Ask X3What does 49 CFR 383.113 (Required skills) require?
Generated guidance. Confirm the source and its applicability before you act. How we check sources.
Based on 49 CFR 383.113, a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) applicant must possess and demonstrate specific skills for the vehicle class they operate or expect to operate. Practically, this requires drivers to master three core operational areas:
1. Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection Skills:
* All vehicles: Drivers must identify every safety-related part and explain how to check it for safe operating condition. This includes the engine compartment, cab/engine start, steering, suspension, brakes, wheels, the sides and rear of the vehicle, and any special features of tractor-trailers, school buses, or transit/coach buses.
* Air brake vehicles: Drivers must locate and identify controls and gauges, check brake adjustments and air system connections, inspect low-pressure warning devices, verify the engine maintains adequate compressed air, check air pressure build-up times and alarms, and perform an operational check of the brakes.
2. Basic Vehicle Control Skills:
* Drivers must know how to start, warm up, and shut down the engine.
* They must smoothly accelerate forward and backward, bring the vehicle to a smooth stop, and shift gears correctly for speed and highway conditions.
* They must be able to back the vehicle in a straight line and along a curved path while checking their path and clearance.
* They must be able to safely position the vehicle and make left and right turns.
3. Safe On-Road Driving Skills:
* Drivers must use proper visual search methods and signal correctly when changing direction.
* They must adjust their speed and vehicle operation to fit road configurations, weather, visibility, traffic, cargo, and vehicle/driver conditions.
* They must choose safe gaps for lane changes, passing, and entering traffic.
* They must position the vehicle properly during turns to prevent wrong-side passing and off-tracking issues.
* They must maintain a safe following distance based on road conditions, visibility, and vehicle weight.
* They must constantly observe the road and other drivers, especially before changing speed or direction.
These skills tests must be conducted in on-street conditions or a combination of on-street and off-street conditions (simulators may be used by a State, but never as a total substitute for required on-street testing).