Wish Me Luck

[NoClueJoe66]

Don't know how to start this but here goes..I work tuesday thru saturday and off sunday & monday. Well i go back to work tuesday and the boss tells me i need to get everything ready to get my class B cdl. I already have a class A permit cause someone promised me they would take me then fell through, i just had them reinstated every year and hoped. We have a "Buggy Truck" as we call it at work with a Moffet Mounty lift on the back, and they fired the 2nd driver for it and want me to be the backup driver till the summer, and hopefully i'll get my own truck when things pick back up. They was talkin about having 2 buggy trucks then business slowed down so....Anywho tuesday they put me in the truck with the normal driver and told me to learn it all, I took 2 deliveries tuesday, and a couple thursday driving the whole time runnin the lift and learning how everything worked. Thursday morning the boss called me into his office and said i had to go to knoxville to pick up "Fiberock" & "Durarock" and told me to stop and set up my appointment for my test. Kinda quick i thought but, the regular driver told him that i seemed pretty safe and reliable to drive.....Not tootin' my own horn cause i hate braggin' and i hate someone that brags on thereselve to much, but i believe i done decent but my downshifting is a little sloppy at times. Sorry this is so long but i wanted to make my cdl, but dang it's like it happening too quick and if anyone has any pointers suggestions it would be greatly appreciated....Thanks Guys

[Rob]

Don't know how to start this but here goes..I work tuesday thru saturday and off sunday & monday. Well i go back to work tuesday and the boss tells me i need to get everything ready to get my class B cdl. I already have a class A permit cause someone promised me they would take me then fell through, i just had them reinstated every year and hoped. We have a "Buggy Truck" as we call it at work with a Moffet Mounty lift on the back, and they fired the 2nd driver for it and want me to be the backup driver till the summer, and hopefully i'll get my own truck when things pick back up. They was talkin about having 2 buggy trucks then business slowed down so....Anywho tuesday they put me in the truck with the normal driver and told me to learn it all, I took 2 deliveries tuesday, and a couple thursday driving the whole time runnin the lift and learning how everything worked. Thursday morning the boss called me into his office and said i had to go to knoxville to pick up "Fiberock" & "Durarock" and told me to stop and set up my appointment for my test. Kinda quick i thought but, the regular driver told him that i seemed pretty safe and reliable to drive.....Not tootin' my own horn cause i hate braggin' and i hate someone that brags on thereselve to much, but i believe i done decent but my downshifting is a little sloppy at times. Sorry this is so long but i wanted to make my cdl, but dang it's like it happening too quick and if anyone has any pointers suggestions it would be greatly appreciated....Thanks Guys

Practice makes perfect. You must be comfortable in the operation of your equipment before trying to impress upon someone else that you are qualified to operate it. Common sense and safety practices will get you through the formal testing with ease.

It's not a matter luck. Confidence, sure. Smarts, definately.

I'll bet you'll do fine.

Rob

[Lmackattack]

best way to learn is too watch, listen, and then give it a go. Keep you ego in check and your attention on the important stuff your doing. I remember driving the first full day by myself it was a little wierd but after an hour I felt comfortable with all the basics. After a week I was in tune with the truck and withing a month I had discovered most of the tricks and was good at most of the tricky things that came my way.

Good luck

Trent

[NoClueJoe66]

I appreciate it guys, I've been practicing everything I can trying to do my best. It's just the pre-trip i dread...

[vanscottbuilders]

Joe,

Just relax. The DOT examiner is just doing his job.

And - don't do too much downshifting. You shouldn't

be going that fast anyway on the test.

If you make a mistake, and you know it, admit it.

He'll probably let you do that part of the test over,

if it's necessary.

I think if you don't admit the error, they wonder if you know

that you did it. And I think that's worse.

Everybody's nervous on a test like that. Believe me,

you aren't the first guy the examiner has seen who

might be a little tense.

You'll do fine.

Just think over and over - "if Other Dog can do this,

I should be able to do it also"

Good Luck!

Paul VS

[NoClueJoe66]

I appreciate it Paul, I just worry too much. I feel petty confident, the backing and stuf is pretty easy for me and a few other things but it says they will grade you on downshifting to a stop without excessive rolling outa gear and stuff. I might get over there and it'll be a piece of cake, just nervous.....

[other dog]

Joe,

Just relax. The DOT examiner is just doing his job.

And - don't do too much downshifting. You shouldn't

be going that fast anyway on the test.

If you make a mistake, and you know it, admit it.

He'll probably let you do that part of the test over,

if it's necessary.

I think if you don't admit the error, they wonder if you know

that you did it. And I think that's worse.

Everybody's nervous on a test like that. Believe me,

you aren't the first guy the examiner has seen who

might be a little tense.

You'll do fine.

Just think over and over - "if Other Dog can do this,

I should be able to do it also"

Good Luck!

Paul VS

"...yeah,everybody funny -now you funny too "- George Thorogood

[Rob]

Joe,

Just think over and over - "if Other Dog can do this on his 5th attempt,

I should be able to do it on my first"

Good Luck!

Paul VS

As Herb would say: Tonight's edition of "Fix that post".

