Automatic failures

Discussion in 'Trucking Schools and CDL Training Forum' started by Ugminer, May 10, 2022.

  1. DRTDEVL

    DRTDEVL Road Train Member

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    And what about the companies with manual mode locked out?
     
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  3. flood

    flood Road Train Member

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    don't let it shift...!!
    It's not that hard to do...
     
  4. Knightcrawler

    Knightcrawler Heavy Load Member

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    No idea. I have this piece of pipe sticking out of my floor that I rattle around now and again...
     
    flood Thanks this.
  5. Henley

    Henley Light Load Member

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    Here in Wyoming, you get one GOAL on the straight line back, and two GOALs each for the offset back and the alley dock. If you GOAL a second time on the straight line, or a third time on either of the other two backing maneuvers, that is an automatic fail. And the local tester here is pretty strict on what counts as getting out and looking--if your butt leaves the seat she considers that a get out. And she's given someone a GOAL before for leaning too far out the driver's window, which I think is a bit unfair. You can touch the cones, nudging one or rubbing the side of a cone with your tires, but if a cone gets knocked over that's an automatic fail. You can also fail by pulling up too many times, because after one or two, depending on the maneuver, each pull up costs a point. So there is a limit on pull ups, and it's a cumulative limit across all three backing maneuvers. If you have to pull up eight or nine times on the offset back, you're only going to have one or two extra pull ups available for the alley dock. I've seen students point out on the test by using too many pull ups.

    There's also a time limitation. Running out of time isn't a fail, but it means you won't be able to finish the test and will have to schedule a second test, which cannot be scheduled less than a week after the initial test. Each test is given two hours start to finish, and if you're an hour and forty-five minutes in and just now finished the backing you're not going to have enough time for the road test, which takes around thirty-five minutes. The good news is that when you re-test you only have to repeat the things you failed or didn't complete the first time, so using the example I just laid out, assuming you passed the pretrip and the backing but used up too much time doing those two, next time you only have to do the road test. If you failed the pretrip but passed the backing (in Wyoming you do both of those on the first test even if you fail the pretrip) you'll have to repeat the pretrip on your re-test and if you pass that then you can do the road test. If you fail either the pretrip or the backing you will not do the road test.

    Another automatic fail that applies to all parts of the test is not following instructions. That could be a simple mistake like not honking the horn when you've completed a back, but you have to do what the tester tells you.

    On the driving part of the test, there are several automatic fails. Hitting anything with the truck, whether it's a curb, a stop sign, whatever, ends the test right then and there. If you're involved in an accident, even if it's not your fault, the test is over. Traffic violations can be automatic fails, depending on the severity.
    Minor speeding probably won't fail you, but serious speeding will. Anything dangerous or unsafe is an automatic fail. Coasting in neutral for longer than the length of the truck is an automatic fail. Not using a seatbelt will fail you. Even starting the truck without the seatbelt fastened is a fail.

    There are lots of things that can cost you points on the road test. Shifting during a turn, and by during I mean that if the tractor and trailer are not fully straightened out with each other, you're still turning. Shifting in an intersection is a point, so you have to either stop far enough back before the intersection to allow yourself room to shift before you enter the intersection, or you stay in low gear all the way through until the DOT bumper on the trailer has completely exited the intersection. Shifting on railroad tracks isn't an automatic fail, at least not in Wyoming, but it will cost you points. Turning the steering wheel hand over hand is against the rules, as is leaving your right hand on the shifter. Both hands have to be on the steering wheel at all times unless you're actively shifting. You can't have road rage during a road test. You wouldn't think that would have to be pointed out, but I've seen people fail because of it.
     
  6. Dave_in_AZ

    Dave_in_AZ Road Train Member

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    I did mine in Indiana but can't remember. I do know I never got out.

    Do they still do the serpentine and parallel park?
     
  7. FozzyNOK

    FozzyNOK Road Train Member

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    Oklahomistan
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    It depends on the state you're taking the test in. There are usually a finite number of pull ups, this isn't conducive to safe backing, but the whole thing is about time.. if you allowed endless pull ups, the examiners would only be able to conduct a couple of tests per day. I most places, you are docked points for exessive pull ups, but unless you strike or go outside the backing target area, it should just be points .
     
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