck and handle things like air brakes.”
Once Paul completes CDL and paid OTR training, he’ll start his career as an over-the-road driver with Halvor Lines. He’s just one of several Class B CDL holders upgrading to Class A licenses. Paul’s classmate Rob was a school bus driver in the Superior, WI, area before enrolling in Halvor’s driving program.
“I’ve always wanted to drive semi-trucks. This is my first time driving a big truck and hauling a trailer this size,” says Rob B. Like many trainees, he sees this as an opportunity for higher-paying work.
That’s what drew Gary to the program.
“I was tired of working dead-end jobs,” says Gary, who did seasonal work hauling sugar beets in North Dakota, where he lives. “A friend of mine did his training through Halvor and he loves it here, so when he referred me I decided to give it a try.”
Training programs are available at Halvor’s Superior, WI, and Inver Grove Heights, MN, locations. Lodging is provided for qualifying out-of-town students. Contact a Halvor Lines recruiter to learn more.
Want to learn more? Visit our YouTube channel, were Halvor Lines Recruiting Director Stacey Peterson breaks down the difference between a Class A and Class B CDL.
