What constitutes failing a truck driving test?

Traffic checks at each light either stopped at or driven thru will fail you due to an accumulation of points. Check left & right before, left & right during, and mirrors left and right after. In our state we have 23 points and if you completely miss 6 intersections of checks you FAIL. As far as curbs go rolling over one is immediate fail if anything swing it a little wide and it's only 1 point.

 

When taking your driving test you're basically starting off with 100%. They take away points for missed items on the pretrip, driving and backing tests. Too many missed points, must pay another fee and retake the test. Failing the air brake test is grounds for automatic failure. Remember to always be in control of the vehicle. If the brakes are not set, your foot is on the service brake or the wheels or chocked, or the vehicle is held by being shut off in a low gear. In other words, at no point should the vehicle be sitting neutral with no brakes applied. Go through all the air brakes test and know the air pressure points for each test.

Another gottcha is the backing tests. Some testing facilities want to see the driver 'get out and look' others limit pull-ups for correction to 2.

I seem to remember that we could only miss 19 items on the pretrip portion of the driving test.

Of course as mentioned, hitting objects is grounds for automatic failure. Curbs, telephone poles (on my test there was one particularly tricky bearing to the right turn with a telephone pole right next to the road, tester always hung their head out to see because that pole was scraped up like crazy) pedestrians, cars. No shifting gears in intersections, curves, uphill/downhill, railroad tracks. Stop far enough back that your *tester* not you, can see the white stop line over the hood, as well as the back tires on cars stopped in front.

Tester may have you pull over to the side and describe procedures for emergencies. You will have to verbally explain turning the wheel into the curb the right way, 4 way flashers, setting out your triangles, things of this nature.

It's funny that guys can go to the DMV and ace the written test but when it comes time to apply that very same knowledge in practical situations, they go blank.

 

Immediate pass with all endorsements.

 

Yea, that one's "state dependant"... up here it's a judgement call... you can't coast up to a stop in an "unreasonable" distance... there's no set in stone length.

Basically we got taught to get down to 5th gear (Fuller 9 & 13), let the RPMs get down under 1000, & then throw the clutch in.

 

just take your time, don't be nervous when you see your tester writing on his/her pad, their just doing there job. just drive the truck like their not there.

 

We were told to limit coasting to the length of the tractor/trailer.

 

First off you are required to do a pre-trip test:

In FL you either get the:

Engine compartment of Tractor
Tractor
From the tool door and back and that includes the 5th wheel, the base, the rear axles etc..
Trailer

EVERYONE GETS THE INCAB:

One mess up with the brakes and you failed automatically

For the Skills:

Straight Back (Everyone)
Offset left or right (either)
Parallel to the left or right (that)
or alley dock

Notes: You are allowed two pull ups but go SLOW and relax and you will do good.

Driving

They take you on a route and see if you know how todo turns, cross a hazmat railroad track (remember do not shift until your trailer is over). My instructor taught us to stop from 50ft and double clutch right away from 2nd to 3rd. They also simulate a flat tire: Do it like they teach you. You will be asked what the posted speed limit is, what sign you passed and what the signs mean.

Fail items:

Not wearing a seat belt
Speeding
Failure to use signals
Shifting over a railroad crossing
Stopping over the white line at intersections

KH

 

Do not coast longer than the length of your vehicle. probably a long shot, but if you are testing in Stockton, CA I can tell you everything the instructors are looking for

Also, i drove a flatbed for my test, and never verbally announced that i was "checking load securement" during/after cornering. You bet I missed points for that. Make sure you know your vehicle specifics, I guess is what I am trying to say.

 

I took my driving test in Stockton CA lol