License classes
Class A, B, or C — which CDL is right for you?
Class A
- Vehicles
- Tractor-trailers, tankers, flatbeds, livestock haulers, doubles/triples (with endorsement).
- Weight
- Combination over 26,001 lbs GVWR; trailer over 10,000 lbs.
- Typical pay*
- $55K–$110K+
- Common jobs
- OTR, regional, dedicated, oilfield, ag freight, owner-operator.
- Best for
- Anyone serious about earning the most and having the broadest job options.
Class B
- Vehicles
- Dump trucks, box trucks, garbage trucks, large buses, cement mixers.
- Weight
- Single vehicle over 26,001 lbs GVWR.
- Typical pay
- $45K–$75K
- Common jobs
- City sanitation, ready-mix concrete, school/transit bus, local delivery.
- Best for
- Drivers who want a steady local job and home every night.
Class C
- Vehicles
- Passenger vans/buses (16+ seats), small hazmat vehicles.
- Weight
- Under Class A/B thresholds but with special cargo or passenger count.
- Typical pay
- $40K–$65K
- Common jobs
- Shuttle, hotel transport, small hazmat routes, paratransit.
- Best for
- Specialty roles with passenger or hazmat focus.
Pay ranges shown are typical Kern County, CA compensation based on industry reporting and local employer postings — not a guarantee of employment or earnings. Actual pay depends on experience, endorsements, hours, employer, route, and market conditions. National median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is $54,320/year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS).
Not sure which to pick? Most Kern County drivers go Class A.
Class A gives you the most flexibility. You can downshift into Class B work anytime, but the reverse isn't true. If you're training for a career, not just a job, Class A is almost always the right call.
Kern County's Trusted Choice
We recommend Kern Trucking School
For drivers in Bakersfield and across Kern County, Kern Trucking School is the straight-line path from where you are today to a steady, high-paying career behind the wheel.
- ELDT-compliant theory + behind-the-wheel training
- Class A program in as little as 4 weeks
- DMV-approved curriculum based right here in Bakersfield
- Job-placement assistance with Kern County carriers
- Financing, WIOA, and VA benefit options available
Next cohort filling fast
Start your CDL journey this month.
Classes start regularly — talk to an admissions advisor today.