ELDT for transit agencies
Which operators need ELDT
- A bus with a weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more needs a Class B CDL, and a first-time Class B means Class B ELDT.
- A vehicle designed to carry 16 or more people, including the driver, needs the Passenger endorsement, and a first-time P means Passenger ELDT.
- Operators who held that CDL class or the P endorsement before February 7, 2022 do not need ELDT for it.
Smaller paratransit vehicles under 26,001 pounds that are designed to carry 16 or more people, including the driver, still need a CDL with a P endorsement, so Passenger ELDT still applies.
What Passenger ELDT includes
Theory, finished with an assessment the operator must pass at 80 percent, and behind-the-wheel training on a range or on public roads. There is no federal minimum number of hours for either. Behind-the-wheel cannot be done on a simulator, and the trainer decides when the operator is proficient. Both parts must be done before the skills test. See how to get a Passenger endorsement.
Running behind-the-wheel yourself
State and local governments are eligible to be providers, and many transit agencies register to train operators in their own buses. You must register even if you only train your own employees. Registration is free, each training location is registered separately, and the agency files its own behind-the-wheel completions and keeps its training records for three years.
Buying theory online
Theory and behind-the-wheel can come from separate registered providers, and each files its own part. Federal rules exempt online-only theory from state instructor licensing rules, so an online provider works in every state. That frees your instructors for time in the bus.
ELDT is not your FTA drug and alcohol program
Transit employees covered by FTA testing follow 49 CFR Part 655. FMCSA says drivers who perform only FTA-regulated safety-sensitive work are exempt from FMCSA's Part 382 testing rules, including the Clearinghouse. Agencies with drivers who also do FMCSA-regulated work must follow Part 382 for that work. None of this changes ELDT, which is part of getting the CDL.
How transit agencies buy theory from ELDT365
We are registered on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry for Class B and Passenger theory. Each course is $20 per operator, filed the same day they pass, and available in full Spanish. Pay by card, seat codes, or invoice for your purchase order. More on our fleets page.
Questions drivers ask
Do current operators need ELDT when we buy new buses?
No, as long as they already hold the CDL class and the Passenger endorsement the new buses require. ELDT applies to a first-time class or endorsement, not to a new vehicle.
Does our agency need to register on the Training Provider Registry?
Only if the agency delivers part of the training itself, such as behind-the-wheel in its own buses. If you buy theory from a registered provider, that provider files it.
Is there a minimum number of behind-the-wheel hours?
Not under federal rules. Some states add their own requirements, so check with your state licensing agency.
Can operators take theory in Spanish?
With ELDT365, yes. Every course is available in full Spanish. The state knowledge and skills tests follow your state's language rules.
Practice free before the DMV: practice test · all courses