Rob

[HK Trucking]

Hey now Rob, you're stealin' my stuff!!!!!!!!!!

[Rob]

Hey now Rob, you're stealin' my stuff!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry 'bout that; I just couldn't help myself. I feel bad too....

Rob

[Bobby Covert]

Sorry 'bout that; I just couldn't help myself. I feel bad too....

Rob

Work on your pretrip and impress the officer. Smoothness counts too, but you will be smoother after experience.PRETRIP PRETRIP

[Freightrain]

I dreaded taking my test. Just take it slow and easy. If you looked rushed and confused that won't look good. Have someone walk around the truck with you as you do a mock pretrip(they'll have the book). Remember to TOUCH what you are talking about. TOUCH, TOUCH, TOUCH!!!! The incab part I kept forgetting to "DO" what I was describing(that's a failure in their eyes). Work the wipers(don't just point to them), turn on the defroster(don't just point to it). My tester was giving me "hints"(cough, cough) as she knew I knew what to do, just wasn't doing it fully.

Don't worry about a couple gear scratches, as they'll give you some leeway(likely).

[Greg Rider]

I dreaded taking my test. Just take it slow and easy. If you looked rushed and confused that won't look good. Have someone walk around the truck with you as you do a mock pretrip(they'll have the book). Remember to TOUCH what you are talking about. TOUCH, TOUCH, TOUCH!!!! The incab part I kept forgetting to "DO" what I was describing(that's a failure in their eyes). Work the wipers(don't just point to them), turn on the defroster(don't just point to it). My tester was giving me "hints"(cough, cough) as she knew I knew what to do, just wasn't doing it fully.

Don't worry about a couple gear scratches, as they'll give you some leeway(likely).

Larry, what truck did you use to test? Do you know anything about the changes that took place on Jan 1st?

[Freightrain]

NOT the B model LOL! I was almost thinking to use it, but circumstances made it impossible. You can't drive the truck home after the test. Didn't have someone who could!

Anyhooo, I rented the truck down at Gnaddenhutten test station for $150? for the test. Little DT466 single axle Binder with 40ft flatbed. It had synchro'd 5 spd which makes it wayyy easy to drive. They also have a dump with tag trailer if that is your fancy.

What changes? on the test? Or just the med card?

[other dog]

As Herb would say: Tonight's edition of "Fix that post".

Rob

I don't know where that information came from, but it only took me four tries.

"...yeah,everybody funny -now you funny too "- George Thorogood

[other dog]

Joe,

Just relax. The DOT examiner is just doing his job.

And - don't do too much downshifting. You shouldn't

be going that fast anyway on the test.

If you make a mistake, and you know it, admit it.

He'll probably let you do that part of the test over,

if it's necessary.

I think if you don't admit the error, they wonder if you know

that you did it. And I think that's worse.

Everybody's nervous on a test like that. Believe me,

you aren't the first guy the examiner has seen who

might be a little tense.

You'll do fine.

Just think over and over - "if Other Dog can do this,

I should be able to do it also"

Good Luck!

Paul VS

Hey Paul, just a little note here-I think you need a new keyboard for your PC. Sometimes what you type doesn't show up, but oddly enough, if someone else replies to your post and quotes the post, it does show up. They're fairly inexpensive, available at your local retailer- or maybe retaler.

[other dog]

Work on your pretrip and impress the officer. Smoothness counts too, but you will be smoother after experience.PRETRIP PRETRIP

yes, I probably wouldn't tell the instructor to "git in, sit down, hold on, and shut up!"

[Rob]

yes, I probably wouldn't tell the instructor to "git in, sit down, hold on, and shut up!"

Well if that won't work then I guess if the examiner is a female you should probably not say "Ass, Gas, or Grass, nobody rides for free neither!

Rob

[NoClueJoe66]

Well if that won't work then I guess if the examiner is a female you should probably not say "Ass, Gas, or Grass, nobody rides for free neither!

Rob

Hey I appreciate the info guys, and I did make them.......Fairly simple, but ouldn't want to do i again though. The instructor was fairly easy, but SHE turned real snotty whenever I didnt shift to her liking, she got over it though.

[Greg Rider]

NOT the B model LOL! I was almost thinking to use it, but circumstances made it impossible. You can't drive the truck home after the test. Didn't have someone who could!

Anyhooo, I rented the truck down at Gnaddenhutten test station for $150? for the test. Little DT466 single axle Binder with 40ft flatbed. It had synchro'd 5 spd which makes it wayyy easy to drive. They also have a dump with tag trailer if that is your fancy.

What changes? on the test? Or just the med card?

I heard that you HAD to go to a school now . I was told that about two months ago. No more get a packet, get seat time with someone, then test. Also heard about something with homeland security for proof of citizenship.

[LocomotiveBreath]

I tell you one thing that I really have an issue with concerning having a CDL. If I get speeding ticket in my personal non-commercial vehicle I can't take defensive driving, get deferred adjudication, or other things that people with a regular class C license can do instead of just paying the ticket. I would understand if I were speeding in a commercial vehicle but in my personal pickup just doesn't seem right to me. The way I see it, my wife who has a standard class C license has more rights than I do with my A CDL.