New driver CDL test...

Around here you can use a 6 wheel dump truck and a bobcat trailer

 

Oh ok. I know its not an endorsement, its one of the basic requirements. I didnt know you could use a 28' foot trailer. my bad.

 

Using a 28ft trailer for the test might be a disservice if you're not used to backing them and youll end up oversteering all over the place. Go with a 53' and it should be cake

 

Yeah it would be easier with a longer trailer than a shorter one. The little ones will make you snake all over the place!

 

How long do you think trucks have had Airbrakes?





American Trucker

 

A 53' in my opinion is not a good choice.

Of all the maneuvers at least one will be very difficult with a day cab and "###### near" impossible with a 53' and a sleeper tractor. On the 90 degree alley dock there is only 70' to the cone wall ahead of the alley. Much more manageable with a 45-48' trailer.

The offsets have 140' from the alley to the cone wall. It's manageable with a 53' but much easier with a 45-48' trailer.

 

exactly why they should ONLY use a sleeper with a 53'. Thats what most truck drivers use, if you cant operate it, you should NOT have a CDL Period!






American Trucker

 

While I appreciate your point, you do realize that

1) For a CDL test we are dealing with rookies. Drivers who have a minimum skill level.

2) Even a seasoned veteran such as yourself will have hell trying to put a 70'+ T/T in a 12'x40' lane with only 70' ahead of you 90 degrees off without losing many many points. It can be done and I do it daily, in fact I can do it from the right seat better than from the left, but I'm not the rookie with a couple of weeks or months of training. That's who is being tested. For the new guy give him a 48' trailer and a total length of 68' or a 45' with an overall of 65' or so.

 

I've never seen such a tight testing area for a CDL. But either way right out of orientation they are going to have to take a sleeper with a 53' to lots of places much tighter then that, even truck stops can be much worse then that. And considering the fact that cdl schools teach the test they spent 3-4 weeks repetively doing that back, they should be able to do it once good enough to pass on test day.

Perhaps they should be useing a bigger area to test?


If it where up to me there would be stricked regulations on CDL Schools, Testing, and CDL eligibitly. Which would solve or at least make allot of the issues in this industry go away or not be as bad.

Same for drivers licenses there are more of them then us, they consist of 80% of the accidents in this country, and of the 20% that involve Big Trucks 80% of those are the fault of the car, yet because 2% of all the accidents in this country are the fault of a Truck Driver we get it up the a$& while they continue to do as they please and pay their $50 tickets and go on with life like nothing happend




American Trucker