Advice for CDL A road test

Hi all,

I turned 18 on the 10th and got my permit a couple weeks ago. I'm scheduled to do my skills test on the 28th. I have been practicing on my own quite a bit. Does anyone have some tips for my road test? How critical are they of small things such as shifting while you make a turn or palming the wheel a little bit? Or coasting a little when you come up to a light? And also with floating gears... I can float smoother than I can double clutch so I am tempted to just take my chances with that.

The test consists of the pre trip inspection, backing maneuvers (straight, offset, parallel), and then on road driving. I am still refining my shifting, but for the most part I am able to find every gear. Any help is appreciated or any insight from anyone who has tested recently. Just having a difficult time keeping my nerves from getting to me. My truck is an 86 FLC 13spd Cat 3406B and a 25ft tag trailer. The truck isn't perfect but everything inspected during the pre trip on this truck should be acceptable.

Thanks,
Keith

Keep in mind, if you use your truck and trailer, you will not earn a fifth wheel endorsement, and thus will not be able to drive a tractor trailer combination.

Nice looking rig, BTW.

In my case, I had a hired instructor. He worked with the DMV shop daily, and would tell you what they wanted to see. For instance, no shifting in an intersection is ridiculous. So you would just verbalize that, "not supposed to be shifting in this intersection but the light will change 3 times if I don't." Lots of gray areas for sure. You need to find out what is expected in your local area if you can. Also Shimmy's good point about the 5th wheel. That restriction did not exist when I tested. I am not 100% sure it exists in every state yet but probably it does by now.

There was talk when I was training an individual in 2018 of upcoming changes that were going to disallow shifting through an intersection. Don't know if that were ever enacted however. "Floating gears" will not be allowed and I've had a "student" failed on the test for exactly that. You mention "palming" the steering wheel; I wouldn't as "10&2" is what they are looking for when not shifting. Nothing wrong with wheel sliding in your hand on the return to center completing a turn however.

You must keep in mind this is a test so I really would recommend you read that CDL manual, memorize a lot of it, and don't vary from it during the test. Hopefully you don't get a "ballbuster" for an examiner also. I've had students failed for jumping a tire on a curb during a tight turn. You can scrape, or drag a tire on a curb twice before failure, and only climb a curb once for automatic failure. It's not difficult to get through the test at all. Just memorize the pretrip inspection well as most have problems with that. Nerves are tense at this time and it's easy to forget small and seemingly trivial items, but it's these items the examiner(s) are looking for in your knowledge base.

I've had a heavy truck license since 1978 and was "grandfathered" into the CDL program when it started so I'm sure there have been a few changes along the way I'm not aware of.

So much varies area to area. Floating gears is fine here, just not allowed to switch once you pick a way. Shifting in intersection fine, just not while turning. Hitting curb with tire at all is instant fail. They do not like coasting and it's a deduction. Don't overshift, here they just want to get into low range, going down to 1st or 2nd just increases chances of missing a shift. Big thing is cannot leave cab unless both buttons are pulled regardless if wheels are chocked. Chocking wheels on trailer before starting to unhook. The walk around best to bore them to death with so many details they stop listening.

Some of these questions you can also ask before test starts. I got a good one I asked about one hand on steering wheel and was told it's fine if you want, just 5 point deduction. Chances are the examiner isn't looking to bust balls, they just want you to demonstrate you are a safe driver and know what to look for. Miss a few things on the pre-trip and a few minor things on the drive and they will likely not even dock for it.

Basically about 100 things I do on a daily basis that would be a fail on a test

They want to see double clutching here, also all down shifting no coasts.

JLarson said:

They want to see double clutching here, also all down shifting no coasts.

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In AZ, do they require a 5th wheel for a non-restricted license now?

Yeah it'll be an O restriction on the license.

Thanks guys, I am aware of the 5th wheel restriction with this rig. I will do the best I can with double clutching. I’m studying the section in the manual that describes on road driving and it’s funny how much DOT contradicts themselves over and over. Thanks for the advice, I will let you know how it goes.

I did it 8 or so years ago, my younger son 4 years ago, Older son just did it. I suspect the test giver intends to fail you first try.
I don't know about your State, VT will require you to go to CDL school after January 31 2022.
The computer test is multiple choice. They typically offer two or more correct answers, you get it wrong if you don't answer word for word a quote from the manual.

