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Driving a bus in Illinois with an Indiana drivers license?


Squanto

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Hey everyone. I'm wondering if it's possible to get a job driving a bus in Illinois while holding an Indiana CDL license? The applications for most companies say that you must hold a valid Illinois CDL license. Is that true? There was a woman that my mom knew who worked for the CTA, but lived in Indiana. The thing is I think she held on to her Illinois license despite no longer living there. What do you guys think?

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Hey everyone. I'm wondering if it's possible to get a job driving a bus in Illinois while holding an Indiana CDL license? The applications for most companies say that you must hold a valid Illinois CDL license. Is that true? There was a woman that my mom knew who worked for the CTA, but lived in Indiana. The thing is I think she held on to her Illinois license despite no longer living there. What do you guys think?

You definitely need a CDL. The Federal CDL page should help. I would think that theoretically, a CDL issued by any state meeting federal standards should be sufficient.* The page mentions nonresident CDLs, but only if the home state doesn't issue CDLs, but you say you already have an Indiana one.

Most CDLs are for use in interstate commerce, but CTA obviously isn't. A Pace driver would have to be eligible to drive in Indiana (if for one block, at least).

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*Of course, you wouldn't want to "buy" a CDL from Illinois or Florida 10 years ago, which got George Ryan into federal prison as the third of 4 governors to do so.

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An Indiana issued.CDL will not stop you from getting a driving job with an Illinois based company. While I lived in Indiana, I had a CDL, but worked for motor coach companies in Illinois. If your question concerns CTA, the only question would concern residency. Some governmental agencies have residency requiremen. I know several CTA employees that live in the suburbs, but none within Indiana. If you are applying, I would follow their procedures and get an MVR from BMV.

I forgot the exact term, but there's a specific type of MVR that CTA requests. MVR with something. You'd have to ask what that is with the Illinois Secretary of State, then see id Indiana has an equivalent, although I don't recall one.

As long as residency is not an issue, a valid and current Indiana CDL should suffice.

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  • 1 month later...

You can driver for CTA and have A Wisconsin CDL and also Can driver in Minneapolis St Paul with a Wisconsin CDL

I thought I read that in Minn. To drive for example Metro Transit you are required to have a Minn. CDL license.

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I thought I read that in Minn. To drive for example Metro Transit you are required to have a Minn. CDL license.

As noted above, the feds say that one can have a CDL only from the state of residence, unless that state doesn't issue them. Thus, that would mean that Metro could only hire Minnesota residents, which I don't think is legal, although I don't know how many from God's Country, LaCrosse Wisconsin want to commute to the Twin Cities to drive a bus. But, again, maybe our Minnesota members know more on this subject.

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I thought I read that in Minn. To drive for example Metro Transit you are required to have a Minn. CDL license.

I don't necessarily think that is true. I'm almost sure they accept Wisconsin CDLs. Obviously if you had an Illinois or Indiana license, you would.be expected to establish residency in Minnesota or Wisconsin within 6 months,.and rhus get a CDL in that state by surrendering current state's CDL.. I considered working for Lorenz, but I still had my Indiana license when I applied. I decided against taking the job because they were in Blaine and I lived near Prior Lake, about an hour commute with NO traffic.

UPDATE: From the Metro Transit website bus operator job page:

Education/Experience

Minimum of 18 years of age.

Active licensed driver for the last two (2) years with a good driving record.Minimum two (2) years of verifiable full time (or equivalent part time) work experience.

Ability to read, write, speak, understand and communicate clearly in English.

Valid Minnesota or Wisconsin driver’s license.

Four (4) Commercial Driver License (CDL) Endorsements: General Knowledge, Air Brakes, Pre-Trip and Passenger Transport or possess a valid CDL-endorsed driver’s license.

UPDATE: From the transitchicago website for bus operator:

Required to have an acceptable driving record and a valid State of Illinois Class "B" Commercial Driver's License (CDL) or a valid State of Illinois CDL permit with the following three endorsements: KNOWLEDGE, PASSENGER and AIR BRAKES.

and

This is a bargained for position and is not subject to CTA�s residency ordinance.

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  • 2 months later...

Now here is an interesting situation that I have personal knoweledge of... At CTA 103rd St garage are tho drivers that I know personally that live in Indiana, one in Crown Point, the other in Indiana Harbor. I will assume both have Indiana CDL's, yet they drive at CTA. On paper CTA DOES have a residency rule, namely in the "CTA service area", which is Cook County minus the six or so townships out northwest by Elgin. However, it is NOT, and apparently never has been enforced at least as far as drivers.

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Now here is an interesting situation that I have personal knoweledge of... At CTA 103rd St garage are tho drivers that I know personally that live in Indiana, one in Crown Point, the other in Indiana Harbor. I will assume both have Indiana CDL's, yet they drive at CTA. On paper CTA DOES have a residency rule, namely in the "CTA service area", which is Cook County minus the six or so townships out northwest by Elgin. However, it is NOT, and apparently never has been enforced at least as far as drivers.

Based on the last part of art's post immediately above yours, the residency requirement doesn't apply to operators which would explain it not being enforced in an operator's case, but it does look like they require, at least on paper, that an applicant's CDL be from Illinois.

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  • 2 months later...

You definitely need a CDL. The Federal CDL page should help. I would think that theoretically, a CDL issued by any state meeting federal standards should be sufficient.* The page mentions nonresident CDLs, but only if the home state doesn't issue CDLs, but you say you already have an Indiana one.

Every state and the District of Columbia issues CDLs through their respective Motor Vehicle agency.

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