Youngin' looking for some advice when getting a CDL

[Anubis]

Or if you're taking your road test.:smile5: I was told by instructors to stop at RRs, even though I was only testing for Class B w/ air endorsement.

that must be a state thing, I was told I only had too if I was seeking a passenger or a hazmat..... I took mine in 1997 in Arkansas.....



the 1 thing I lost points for (I argued it and got the the points back) is when I turn on to a street I don't know I assume the speed limit is 25mph until I see a sign that says otherwise (9 times out of 10 you will see a speed limit sign before you are up to 25 if you had to make the turn at a dead stop).

Ask the examiner any questions you have before you start and word in such a manner that you think the book was unclear on it. They will answer your question and they will tell you what they expect, mine told me he didn't care if I used the clutch or not


but as a rule when you are out on the road after your test maintain school zone speed limits during daytime hours...... never know when a kid will run out infront of you.......

infact when I conducted skills tests for one of the companies I worked for that was a hard fast company rule..... and you lost points if you didn't.

 

[635]

Do 'NOT' shift gears when you are turning a corner!

Do your pretrip as if your livelyhood depended on it, because it does.

Do not take chances with this, you may not have noticed a low tire when you pulled in but when you get ready to leave it is now low!

Check your glad hands and light cord, to be sure they are not going to get snagged on any thing while taking corners.

As a good safety factor, drive with your lights on, at all times. There is no law against that, in any state!

I can't believe you would be taking a CDL test with an automatic!

Find someone with a real 'big' truck, semi and trailer, or a truck and trailer and have them show you how it is done. Take off on a short road trip and see if this is really something you want to do. A big rig with at least a 9, 10, 13, 15, or 18 speed. I wouldn't want you to get too confused with a set of sticks, 3&4, 3&5, 4&5, 5&6 or a triplex!

If you have to back into a loading ramp or any place remember you can see better if you back in to the left. BUT you can't see what is on your right. Get out and check or you could back over something. Get your rig as straight as soon as possible when you are backing in so you can see both sides.

USE YOUR MIRRORS!!!

It takes a lot longer to get across and intersection with a big rig than your vehicle, watch the timing of the traffic.

Be very carful when making a right turn, during the test. I really doubt your instructor will alow you to take part of the left lane when turning right or to take the lane of on coming traffic when making the wide swing to the right.

Use lots of caution in school zones and intersections. I just about got killed when a guy in a 78 3/4 ton 12 passenger Ford van ran a stop light and hit the side of my loaded Mack dump truck. I got the worst of the impact!

Remember those geese that took down that airliner. Small can hurt big real bad!

I have seen a few instructors that can only test, they don't know how to drive a truck themselves. They just know what the book says is all right for them to grade on.

 

[chevyCowboy]

im in the process of studying for mine as well. work only wants me to get a Class B w/ airbreaks though. i have been reading the book and some of the stuff it says in there is common sence. All the guys at work tell me to go and try the writin to see what i already know and what i need to learn, after reading what i have so far i think i should be able to pass the writen with out to much trouble.

 

[ak diesel driver]

written is pretty easy

 

[Acesneights1]

For the record max hieght is 13' 6" anything over that is oversize. Better Read CSA2010. You may change your mind. Do not use the engine brake on the road test, you will be failed for it. Regulations are federal regarding CDL so everything you need is on teh FMCSA website on the USDOT site. You will also need a physical exam. Get it now before CSA2010 kicks in july cause after that DOT physicals will only be permitted from DOT certified doctors and CDL drivers will be held to the same Physical standards as FAA pilots. They used to make you uncouple year ago but I don't think they do anymore. It was 23 yrs ago for me when I got mine. Make sure the truck is in tip top shape. If you pull up with a bad tire or a cracked windshiled they will not even get in the truck. every light must work. You might be better off just getting a local TT driving school to take you for the thest. They pay off all the DMV guys anyway. DO NOT DRIVE the truck to the test without a CDL driver.Not only will you not be able to take the test but you culd be arrested for driving out of class and forfiet your privledge for a CDL. IN fact IIRC you can't even drive to the test and you are not permitted to practice in the roadtest area. That should say that in your permit. Not likely you'd get caught but if...
Driving a truck sucks. Ray LaHood should get ass f'ed by cannibals and have his eyes peckout by Vultures until he dies.

 

[Anubis]

Driving a truck sucks. Ray LaHood should get ass f'ed by cannibals and have his eyes peckout by Vultures until he dies.

I agree with this 100%......... except I can think of a few worse things for Mr. Lahood.


going to go get my new physical done next week when I have a few days off so its done for another 2 years ...... I will be done driving a big rig by the time the new one expires........ OTR is for you young guys that don't have families.

 

[btfarm]

OTR is for you young guys that don't have families.

My Dad was an OTR driver all his life and I was the youngest of 6 kids. He made me promise him when I was in HS that I would never become an OTR driver because "it's no way to treat a family".

 

[3500GMC]

My Dad said 'it's no kind of life' when I came up with the idea to drive for a living. I lived, I learned.

 

[chevyCowboy]

well i took the writen tests for my class B the other day passed them with flying colors just got to set up a time to take the drive test

 

[Anubis]

well i took the writen tests for my class B the other day passed them with flying colors just got to set up a time to take the drive test

beings how you just took the test (congrat btw) maybe you can answer this question. I have noticed that airbrakes endorsement is no longer on the license but I am wondering if it is still a separate test or now part of the general knowledge test..........

 

[Anubis]

My Dad was an OTR driver all his life and I was the youngest of 6 kids. He made me promise him when I was in HS that I would never become an OTR driver because "it's no way to treat a family".

