News

Changes to seasonal CDL program will help Illinois ag retailers retain truckers

Illinois ag retailers and farmers will benefit from recent changes to Restricted Class B CDL program requirements.

KJ Johnson, President of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association tells Brownfield this is the license many seasonal ag workers use.

“As an ag retailer you must have a HAZMAT license to pull ammonia, unless you have a Class B license. So with this, you can hire somebody today and within a week have them pulling ammonia tanks at an ag retail location.”

He says the updates expand the validation of licenses from 180 days to 210 days and will exempt applicants from the Entry Level Driver Training implemented earlier this year. He says with labor shortages especially in trucking, these changes will make it easier for retailers to hire and retain drivers.  

“If they are planning to work at an ag retail facility long-term they’ll want to eventually get a Class A, but this gets them in the door right now and they can take the required classes for Class A and HAZMAT down the road.”  

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published reforms to the Seasonal Ag CDL, which apply to the Illinois program, that go into effect immediately.  Ag groups including IFCA and the Ag Retailers Association lobbied for modernization of the program in Washington D.C. last year.