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GET YOUR CDL NOW! - What You Need to Know About New Entry-Level Driver Training Rules for Truckers

Got my physical today, gtg

Thinking I'll cram tonight and in the morning and do the computer permit test in the am

Called the local 3rd party test place for price and availability on skills test, $310 class B or class A, 150 retest if I fail.....

I drove a 10 speed Kenworth all over a closed open pit mine site for years, but am rusty, and never got into the rules and regs of it, I'm curious if I'd pass

What if I got a class B ahs kept the class A permit, and came back in a month with a tag trailer behind a class B truck? Or is that going to ding me because I don't have an air brake trailer? Damn
 
My employee failed his pretrip test today. The testing lady was a royal bitch. She told him he drew the whole truck and trailer. Got 62 out of the 67 items. Stupid

Hell retest Thursday. She only charges $50 a section so it isn’t too bad. 50 for the pretrip 50 for the skills test 50 for the road test.
 
ThePanzerFuhrer said:
My employee failed his pretrip test today. The testing lady was a royal bitch. She told him he drew the whole truck and trailer. Got 62 out of the 67 items. Stupid

Hell retest Thursday. She only charges $50 a section so it isn’t too bad. 50 for the pretrip 50 for the skills test 50 for the road test.
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Hope he nails it next trip. Ours in VA is verbal, it's pretty detailed, not much room for error. Its the #1 thing that seems to get people. Fees dont seem awful for your guy at least
 
blthomas said:
Hope he nails it next trip. Ours in VA is verbal, it's pretty detailed, not much room for error. Its the #1 thing that seems to get people. Fees dont seem awful for your guy at least
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No he should be good. It’s just stupid the stuff he missed.
 
Projectjunkie said:
Got my physical today, gtg

Thinking I'll cram tonight and in the morning and do the computer permit test in the am

Called the local 3rd party test place for price and availability on skills test, $310 class B or class A, 150 retest if I fail.....

I drove a 10 speed Kenworth all over a closed open pit mine site for years, but am rusty, and never got into the rules and regs of it, I'm curious if I'd pass

What if I got a class B ahs kept the class A permit, and came back in a month with a tag trailer behind a class B truck? Or is that going to ding me because I don't have an air brake trailer? Damn
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I'm in VA, but I've heard of all kinds of restrictions placed if not testing in a manual tractor and actual semi trailer.

Kid I ran fuel with had a "A", but did pintle hitch at his "A" test.

Couldn't drive our transports and was stuck in a tandem bobtail.

To run the transports (gas/diesel tractor trailer), he actually had to test out in one and do a 5th wheel driving test. Maybe he redid the pre trip too. Dunno.

Then he got a auto restriction that day, as all the manual rigs were either at vapor/tank inspection with their assigned trailers, or on the road.

So he got to test in a brand new tractor trailer to lose his pintle restriction, but had a auto trans restriction. Dumb AF.

Good luck, I struggle with written shit. Agonize over the two answers that are virtually the same, get pissed, choose the wrong one.
 
They fail you for floating gears? I probably have around 100k miles driving 10 spd and auto trucks with no cdl. Pretty set in my ways on how I'm going to drive a truck. Itd be nice to have a cdl just to have it.
 
blthomas said:
I'm in VA, but I've heard of all kinds of restrictions placed if not testing in a manual tractor and actual semi trailer.

Kid I ran fuel with had a "A", but did pintle hitch at his "A" test.

Couldn't drive our transports and was stuck in a tandem bobtail.

To run the transports (gas/diesel tractor trailer), he actually had to test out in one and do a 5th wheel driving test. Maybe he redid the pre trip too. Dunno.

Then he got a auto restriction that day, as all the manual rigs were either at vapor/tank inspection with their assigned trailers, or on the road.

So he got to test in a brand new tractor trailer to lose his pintle restriction, but had a auto trans restriction. Dumb AF.

Good luck, I struggle with written shit. Agonize over the two answers that are virtually the same, get pissed, choose the wrong one.
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I don’t think there is a pindle endorsement. This is the first time I heard of it. Yes there is a double and triple endorsement. I took my cdl test back in the day with a dump truck and a tag trailer. Bitch made me do the dock backup test with that rig.

