Driver Resources

For car haulers

Updated September 27, 2026

Straight answers for car haulers and owner-operators, written by a carrier that has hauled finished vehicles since 1999. Pick a guide below.

Getting Started

New to car hauling, or still on your way in? Start here.

• How to Become a Truck DriverSix steps, from the driver rules and your license to your first job and the experience carriers check.
• Truck Driver Job DescriptionThe duties federal rules put on every driver, a typical day, and a sample job description to copy.

Getting Your CDL

The steps, the training and the state rules between you and a Class A license.

• How Long Does It Take to Get a CDL?The steps in order: the permit, the 14-day wait, entry-level training and the skills test.
• Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)Who has to take it, the theory and behind-the-wheel parts, and how to check that a school is registered.
• How to Get a CDL in ColoradoThe Colorado DMV’s four steps, the permit rules that trip people up, and the fees.
• How to Get a CDL in AlabamaALEA’s steps, from the learner’s permit and the 14-day hold to the tests, documents and fees.
• How to Get a CDL in MarylandThe MVA’s rules in order, from the learner’s permit to skills test day and the fees.
• How to Get a CDL in FloridaFLHSMV’s age rules, the Class A tests, residency documents, fees and where to test.
• How to Get a Hazmat EndorsementTraining, the knowledge test, the TSA background check and renewal, step by step.

CDL Tests and Skills

The license classes, the tests you take, and the skills they check.

• Class A vs Class B CDLWhat each CDL class lets you drive, how the tests differ, and which one car hauling takes.
• The CDL Permit TestWhich knowledge tests you take, how many questions each has, the passing score, and how to study.
• CDL Manual by StateA link to each state’s official manual, and which sections to study for a Class A.
• The CDL Skills TestTest day in order: the pre-trip inspection, basic control and the road test, and what makes you fail.
• Air Brakes for Truck DriversHow air brakes work, the in-cab check, the CDL air brake test and the air brake restriction.
• How to Back a Tractor-TrailerStraight line, offset, alley dock and parallel backing, step by step, and how the test scores it.
• The Tanker EndorsementWhat counts as a tank vehicle, what the tanker test covers, and how to add N to your CDL.

Rules of the Road

The federal and state rules that shape a car hauler’s day.

• ELD Rules for Truck DriversWhat an ELD records, who must use one, the exemptions, and what to do if it malfunctions.
• Chain Laws by StateChain rules for Wyoming, California, Oregon, Washington, Utah and more, plus winter driving tips.
• Jake Brakes and Mountain DrivingHow a jake brake works, why brakes fade on long grades, and how runaway truck ramps work.
• Weigh Stations for TruckersWho has to stop, what happens at the scale, and how bypass works in the four states where we have terminals.
• The Federal Bridge FormulaThe formula term by term, FHWA’s worked example, and the tandem exception.
• Pre-Trip Inspection ChecklistThe Class A walkaround in the order you walk it, plus the extra checks a car hauler makes.
• Cargo Securement for Car HaulersThe federal tiedown rules for hauling vehicles, and when to check the load on the road.
• DOT Inspection LevelsWhat each roadside inspection level checks, what out of service means, and the annual inspection.
• Truck Driver HealthWays to eat better, move more and sleep well on the road, based on federal health guidelines.

Records and Hiring

What carriers check before you drive, and how to keep your record clean.

• DOT Physical for Truck DriversWhat the exam checks, how long your medical card lasts, and how CDL self-certification works.
• DOT Drug and Alcohol TestingWhat a DOT drug test checks, when drivers get tested, and the steps back to work after a violation.
• DAC Report, PSP and MVRWhat each record shows, what carriers must check, and how to get and fix your own.
• CSA Scores for Truck DriversThe seven BASICs, why drivers have no official CSA score, and how to check your own record.
• CDL DisqualificationsWhich offenses cost you a CDL under federal rules, and for how long: DUI, felonies and serious tickets.
• DOT Recordable AccidentsWhat makes a crash recordable, what the rules ask of you at the scene, and post-accident testing.
• Driver Qualification File ChecklistEach record the file must hold, when it is due, and how long to keep it.
• How to Write a Truck Driver ResumeWhat the federal driver application asks, what to put on your resume, and a sample you can copy.

Terms and Definitions

Plain answers to the basic questions behind the rules.

• What Is a CDL?What CDL stands for, the three classes, endorsements, and how a CDL differs from a regular license.
• What Is a Commercial Motor Vehicle?The two federal definitions, the 10,001 and 26,001 pound lines, and GVWR and GCWR in plain words.
• Interstate vs Intrastate TruckingWhy an in-state trip can still be interstate, and what changes for your CDL, age and DOT number.
• What Is OTR Trucking?What over the road means, how it compares with regional and local work, and how car haulers run it.
• Trucking Terms and Trucker SlangPlain definitions of trucking terms and CB slang, from deadhead to truck package.

Driving With Accelerated

What the work looks like here, what we ask of drivers before they apply, and how to get into a truck of your own.

Owner-Operators and Sub-Haulers

Run your own truck, or haul on your own authority.

• Sub-Haul for AcceleratedRun your own authority on freight we post from our OEM contracts, with the requirements spelled out.
• Lease Purchase ProgramNew and used units, with the lease payment coming out of your settlements. You need an active LLC or S-corp with an EIN.
• Central Dispatch AlternativeHaul the OEM freight we post, with one onboarding and clear requirements up front.
• Car Hauler InsuranceThe coverage sub-haulers need to haul under Accelerated, and how it splits.
• How to Become an Owner-OperatorThe three ways in, what a lease with a carrier must include, and what to ask before you sign.
• How to Get Your Own Trucking AuthorityUSDOT number, operating authority, insurance filing, BOC-3 and UCR, step by step.
• IFTA and IRP for Owner-OperatorsHow quarterly fuel tax returns and apportioned plates work, and how the two programs differ.
• Per Diem for Truck DriversThe IRS per diem rate for drivers, who can use it, the meal rule, and what records to keep.