Only on air brake vehicles.
The answer can be yes or no here, situation dependent. If you intend to operate a CMV equipped with air brakes, the answer is yes - if one does not pass the written air brakes test and perform their road test in an air brake equipped vehicle, they get a restriction on their license prohibiting them from operating commercial vehicles equipped with air brakes.
You can get a Class A CDL without air brakes - you'll just have a "no air brakes" restriction which prohibits you from operating a CMV equipped with air brakes. The vehicles you road test have to be commercial vehicles subject to FHWA regulations - recreational vehicles are exempt, so you cannot get a CDL with one.
Not automatically, in any state. If you do not complete and pass both the written air brakes test, AND conduct and pass your road test in an air brake equipped vehicle, you will receive a "no air brakes" restriction on your licence which prohibits you from operating a commercial vehicle equipped with air brakes. This is only applicable to commercial vehicles, and does not prevent you from operating, for example, a motorhome equipped with air brakes (as motorhomes are exempt from FMCSR regulation).
In the US, no - there is no such thing as an air brake endorsement - only a restriction for CDL holders who don't pass the written air brakes test and complete the pretrip and road tests in a vehicle equipped with air brakes, which prohibits them from operating vehicles requiring a CDL which are equipped with air brakes.
In some countries, to be permitted to operate an air brake equipped vehicle, your licence must show an endorsement which permits you to. In the US, "air brake endorsement" is actually a misnomer - there is no air brake endorsement on a US licence. If a CDL driver does not pass the written air brakes test and conduct their road test in an air brake equipped vehicle, they get a restriction prohibiting them from operating an air brake equipped commercial vehicles. However, this is only applicable to commercial vehicles - operating a non-commercial vehicle with air brakes requires absolutely no qualification, whatsoever.
There is no air brake endorsement for a CDL, period. If you do not complete the written air brakes test AND do your road test in an air brake equipped vehicle, you receive a restrictionwhich prohibits you from operating a commercial vehicle with air brakes (although it has no impact on air brake equipped vehicles which fall outside the jurisdiction of the FMCSA).
Endorsement - if you live in a country which requires it for the operation of air brake equipped vehicles. If you live in the US, air brakes aren't an endorsement - a CDL holder will receive a restriction prohibiting them from operating an air brake equipped CMV if they do not complete the written air brakes test and perform their road test in an air brake equipped vehicle. Certificate - an ASE certificate for air brakes must be awarded to someone before they can legally make adjustments to or perform maintenance on an air brake system.
air wedge- acutuated
It doesn't exist. A CDL driver must complete the written air brakes test and complete their road test in an air brake equipped vehicle, or else they'll receive a restriction prohibiting them from operating a commercial vehicle equipped with air brakes. For vehicles which aren't considered CMVs, there is no requirement for an endorsement of any sort.
Air brakes have absolutely nothing to do with determining if a vehicle requires a CDL or not - gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) does, however.If it's a vehicle with a GVWR of more than 26,000 lbs, a CDL is required unless it falls under the criteria to be included under the exemptions for emergency vehicles, farm vehicles, recreational vehicles, or military vehicles. In the case of emergency vehicles, that's only applicable to vehicles operated in the service of an emergency services provider, and by personnel employed that agency, operating the equipment in the course of their duties.
They're not just on tractor-trailers - you'll find them on most air brake equipped vehicles. Spring brakes can be described as parking brakes. That's the simple answer. They are brakes which are held down by a spring. When air pressure is introduced into the system, via the service air system, the air pushes against those brakes, forcing the spring to compress, and releasing the brakes. The air pressure must remain constant in order for the spring brakes to remain released.