CDL A questions.

I don't think that's 100 percent true as they require that of all drivers these days, even drivers with many miles of experience and good driving record as well as verifiable experience.

 

What exactly are you disagreeing with? The megas are self-insured. Any self-insured company that tries passing the buck on any business decision they've made off on the insurance company is just blowing smoke up your ###. Of course they want you to go to their company-sponsored training ($$$ you owe them) for a "refresher"...because you either have the money for it ($$$ you're paying them) or you don't ($$$ they get to "take" from your paychecks, guaranteeing you stay with them while earning less than you would elsewhere). It is a scam that benefits these companies at the driver's expense.

As a driver who's been out here a while and a good driving record, I've never been asked for any certificate from any school. In fact, I've been offered a job on the spot every time I've filled out an application, simply based upon my experience and MVR...but then again I don't apply at bottom-feeder "starter" companies.

 

You can't get around taking the road test again, but in reality you never took it, you (I assume) took it in your current setup? Problem with that is being the same length means nothing. Shifting and stopping become the issue. I'm not sure if a refresher course is what you need, if you've never driven a T/T you really need to start from scratch. The only possible loophole I can see is that you've technically had your class A already, so minus the restriction if may APPEAR that your not a new driver depending on how your states driving records show stuff. Here in VA our "Employment" driving records leave a lot of stuff off.

 

It has to to do with how they are measured. A 53' semi trailer is 53' from the very front to the very rear of it. On gooseneck trailers a 40' trailer has a 40' deck and then the neck sticks out in front of that so the overall trailer length is probably close to 48' maybe a little longer. With a 40' GN he is probably very close length wise to a semi with a 48' trailer

 

Unless they recently changed it Texas does not have a pretrip test other than the written part nor do they have an automatic restriction. You can go pay $500 in the Dallas area and rent and automatic truck with a 28' pup trailer and get a full unrestricted class a license. That is how I got mine it was easy. There was a guy there when I took it that was doing the exact same thing you are he had a class a with the air brake restriction and was driving a pickup hotshot but wanted to move up to air brakes.

 

I know somebody that had a class b with air brakes then got his combination with a ton truck and goose neck. Maybe you can take the test in a class B vehicle with air just to get the restriction removed and still maintain the class A. Just a thought opening more possible options for vehicles to use. Of course if you also have an auto restriction you'll need to cover that base as well.

 

Having just taken the Illinois test last month, I can attest to the truth of this statement. You can get 99.9% of the pre-trip right and make one small mistake and they fail you. It did not happen very much at the school I went to but that is only because they knew what the examiners would ask and drilled it into our heads every day. At the DMV you could get a hard-### or someone easy...

 

As far as i know, up here anyway.... all you need is the pre/post. No driving. You have the A, just need the air bump, i would call.