Your joking, right? You check everything the state requires you to check on your pre-trip every day. You check:
Steering play
wipers/washer fluid
both horns
heater/defroster
safety belt is securely mounted
airbreak check
spare fuses/triangles/fire extinguisher
etc. etc.

These are some of the things from the test that I remember and I can honestly tell you I don't check them on a regular basis. I don't turn my wiper/fluid on every morning, I don't check my horns, I don't check my heater in the middle of summer, I don't chock my wheels and check my airbreaks every morning. Call me a bad driver but ain't doing it, I make sure the truck is in good safe mechanical condition and I roll. I happen to remember alot of the crap the state wants you to look at so I'm ok, not everybody will. Oil,water,ps fluid,belts,hoses, tires,lugs, breaks and a short visual inspection with a flashlight is all I do and I've never had a problem. If you do absolutely eveything well than congratulations, your the only one I know.

I have had two cdl's. The first was in 1975 and took the test as an after thought while getting a new address posted at the DMV. Passed the test without studying. The test was so easy my dog could have passed it. As years went by and I did not use my cdl. I left the logging/farming area where I grew up and moved to another state at which time I did not transfer it as I did not see the value in it because it was so easy to get. Virtually any person that wanted a CDL could get one and a lot of people have those today.

The modern CDL has a lot more to it with the knowledge a driver has to have to perform the pre-trip inspection through the driving examination.

I will hazard a guess that those drivers that got their cdl's from that facility were better prepared than a lot of the pre 90's cdl's that were issued.

Does this mean that drivers who got their cdl prior to 1990 are not qualified? No, what it means is that the holder of the pre 1990's cdl who are still in the business stayed there because they are good at what they do and have learned either on their own or through others how to do it right!

Was I prepared to drive truck when I got my first CDL? No. Was I prepared to be a commercial truck driver when I went through that school, No. But what I was prepared to do was to learn the craft of driving on the way to become a professional driver.

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You can take a horse to water, but you can't make them drink... Unless you hold their heads there long enough!

Many of the things you mentioned are visual but the driver I was quoting stated he failed the test because he could not name everything. I was referring to: that he should be able to name everything from the pre-trip not check it everyday. Make sure you understand what your reading before spewing off at the mouth.

thats the way it was for me # CR England back in march 2003, get your permit in your home state, goto SLC UT for training, then go to your home state and get your license(that and $5,000 for school that lasted..... 4wks!!!)

i will say this much about CRE, as much as i didnt like their operations, their school was very informative, i did learn alot and im glad they were as anal as they were about "do it our way or dont bother" because their way far exceeded state requirements, out of 40 in my class, only 21 passed

i guess i got a few ?`s 1)if you go back to home state who`s truck do you use for driving test? 2)and here in iowa they give you a "cheat" sheet to tell dot examaner what you are looking for and why.

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From What I understand you go back to home state with a mentor (trainer) and take your test with mv examiner. I don't know what you mean about a cheat sheet what is that

its a copy of the dot pretrip they (dot )examiner gives you to do the actual pretrip inspection

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the list tells you what to look for ,you just have to point to it and tell themm what your looking for..

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Thank you for the info. As you can see I'm new at this and I need all the help I can get

When I got my CDL the second time around, I didn't use the check list 'cuz I was to proud. I failed the pretrip inspection, and the Officer asked me where my check list was. Needles to say the second time I used the check list. I have been driving full time since 1995, and from time to time I still look at the check list to be sure I look at every thing every few days, and yes you need help to check the brakes for proper adjustment... I use a check list as a habit left over from my time in the AF working on jets, if it works there it sure as heck works here.