California CDL Permit

I started out driving a 26,000 at $11.50 then the boss decided he wanted me to drive a B truck so I studied and he loaned me a truck, he then gave me a dollar an hour raise. The other driver at our company makes $15.00 but it has been made clear to me that his salary was from the old days and I have topped out.

 

I am also a newbie student in CA, attending a CDL school, and wanted to share my recent experience with you. The school shepherds us through the DMV process thankfully, we did our medical yesterday which took a long time and we all got our little "green cards" (DL 51A). The medical card is required by the DMV to get your permit and it essentially becomes a permanent part of your CDL once you get it.

We were urged by the school to take all the endorsement exams because if we failed them it does not negatively affect our motor vehicle record and we could re-take any of them before we finally test drive for the license in about three weeks. If we had failed any of the endorsements today and chose not to take them during this three weeks while our license is open, then we would have to take all 7 tests again at the next attempt in the future. So there is no penalty for taking the endorsements along with the CDL regardless of the outcome and it's worth it for the test taking practice.

Today we went to the DMV and took our 7 tests, it took me a little less than an hour to complete all 7 and I had not more than 2 errors on any test, some with none, I am a terrible test taker, slightly dyslexic and these tests are not difficult or tricky at all: Genl Knowledge (50 questions/10 errors or less to pass), Air Brakes (25/3), Combinations (20/3), Doubles-Triples (20/3), Tankers (20/3), Haz Mat (30/6) and Class C (18/3) (you must take Class C at the same time as CDL if you have not taken your Class C in more than a year). If you ride a motorcycle you take the M-1/M-2. Sounds like a lot but it was a piece of cake because the school prepared us very well and I studied hard.

We all asked for all 7 exams at the same time so we just stood at the writing station and powered through all 7 one after the other. Everyone passed everything easily and we all got our permits today. Yippee! Next phase is learn pre-trip by heart ("my running lights are amber in color, securely attached, not cracked or broken, and working...my windshield is securely attached, has a seal around it, not cracked or broken and it is clean. . .") and then start practicing in the empty truck at the yard. If this dummy can do it, you can do it, be safe and good luck.

 

Oh yeah, in Cali DMV if you want to get your stuff processed, definitely make an appointment. My teacher made an appointment for all of us, otherwise it will take you all frickin day and with all that chaos and unrestrained humanity swarming around the DMV waiting areas, by the time you get your tests in your hands you will be physically and emotionally exhausted and at a certain disadvantage, at least I would. The writing stations are very quiet though, and they had a security guard who kept on top of folks who insisted on talking loudly in the testing area.

Yes, we all took the tests at the same time. There are only 6 of us in my class and we were let out of class early afternoon and then we all drove to the DMV in our respective 4-wheels following the instructor in his like a herd of sheep. When the DMV finally acknowledged our appointments, we each got on line in front of everyone else (!) and one by one the DMV clerk gave each of us a ticket with our "number" and then you wait . . . and then the computerized voice announcer and the computer screens posted everywhere let you know which window to go to and when. Like at the deli! "Number F051, go to window 5!"

"License is open" is a DMV term which my teacher uses, it means you are in process for applying for the CDL, as you know you must first get your permit, then you come back and get your CDL license by test driving and performing the pre-trip and Cola-PS and probably some other stuff I don't about yet. Only at that point will you have the document that legally entitles you to operate commercial vehicles on the public roads and your license is not "open" any more, that's how I understand it. As you know the permit is only obtained so you can practice in a commercial truck with an instructor on board.

If you decide to take the Tanker later you will have to take all the other endorsements at the same time again, it's more money and more time you will spend in the future, so why not take them all now and get it over with. There is no penalty for failing and you will most likely pass. Tankers test is especially easy. The endorsements are good for one year.

I am still a student so I don't want to give the impression I know everything, just want to pass on my experience! I hope some senior drivers are reading and will correct me if I am wrong. For HazMat there is also a TSA background check and fingerprint procedure you have to go through, all related to post-911 changes in our country, we are doing all that next week so I don't know exactly what else is required beyond that because we are being led through it all by the school a step at a time. The teacher was there at the DMV when we took our tests and he told us we would be doing that next week.

 

to be honest i do not know the total costs, it is included in my tuition. i had to look it up in our class materials--they gave us the "California Commercial Driver Handbook, 2012-2013" published by the CA DMV, it says fees are subject to change each January 1, each endorsement costs $39. the CDL costs $66. retest fee $30. you might be able to find a PDF version of the booklet online

the teacher repeated the admonition to take all endorsements at the same time to avoid re-taking the others later, i am positive i understood him but i cannot find that anywhere in the written rules, will keep looking

ok here is an edit to my post: i found in the handbook where DMV refers to the CDL process as "a single application" and "you are allowed three attempts to pass the written knowledge test and a total of three attempts to pass the entire road test on a single application" i am guessing that language means if you fail at all your attempts you must start over because they don't want ppl taking the tests over and over and keep failing, they need some kind of "stick" to make the applicants have incentive to pass

and i called a trucker friend to explain the test thing and i think i got it now:
if you take all endorsements now and pass now you don't have to take all the tests again ever, the only thing you renew is your medical every 2 years

but if you choose not to take one of the endorsements like Tanks, and if after one year passes since you took the others and you want to take that Tanker endorsement, you will have to take them all again, basically you are starting over with the DMV process a year after you already got your CDL

and if you choose not to take the Tank test now and then you get a job right out of school (within the year) your employer will probably pay for you to go back to the DMV to take that test and and you would only have to take that Tanks test, the employer would probably even train you to pass it so i suppose you could gamble and not take it concurrent with the others

but once again, there is no good reason not to take it along with the others, it bumps up your resume and makes you look professional and fully prepared to prospective employers even if you have no intention of using the endorsement and it also expands your truck driving knowledge a little, more knowledge is a good thing in this industry, IMHO