Passing the pre-trip exam

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by david2015, Feb 16, 2015.

  1. david2015

    david2015 Bobtail Member

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    I recently took the pre trip exam and failed it. Right from the beginning the examiner acted like a jerk. Threatened to fail me every step of the way and I could just tell he was really enjoying his power trip. I was almost home free when I had to do the service brake on a combination vehicle. I failed to engage the clutch down far enough and before I knew the truck stalled and without hesitation he told me I had failed. It happened so fast, I couldn't believe it. How can I fail it when I know exactly why this happened, plus this isn't a road test. Anyway, I'll do better next time. Has anyone had something like this happen to you? How did you handle it?
     
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  3. 77smartin

    77smartin Road Train Member

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    I dunno.
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    Yeh...study, practice and take it again.

    ...and a few words of advice as you enter this industry....

    Don't look to blame others when things don't go your way.

    Take it or leave it.
     
  4. crzyjarmans

    crzyjarmans Road Train Member

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    is this a written pre-trip exam? or are you at a truck actually doing a pre-trip? how are you explaining to the examiner what your looking at, what are the words your using? Back in the 90's I took a job with a small outfit, they wanting me to do a pre-trip in their presence, said they wanted to make sure I new what I was doing even tho at the time I had been driving about 8 years, so, I did, and the words I used for a lot of the parts of the pre-trip. I would say "properly mounted and secure", mirrors, mirror bracket, doors, hood, hood latches, ext ext ext, Study up, try again, don't try and rush through it, take your time, it's not a race to the finish line, best of luck
     
  5. GreenMonster9669

    GreenMonster9669 Medium Load Member

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    I failed the pre-trip portion of my road test the first time around. I got nervous and left out a step on the air brake check. I didn't realize there was a problem until she said I had failed. I told I would remember it the next time and she said "I bet you will". And I did.

    You think the cop is a jerk? Just wait till you're on your own for a week or two trying to hit a dock or a parking space and you're in the way of other trucks waiting to get by. LOL
     
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  6. Danvitt

    Danvitt Light Load Member

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    Some of this stuff is just so ridiculous. An alternator, Properly mounted, and secure? Who the heck says that? (yea I know, I will if I want to pass) and why do they even care? If an alternator isn't there the worst thing that's gonna happen is the truck wont start! big whoop! I worked several years as a mechanic and not once have I seen a vehicle come in with the alternator just dangling. (unless it just got wrecked) Whoever invented this routine must of been watching to much full metal jacket
     
  7. G.Anthony

    G.Anthony Road Train Member

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    I cannot say for sure the cop is/was a jerk towards the o/p. She did not fail the test, he did. There is an awesome responsibility that the test givers have. Sure, we have all seen drivers out there, and we wonder how in the heck did they ever get their license, when in fact, all they had to do was, "do it right", and pass.

    Not everyone can pass every test on the first try. It does take some practice to well, pass.

    Since the o/p failed, then the o/p failed, not the test giver. And please do not think for a minute that all of the DMV testers are only desk jockeys. In some states, those people have a CDL as well, or are retired truckers. My state, is a perfect example of that. Many of the DMV CDL testers are indeed former truckers. If they see a student fail, they cut no one NO slack, the o/p failed, and failed all on HIS OWN.

    In the state next to me? ALL State police give out the tests. Muck up once? You're toast, no if's and's or but's.

    I think that is the way it SHOULD BE. If you want to pass, you have to practice, practice, practice.

    the o/p cannot blame nor call someone a jerk, because HE FAILED, after all, HE WAS the one taking the test, and they make sure he knew his shyte!


    Had to make several corrections, due to my mistaken of another poster, my bad, sorry
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2015
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  8. G.Anthony

    G.Anthony Road Train Member

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    What I have underlined. They only want to know, that YOU KNOW the alternator IS PROPERLY mounted and secured. You obviously (I guess) are not aware of the immense vibrations under the hood, and the pounding a truck takes, all the while the air ride suspension gives you a soft ride. A loose alternator mounting bolt can come completely out, and either fall directly to the ground, or may even get shoot out and into the fan. Wanna see some damage, all because no one thought to check the mounting bolts (that can be seen?).

    As I see it, tell them what they want to hear, if you would like to pass, and get your career started.. In fact, when in CDL school, don't the instructors TELL YOU to loudly name off what you are doing/seeing in the pre-trip?
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2015
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  9. Danvitt

    Danvitt Light Load Member

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    I can see the purpose, (a break down in heavy traffic and no place to pull over could cause accidents) and I'm not really complaining about it. It just seems to me they overdo it a bit. People like me are pretty good at knowing what their doing, but have difficulty explaining we know what were doing to someone else. I don't see why we can't have a checklist in hand. Follow the checklist and your good.

    But you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be able to pass the CDL written, all endorsements, and the pretrip before I even set foot in a school.
     
  10. gpsman

    gpsman Road Train Member

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    False premise. The premise is: "properly mounted and secure", not "present or missing". If it is not properly mounted and secure, it may fall off, or it may throw the belt, etc.

    A truck is not a 4-wheeler. It is subject to much more vibration and stress.

    Start your 4-wheeler and drop an alternator between the fan and block while imagining you're doing 70 in traffic. I'll reimburse you for the alternator.
     
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  11. G.Anthony

    G.Anthony Road Train Member

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    Well to have a list of the pre-trip items while you are taking the test, is, well, cheating. The DMV testers need to know, that we know. When we finally get our CDL, and our first and up to our last job, and even till the last day of that last job, we do the pre-trip by memory as we had done it a gazillion times. Yes, it is at times, hard to tell someone what you are looking at/for. That is one of the reasons why when being tested, you speak up and say, "brake chamber hose not cracked or broken". If the tester see's you "just looking", be honest now, does he/she really know what you are looking at?

    Probably not. I think that over all, many students that fail ANY portion of ANY CDL test (skills testing) at the DMV road test site, take the blame for their failure, and simply do not call the tester a jerk.

    To me, to pass blame did not start at that point and time of that person's life, but from maybe the first day he/she pooped into the diaper and said, "someone else just did that, not me".

    Passing blame onto someone else, for one's own failures is galling, and sadly, since that person started passing the blame from day one, will continue to do so, and never owe up to any responsibilities they have.
     
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