In 2011, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration called for a restriction on CDL licenses for drivers using a Commercial Vehicle for a CDL road test when equipped with an automatic transmission. The state of Minnesota adapted that change as of May 4th, 2015. Now when a driver takes a CDL road test in a Commercial Vehicle that has an automatic transmission, the driver is restricted when driving commercial vehciles to only those CMVs with an automatic transmission.  The CDL restriction does not effect a driver's ability to drive a non CMV with a manual transmission.

Since this change took place, we are doing all of our training with manual transmissions.  We are keeping a few of our trucks with automatic transmissions for a few months to help with the transition to this new restriction.

The state also places a restriction on any class A CDL road test done with a vehicle that uses a bumper hitch trailer. We use exclusivley combinations with 5th wheel connections so our students do not have to worry about this restriction.