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Pretrip Inspection Scoring Criteria

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Beaumont, Jul 13, 2020.

  1. Jul 13, 2020 #1
    Beaumont

    Beaumont Bobtail Member

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    Jul 13, 2020
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    Can someone explain to me the scoring criteria for a pretrip inspection, and whether it varies from state to state. I think there are about 100 components that should be mentioned to the examiner, and I read somewhere that 12 is the maximum number you can miss and still pass the test. Does that sound right?
    Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.
     
    Beaumont, Jul 13, 2020
    Beaumont, Jul 13, 2020
    #1
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  3. Jul 13, 2020 #2
    Hazmat Cat

    Hazmat Cat Medium Load Member

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    If you are worrying about the number you can miss, you may be studying the wrong way..
     
    Hazmat Cat, Jul 13, 2020
    Hazmat Cat, Jul 13, 2020
    #2
    buddyd157 Thanks this.
  4. Jul 13, 2020 #3
    Irishfan

    Irishfan Light Load Member

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    Jul 11, 2020
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    I am offering this reply as someone who took his CDL test 11 days ago and passed the first time. Don't count points. There is a reason why they don't teach you how many points there are and how many you can miss. They want you focused on learning the whole truck and trailer. If you know you can miss an exact number of points, and know which items count as a point, then you will only study to just get by. Have a video taken of an instructor doing a full pre-trip. Study that, in combination with your notes over and over and over. Also, the time lapse between your last day of class and your CDL test, fill that time with studying. The pre-trip, if you have paid attention in class and studied, you should be fine. The air brakes though is what gets a lot of people. You can't miss anything. Be spot on with the air brakes. Sit in your car and pretend it is a truck doing the the air brakes routine. Teach as many people as are willing to listen about doing the air brakes routine. Record the routine and have it playing in your ears while sleeping. Now, go get that CDL.
     
    Irishfan, Jul 13, 2020
    Irishfan, Jul 13, 2020
    #3
    homeskillet and faux_maestro Thank this.
  6. Jul 14, 2020 #5
    Beaumont

    Beaumont Bobtail Member

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    Jul 13, 2020
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    Thanks for that excellent advice -- it will benefit anyone who reads it and hasn't yet passed their CDL exam.
    I should have explained myself better: I did have a CDL back in 2015-2016 (and yes, studying the CDL manual fervently plus watching videos of pre-trip inspections helped a lot).
    My reason for asking the question was to fact-check -- I'm writing a book (most likely to be offered up in electronic format on Amazon or eBay for a dirt-cheap price) about my short career as a trucker.
    Despite having a college degree and many years of experience in my field, I had a devil of a time finding a good job in a horrible job market a few years ago (age discrimination). So I went to trucking school, earned a CDL, and drove a big rig for 2 years. My wife didn't like me being gone so much, so I gradually worked my way back into the white collar world. Here's what I hope to accomplish with the book:
    1) Explain the trucking field to those who don't appreciate its importance to our economy and way of life. (This would include a description of the intense studying, training, testing and preparation one must go through to obtain a CDL, as well as descriptions of the trucking lifestyle);
    2) To entertain -- a white collar guy getting into trucking for the first time has an outsider's perspective. There are some funny and compelling anecdotes, humbling experiences and many lessons learned. An overall theme is that this industry is full of great people, and truck drivers are a lot smarter and more well-rounded than the public gives them credit for.
    In one chapter, I explain the technical / mechanical aspects to impart an understanding of how complex these trucks are. Yet I don't want to get too far down in the weeds.
    Anyway, thanks for the response. I'm not sure this project will be successful, but believe it's worth trying.
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2020
    Beaumont, Jul 14, 2020
    Beaumont, Jul 14, 2020
    #5
    homeskillet Thanks this.
  8. Jul 14, 2020 #5
    Irishfan

    Irishfan Light Load Member

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    It seems that I would have done well to ask if you were in school to get your CDL instead of just assuming. I wish you the best in your publishing endeavor. :Lorry:
     
    Irishfan, Jul 14, 2020
    Irishfan, Jul 14, 2020
    #5
    homeskillet Thanks this.
  9. Jul 15, 2020 #6
    Rideandrepair

    Rideandrepair Road Train Member

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    I don’t know. But if you break the hub cap, while checking the front hub oil, it’s automatic failure. Lol. I bumped it with my hand, and shattered the plastic glass window!!! The Guy threw a fit!! This is what they send Me!!! Said I’d never make it. Well, I did, and He’s still an Idiot.
     
    Rideandrepair, Jul 15, 2020
    Rideandrepair, Jul 15, 2020
    #6
    homeskillet Thanks this.
  10. Jul 16, 2020 #7
    Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    Let me be frank with you, if you are going to weigh elements of a pre-trip and try to explain it with a score for passing a cdl, it is absolutely useless.



    I feel if you want to write anything about being a driver, go back on the road. It has changed again since this virus crap and eld came on the scene.

    Also the cdl test itself is one of the easiest things out there. The cdl manual that states use is pretty straight forward.
     
    Ridgeline, Jul 16, 2020
    Ridgeline, Jul 16, 2020
    #7
  11. Jul 17, 2020 #8
    Moose1958

    Moose1958 Road Train Member

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    My
    [​IMG]

    If you are in school simply perform the pre-trip the way your instructor taught you to do it. I can't tell you how many times I have had CDL wannabees ask me that question. I always reply with how were you taught to do it? Stop worrying about do-overs and numbers. Just do it the way you are taught! If you are not being taught then you need to find another school.
     
    Moose1958, Jul 17, 2020
    Moose1958, Jul 17, 2020
    #8
  12. Jul 17, 2020 #9
    meechyaboy

    meechyaboy Heavy Load Member

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    Detroit, Michigan
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    ^^^ this

    If you do it exactly front to back it’s like memorizing a speech .. I just know it’s broken down via interior brake test... brake test is a automatic fail if wrong....
    Then 90% is brakes tires lights.
     
    meechyaboy, Jul 17, 2020
    meechyaboy, Jul 17, 2020
    #9
  13. Jul 17, 2020 #10
    Irishfan

    Irishfan Light Load Member

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    That is exactly how I approached it.:thumbleft:
     
    Irishfan, Jul 17, 2020
    Irishfan, Jul 17, 2020
    #10
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