A class A CDL is required for any motorist wishing to drive any combination of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds and above with a least one trailer weighing in excess of 10,000 pounds. Named by the Louisiana Department of Transportation as "combination vehicles," an example of a class A setup would be a large dump truck towing an equipment trailer which is weight-rated at more than 10,000 pounds.
Class B CDLs are necessary for any driver wishing to operate any single vehicle weighing more than 26,001 pounds, provided that none of its trailers has a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds. Typical examples of a class B vehicle -- identified by the Louisiana DOT as "heavy straight vehicles" -- would be a large 18-wheel truck.
Class C licenses, known by the Louisiana DOT as "small vehicles," are any combination of vehicles that do not meet the criteria for class A or B licenses but are regarded as commercial vehicles nonetheless. Class C vehicles are capable of transporting 16 or more people, including the driver or are vehicles which require hazardous materials placards to be displayed due to the dangerous nature of their cargo. School buses are a typical vehicle requiring a class C license. They also require a specific class S school bus endorsement.
There are six endorsements that drivers can obtain to accompany their class A, B or C CDL which qualify them to drive specific types of vehicles. A class T endorsement is necessary to operate any double or triple trailers. A class P endorsement is required to transport 16 people, including the driver. Drivers must obtain a class N endorsement to drive any tank vehicle, such as a fuel tanker. One of the most common endorsements is the class H, which entitles a driver to operate any vehicle which requires the display of hazardous materials placards. Class X endorsements are regarded as a combination of class H and N endorsements, which is useful for someone wishing to drive a HazMat tanker vehicle. Finally, a class S endorsement is reserved specifically for those wishing to drive school buses, regardless of the number of passengers.
