I have to agree with overloaded, A Class B CDL is Legal for any Vehicle so long as the trailer is UNDER 10,000lbs GVWR. Once the trailer is heavier, gotta have the Class A.

I learned my lesson the hard way. I had a trailer behind a truck with a GVWR of 12k, but it was empty. State trooper did not care, they go off GVWR. Had to go and get my Class A.

 

You only need a class 3 in Canada to drive a tractor alone, I assume its the equivalent in the US.

 

Class 1 license is for tractor/trailer type vehicle where both the tractor and trailer have air brakes.

Class 3 license is tandem Axel truck, and can have either air brakes or hydraulic brakes.

This applies to British Columbia.

But, what ever license you have in your home State or Province will apply in all other States and Provinces in the USA and Canada and you may drive there, but not necessarily transfer the license straight across if you move.

Best resource is the local DMV office and ask them what you need to drive what you want to drive.

And now that we got Auto shifts, it will be a different ballgame again. In BC if you license on an autoshift for a Commercial license then you can only drive autoshifts.

So, you go out and take your license on an autoshift Tractor/Trailer and get your class one, and your boss has a single Axel school bus with a syncro 5 speed.

You cannot drive it.

 

As far as I know here in Georgia, if you have the license, you can drive it, whether it's automatic or standard-shift.