Good thing I had lots of practice doing that backing that tag trailer into yards to unload the hoe. I got screamed at by my dad when I was off lol.

I miss read your post there is a no king pin endorsement . So now if you take a test with a pindle truck you can only pull tag trailers. What stupidity with all this shit.

To think after your 18yo you don’t even need to pass a behind the wheel test to get your driving license.
 
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I guess I'm in. Ive wanted one for a while to go along with my equipment operating background. And to be able to pull whatever I want behind my truck. I got my permit in CA along with double/triple, tankers and hazmat.

Funny story, my buddy got his class a told me the test was so easy he barely studied. I went in and tried taking all 7? Written tests with no studying :laughing: I think I passed 2 or maybe 3 of 7. :lmao: I a ultimatesked him wtf and he said "oh, I didn't take any endorsements"

I ended up getting busy with work and missing my deadline for my test :homer:

This time around, I'm going to just get my permit, then do each endorsement one at a time. The dmv here is like wide open, so it's no big deal to do multiple appointments.

I don't think I'll be doing hazmat this time around.
 
I pulled the full truck - nose to tail - on the pre-trip as well. Somehow made it through all that on the first try.

Yeah, they ding you if you don't double clutch - and don't coast too long when you're downshifting... Now I have to unlearn all that so I can go back to floating the gears again.
 
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In ohio you must test in a tractor trailer (class A) or you'll end up with a restriction on your license. I got mine about a month ago. I rented a truck form the test center. the truck was a single axle international with a 40 foot flat bed, the tractor had aDT466/ synchroed 6 speed so you weren't required to double clutch. one of my buddies got his class A a few years ago and double clutched as was required and he asked the examiner if he could float gears since he demonstrated he knew how to double clutch. The examiner told him he could but they'd auto fail of he grinded at all.
 
My buddy got his full class a in CA with a 10 wheeler and I believe a transfer, but it was probably an equipment trailer. As mentioned, that will get you a restriction now. You need a 5th wheel type trailer for unrestricted license. His boss said he got his back in the day by another class a holder vouching for him :laughing:

I've driven a hand full of 10 spd water trucks or whatever on job sites. I think I'm fairly decent on floating gears with upshifts, not so great on down shifts. Any tips? I'm hoping that my test truck will be a light duty synchro 6 speed :laughing:



Also, in CA you had to test with the dmv, just like when you were 16, only certain dmv's would do commercial tests. In ID, they use private party testers, is this more common in other states?
 
YotaAtieToo said:
My buddy got his full class a in CA with a 10 wheeler and I believe a transfer, but it was probably an equipment trailer. As mentioned, that will get you a restriction now. You need a 5th wheel type trailer for unrestricted license. His boss said he got his back in the day by another class a holder vouching for him :laughing:

I've driven a hand full of 10 spd water trucks or whatever on job sites. I think I'm fairly decent on floating gears with upshifts, not so great on down shifts. Any tips? I'm hoping that my test truck will be a light duty synchro 6 speed :laughing:



Also, in CA you had to test with the dmv, just like when you were 16, only certain dmv's would do commercial tests. In ID, they use private party testers, is this more common in other states?
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Private party here. DMV doesn’t do commercial stuff in wi.
 
There's plenty of Montrose 3rd party places:smokin:
One local state place
15 years ago my company paid the 3rd party place like 200 a head to run us thru and pass us, guiding us along...

I got a class B no air brakes, then a month later the one trick in the fleet with air brakes came up for me to drive:laughing:
That time I studied my ass off and went to the state place armed for bear and got it done on the first try

This time around I'm paying the $300 guy for his assistance...
 
Spent all morning getting the run around, by 3pm I had a class A permit:smokin:

Expect it to take longer and cost a little more than planned, and grin and bear it for the bullshit. And check your physical paperwork, mine had an indirect date, the NP put down the days date as expiration, not 2024. And it was her day off. So her co-worker had to call her.