My Dad said 'it's no kind of life' when I came up with the idea to drive for a living. I lived, I learned.

Seriously ...... I am not even doing OTR and I am beat at the end of the day...... and my tractor (even though its a Michigan special) rides like a Cadillac due to the 275" wheel base. I have to sleep in my 5th wheel I keep parked in Grand rapids because by the time I get the last load off I don't have enough time to get home...... but I run and extra 4 loads a week so I wont have to work on Sabbath.........

I remember OTR though and staying out 6 weeks at a time because we needed the money........ Then I did something really stupid ....... I got a Veterans loan to start my own business and I bought 4 tractors and trailers (and paid the load off in the first year ...... freight was good) and then in the second year I bought a whole company that was in bankruptcy and expanded to 18 power units, 35 owner operators, and 150 trailers...... ran that for 3 years until GM quit paying their suppliers (60% of my business was tied up with GM and 15% was tied up with Toyota, the other 35% could not keep me open) and I had to lock my doors to avoid bankruptcy. I kept 1 tractor (the one I refer to as stupid) and one trailer.

OTR is bad enough on a company driver (single or married) when freight dries up and you are sitting 3 or 4 days inbetween loads (meanwhile you are starving because you got no money to eat on) and things at home are getting turned off and repossessed and all you can do is try another carrier but they are in just as bad a shape....... try being an owner operator with a $2500 a month truck payment and no freight to move........ specially if you leased that $2500 a month truck from a carrier ..... they will get paid before you do.........

I was talking to a rookie driver for werner and he said he was getting like 27 cents a mile........ I asked him how he lives ....... I started at 30 cpm at Gainey transportation in 1997.........

This contract I got right now will pay me $100,000 for 6 months... I figure 60% will go to fuel......... so that will leave me with about $20,000 after all the other expenses are met at the end of the season.... driving aint no kind of life at all and I will everything I can to keep my kids aways from trucks even if I have to go into debt to send them to private schools.


I'm not bitter or burned out ..... can't you tell ........ Fact is I am happy to be working at all right now.

 

[chevyCowboy]

beings how you just took the test (congrat btw) maybe you can answer this question. I have noticed that airbrakes endorsement is no longer on the license but I am wondering if it is still a separate test or now part of the general knowledge test..........

it is still a separate test here in nebraska the General Knowledge test is 50 questions, air brakes in 25, and pretrip is 25. they where all really easy i thought. they make it even easier beacouse if you come to a question you dont know you can skip it and you will only see that question again at the end of the test if you do not have enough correct answers to pass.

i went to work and they where all amazed that i passed them the first time. its beyond me how one guy has takin the tests 8 times and cannot pass

 

[ak diesel driver]

some people just don't have it. Some are good drivers but can't do the bookwork others can do the bookwork but are terrible drivers. Just takes the right combination. I've heard really smart guys don't make very good drivers cause they get day dreaming and don't pay enough attention.

 

[dangerousdave]

I saw guys fail before they left the yard because they didn't buckle their safety belt.
The pretrip isn't just for the test, it will save your life on the job. Some jerk at a truck stop might pull the 5th wheel release while you shower, or steal your glad hand seals, for example.
I recomend getting all the endorsements at once, Hazmat, tankers, doubles, etc; It's just written , and makes it easier to get a job when things are tight. I did them all the same day and aced all but one question, DK what it was.
It seems to me that if you test in an automatic trans, you're not permitted to drive a manual. That's what they told us, but automatics were rare as hens teeth back then.
The pretrip I always do with my hands on, just explaining as I go around the truck. Seems like the magic phrase was "nothing broken, cracked or leaking" on almost everything.
It's been a long time, and it almost killed me.
If you want to OTR, avoid team driving, as there's no real rest. Driving as a solo lets you bring a "rider" with you in some companies, for a small fee (like $10/month) for insurance. After the Kids grew up, I was going to do that, and take Wifey along.
I believe USXpress runs only Allison AutoShift in all their rigs, saves money on gears, clutches, and driver fatigue.
Electronic logbooks are OK, but I'd keep a paper backup for my own protection CYA.
Think long and hard, and good luck. It's a great way to see the country THROUGH A WINDSHIELD. If you don't want to see the out of the way cool stuff like the Grand Canyon, go for it.

 

[Acesneights1]

Driving a truck sucks but if that is the only way you can put food on the table, you do it.

 

[3500GMC]

I use the word 'dread' often when describing what OTR is all about. Being out for a couple weeks makes home seem like a mirage. I can see it in my mind, I can feel how comfy MY OWN BED is, but I just can't get there.

When finally home, all my hours are compressed into frantic itching moments until I have to (the dread word) do it all over again.

I quit and took and hourly job making peanuts compared to what I was bringing in- and I liked it- just to BE HOME. That's just me.

It is truly hard to put into words.

 

[shortcircut65]

took my test a year ago this month. pre trip is the hardest part of the practical. if you verbalize everything, the instructor will get board and tell you to just get on with it. he only had me do one side and asked if there was anything different on the other side. i ssaid there is a hydro tank in with the fuel tank, he said ok, get in and finish the rest. if you know what you are doing, and it shows, the inspector is at ease, and doesnt pay too much attention to you. the only thing that got me, was the loading dock back-up. took all three times to get it, but that was my fault. i didnt pay too close attention to the cones before i jumped in the cab. when we went on the road, he asked why i didnt use the clutch, i said its eaisier, and more comfortable for me. he had no problems

i didnt test for my tamker or hazmat at the time of my test, only because i heard that they can ask questions about tanker or hazmat, and if u get a certain number wrong, you would fail the test. unsure of its truthfulness though