Switching from class b to class a

@x1Heavy I can not speak for every state their testing rules or customs. I understand what Grandfathering is. I was not required to take a pretrip/road test at all for my original CDL way back when. All I know is what these testers told me. They will not partial test. They do class A as well as B testing (school bus too). They demand the applicant shows knowledge of doing a pretrip and if vehicle has air brakes how to test them. One such guy tests in Indiana. He told me several months ago of failing a guy that actually had a B CDL because he blew up the pretrip.

 

Thank you kindly for the clarification. And taking the time to write.

Today is a difficult day for me, but all is well. On days like that I don't have the reach of though to see all sides of a given issue.

 

I'm am sorry, I mean a road test.

There was a misconception on another site that there is a partial and a full road test and I posted there before I posted here.

 

Prior to 2015 you would be right. In 2015 the FMCSA homogenized all CDL testing and changed some of the rules for upgrading license classes. To go from a B to an A will require a road test in a representative vehicle (which may have hydraulic brakes), but since the OP already has the air brake restriction removed there will be no further testing required. There is no distinction between class A or B air brake restriction any more.

Further, to simply remove an air brake restriction no longer requires a road test, only the knowledge and pre-trip test. You only have to demonstrate you can inspect the air brake components and that you can do the in-cab brake check. No driving skills are required to remove air brake restriction.

When I get back home, in Dallas at a trade show until Sunday, I will post the relevant portion of the AAMVA manual for examiners. I do CDL training and was a third party tester, actually in the process of getting a new site set up to reactivate my status. We have a huge backlog of CDL exams in Pennsylvania and I intend to take advantage of that along with the fact we can now test out of state permit holders as well. I am within 8 miles of both NY and NJ, so there is an abundance of permit holders looking for testing facilities.

 

Somewhere I have that manual on a PDF. It's been a while since I looked at it. @brian991219 you kind of summed up what I was saying. It is true that the practical test has nothing to do with what is already on your CDL if you have a B and are upgrading. To pass that test you got to show that examiner you know how to pretrip, know how to test the brakes and drive the dang thing.

 

Ok got it, to me it is just sad. The ease of the licensing process thanks to the Feds is why we have so many crap drivers in the road.