How should a driver hold the steering wheel of a commercial motor vehicle?

Explanation

The standard technique for holding a commercial motor vehicle's steering wheel is firmly, with one hand on each side of it. A firm, opposite-hand grip keeps the wheel from being pulled out of the driver's hands if the vehicle hits a curb or a pothole, a real risk with a heavier commercial vehicle. Vehicle control falls under the basic maneuvers CDL applicants must know per 49 CFR 383.111(a)(4), but that paragraph only names basic control as a required knowledge topic; it does not itself specify a hand position, so this grip technique is standard driver-training guidance rather than a codified federal rule. A loose one-handed grip and hands held close together at the top of the wheel both reduce a driver's leverage and control at the exact moment a jolt from the road would try to twist the wheel away. Keeping one hand permanently free for the gearshift trades away steering control for a convenience that is not worth it, since shifting is a brief, occasional task and steering is constant.

Source: 49 CFR 383.111(a)(4)