Then the state wouldn't accept it scratched out and initialed. So it had to be done in a new sheet. Then the state CDL guy was on his 2 beer lunch.

So, expect some bullshit:laughing:
 
Wounder how this effects me. I had a Class A and it got downgraded to a non commercial class A because I never used it and I could keep the weight rating and not need medical card.

I took my test 20 years ago with a 5 ton straight truck and 12k trailer no restrictions.
 
Someday I could see myself owning a class 8 wrecker

Does that mean I'd need doubles endorsement to tow a broken down rig?
 
aczlan said:
In some states you would need a tow truck endorsement, but unless the truck you were towing was pulling doubles I don't think so.

Aaron Z
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Hmm
I know tow trucks are inspected annually here
Tow truck endorsement, or just have the tow truck legal and also have a cdl?
 
Still have an "A" but not sure if I can keep it as the medical card is getting hard to get every two years BP is high and even though I've lost almost 100 lbs in the past 10 years im still diabetic.

With that and the High Blood Pressure dont know if I will pass the physical next time up.

On top of that I definitely dont want a real ID type license.
 
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Rugby said:
Wounder how this effects me. I had a Class A and it got downgraded to a non commercial class A because I never used it and I could keep the weight rating and not need medical card.
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PAE said:
Still have an "A" but not sure if Incan keepnit as the medical card is getting hard to get every two years BP is high and even though I've lost almost 100 lbs in the past 10 years im still diabetic.
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This shouldn't affect either of you because you're just continuing to renew your existing Class A. The only issue would be if you ended up needing the medical card in the future and then it would be a matter of passing the physical, not retaking the driving exam.
 
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I've heard you can acquire a CDL and place it inactive, but maintain the health card, any truth to that?

A guy could get it, put it to sleep and get lower penalties for any infractions in a personal vehicle, then activate it when he's ready to use it.

I've heard its a thing, or am I tarded:homer:?
 
Projectjunkie said:
I've heard you can acquire a CDL and place it inactive, but maintain the health card, any truth to that?

A guy could get it, put it to sleep and get lower penalties for any infractions in a personal vehicle, then activate it when he's ready to use it.

I've heard its a thing, or am I tarded:homer:?
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It depends on the state.

In ND, there isn't a commercial vs non commercial class A or active/inactive.

If you aren't "commercial" there's a form to fill out instead of a medical card saying why you're exempt from the medical card. (Confusing, but I attached a pic.).

So, you check the box for Category 2 and are now exempt from a medical card. Just don't do any driving that requires a medical card. Common for people to do this to save money if they aren't actively driving (or a farmer now only driving farm trucks) so they can keep the CDL and just get a medical card if a future job requires it.

Screenshot_20220107-203107.jpg



I was also allowed to float gears on my CDL test in October. :flipoff2:

Taking the Hazmat test as soon as I am in town on a weekday. I was amazed that the background check only took 6 hours. Not sure if that's because I had a DOD clearance years ago, or I'm already on a watchlist and my background is readily available.
 
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Lol sounds like my wife is gonna go get her cdl. She has been getting increasingly frustrated with the hr bs she does now. Told her she could have her own dump truck and just haul to the concrete plants and haul into my washplant. Would be a ton less stressful.
 
ThePanzerFuhrer said:
Lol sounds like my wife is gonna go get her cdl. She has been getting increasingly frustrated with the hr bs she does now. Told her she could have her own dump truck and just haul to the concrete plants and haul into my washplant. Would be a ton less stressful.
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You do any government work? Having your wife as owner of the company can help you snag government contracts, you know diversity and all that. My dad's old buddy did that, he was married to an Indian woman and she was listed as part owner of his logging business. He got some very lucrative road building contracts from that, woman and Indian owned company.
 
shortbus4x4 said:
You do any government work? Having your wife as owner of the company can help you snag government contracts, you know diversity and all that. My dad's old buddy did that, he was married to an Indian woman and she was listed as part owner of his logging business. He got some very lucrative road building contracts from that, woman and Indian owned company.
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dot and sell whisky and smokes or no dot and buy wisky and smokes?

Either way we're gonna need to see some pics. :flipoff2:
 
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