rick37 Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Who has their CDL endorsement and how hard is the test,I am about to go and get my CDL'S and wa wondering how hard the test is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reimbrandt Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Have had mine for about 20 years...... back then the written was pretty easy to get through, just gotta use common sense. the driving is a bit of a pain....... but I don't know if they still do the skills the same. I had to do a 90 degree turn and come as close to the cone without hitting (this all with a trailer), back into a dock.... which is all cones and you have to put the icc bumper in this foot deep rectangle or its a point. parallel park the trailer, again with a small box at the back that you have to try and get the bumper in, then the serpentine........... they have 3 barrels a tractor/trailer length apart and you pull up till the back of your trailer is at the first barrel. then you back up going between the first two and bringing the trailer back to the right to go between the middle and last barrel....finish by straightening the unit up after you clear the last barrel and back it till the front bumper is at the barrel. any pull ups on any of these was a point....... like I said, don't know how they do it now. backing is by far the hardest..... just remember, turn left to go right and right to go left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twisted12 Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Not bad I have had mine for 15 years I dont use it now. When I took mine I didnt go to driving school or anything I took the written test just use the study guide then I used a company vehicle to take the driving test passed the first time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhaag Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 the written test is not doo difficult. i've had mine for about 12 yrs, so i'm a little foggy on the exact course. but, some of the things i remember about the course are making a right-hand turn with a cone set as the corner and a line with measurement painted on the ground. you have to make the turn and keep your trailer as close to the cone as possible without hitting it and there were cones accross the 'street' to mark where the curb would be and you couldnt hit them either. there was a backing section where you had to put the trailer in a box just big enough for it to fit so that the tractor was jackknifed at 90 degs. i think i had to back in a straight line for some distance. sorry, cant remember too much more. however, on the driving test pay very close attention to the road signs. i was asked about a clearance sign that was ahead, but we turned before it. also, know which lane you can go into when making a right turn (you can go into the opposing lane of the road onto which you are turning, not the road on which you are currently traveling, etc). watch for no parking signs, no trucks, etc. slow down to an appropriate speed for train tracks and be sure to be accelerating (under power, rather) over them. stuff like that, putting what you've learned in the book to use.also, the truck will more than likely be a single axle day cab with an automatic, so that helps too. i took my test at a private test center so my experience may be different than yours.hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomcat0403 Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 I believe the first prerequisite i knowing how to spell "test"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kawi kid Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 i have had mine for awhile now too..... hardest problem i had was pre-trip inspection. study for that one most people fail that and pass the rest of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidgetTodd Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 dont have to study hard for the pretrip most dont know this but its not on memory only you can have your pti book in hand and go donw the list you wont miss a thing that way ive trained 3 drivers at work so far and took them for thier tests its cake as long as you can drive nad easest if you use a day cab and flatbed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 If you dont go through a driving school, where do you get the truck to take the test? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerik Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 (edited) I got my CDL about 5 years ago, using the driving school at the community college in Springfield-- it was a lot cheaper than Roadmaster and such. The test wasn't bad-- like others have said, remembering the important parts of the pre-trip was the hardest part of it. Although the whole thing would have been easier if I hadn't taken the damned thing in the snow.The parallel park thing was kind of a pain, too, but not earth-shatteringly so. As for the written test (which you only do for your temps, if I recall right), it was really easy. I did the main test, doubles/ triples, hazmat, tankers, and air brakes in like an hour total. Edited September 16, 2009 by Aerik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox_racing_guy Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 If you dont go through a driving school, where do you get the truck to take the test?Many of the test centers will rent you a vehicle, just call and ask or look on-line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidgetTodd Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 yep what he said ive seen cl ads to for truck usage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschoolsdime92 Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 I have had mine for about two years. The written portion was easy, The driving part wasn't bad. Pay attention to your signs, expessialy bridge weights and over head clearences as they asked me what signs said as I was driving. The hard part for me was the pre trip inspection. You have to use the terminology "cracked or broken" all bolts are there, nothing visiable leaking. I did not pass the pre trip the first time due to not using the terminology they wanted. Other than that it wasn't bad at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4junkie Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 I believe the first prerequisite i knowing how to spell "test"...Ooh sweet irony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dweezel Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Ive had mine for about 6-7 years, study the pre trip it's the biggest pain in the ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheezle Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 You don't have to be able to spell to drive. Some companies push people through the system that can't read, speak English, can't manuever the truck except for in a straight line, and are illegal immigrants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steppenwolf Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Well back when I drove I was given the keys..if I could start it I was a driver..but things have changed I know..I was finger printed,took a lot of tests and driving tests...backing up is not that hard,when exhausted which you will be just remember to grab the steering wheel at the bottom and turn it in the direction you want the trailer to go...and watch the wheels and not the box...tankers ya just have to get close...Good luck...ya don't have to be a good driver but always have your paperwork in order...that is the only thing PUCO cares about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 geez, I got mine so long ago, I drove a car to get it. And they took it away when they changed the rules, since I wasn't actually using it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerik Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 And if you go OTR, learn to make friends with night dispatch. They're always short-staffed, laid-back, and willing to shift the good runs to the drivers that save their ass a time or two. At Crete, I had them so well trained that they wouldn't even bother asking me to go north in the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kawi kid Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 If you dont go through a driving school, where do you get the truck to take the test?i used one of our four Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhaag Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 wow, so many truck drivers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerik Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Of course there's a lot of truckers on here-- drive an 80,000lbs truck all day (or all month, depending) and it's only natural to wanna drive something small and fast after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheezle Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Yeah we are different breed. I won't miss driving ever again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerik Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Heh, I still miss the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheezle Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 I miss the adventure but I will never get in another truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steppenwolf Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 The first million miles were fun but then it became a job..and like Wheezle said..I won't miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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