Pre trip inspection; They give you a checklist to inspect. I failed first time because I didn't mention headboard or landing gear on the trailer. I pointed out it wasn't equipped with either. He answered: "You need to mention that it doesn't have them.
I also failed to mention the condition of my windshield or mirrors.

The docking maneuver is more difficult with tandem truck & pintle trailer. More accurately, you need more room.

I took mine in a five x two transmission. I pointed out the operator's manual instruction to not split shift an empty truck, not split shift down a steep hill, found nothing difficult about road test.

Willie B said:

Pre trip inspection; They give you a checklist to inspect. I failed first time because I didn't mention headboard or landing gear on the trailer. I pointed out it wasn't equipped with either. He answered: "You need to mention that it doesn't have them.

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This is common everywhere, mention everything on the list even if not equipped.

Keith Merrell said:

Thanks guys, I am aware of the 5th wheel restriction with this rig. I will do the best I can with double clutching. I’m studying the section in the manual that describes on road driving and it’s funny how much DOT contradicts themselves over and over. Thanks for the advice, I will let you know how it goes.

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In my case you can rent a truck for testing in. I would suggest you do this so you don't have to go back ever again, they only make it harder and harder. Of course if you get in with pintle restriction before they add the school requirement maybe all it will take is another road test to remove the restriction in the future if you already have the class A, who knows.

Willie B said:

I also failed to mention the condition of my windshield or mirrors.

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That's a good point, it's easy to miss minor things like that. Have to say windshield clear, make sure defrost works, wipers, high beams, that you have fire extinguisher, triangles, and wheel chocks basically everything.

Tester might not dock for every minor thing but they also might, and here I think if you miss like 7 things on pre-trip it's a fail. And all it takes is missing 1 of something like checking a tire even if you mention all the others.

Willie B said:

I suspect the test giver intends to fail you first try.

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Any tester with that intention should not be testing. I've done 3 road tests and 1 was like that, he was a "New Canadian", believe 1000% he was passing his people for bribes. Failed me on pre-trip because it was winter so truck was running and loud and said he couldn't hear me, I was pissed and said it's my job to say what i'm looking at, it's your job to say if you can't hear me, it's not my problem if you don't. It almost cost me huge, it put me over the timeline for new schooling requirements, after a lot of back and forth with government BS they let me test again, it was a lady probably in her 50's passed no problem. Wasn't one to let you get away with anything and if you didn't know your stuff you were failing, but not one to give you a hard time. New test same thing, a older guy who wasn't out to give you a hard time but needed to know your stuff.

Not sure what it is like in the US, but I suspect it is the same the world over. If you come to a stop sign. It is probably a good idea to actually stop. I won't say what I did, but it was not a good idea to do during a driving examination.

I'm about to send a couple guys to get there's. Im interested to see what all has changed since I got my A 20yrs ago.

They just called me cancelling the test because of "weather". Soonest I could be rescheduled for is 1/6. Now I'm starting to think I should test with a tractor so I never have to deal with these people again...

Cost me 10 bucks for a written in 1974.

Keith Merrell said:

They just called me cancelling the test because of "weather". Soonest I could be rescheduled for is 1/6. Now I'm starting to think I should test with a tractor so I never have to deal with these people again...

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Load your CDL up and don't look back, get the Tanker and Double/Triple endorsement too if you can. All you have to do is take the written portion of Tanker and Double/Triple then you got more room to move about in life if something comes up, but yes get the tractor trailer instead and do it with a manual. I did it all last month with my own rig, I don't drive for anyone and I'm retired but still you never know what life will throw at you, best to have it and not need it.

suladas said:

That's a good point, it's easy to miss minor things like that. Have to say windshield clear, make sure defrost works, wipers, high beams, that you have fire extinguisher, triangles, and wheel chocks basically everything.

Tester might not dock for every minor thing but they also might, and here I think if you miss like 7 things on pre-trip it's a fail. And all it takes is missing 1 of something like checking a tire even if you mention all the others.

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Yeah, I mentioned in response, I had driven 20 miles to get there. I checked windshield & mirrors before leaving home.

Make sure and read the section on swinging chickens. Most fail on that one.