CDL Tests General Knowledge

I may not be mechanically inclined to rebuild an engine on the road, but pretripping, tire changes, oil changing and all that minor stuff is my bag. My step dad use to put me up on his lap in his Coors truck back in the 80s, all I know is the feel of the wheel, and the vibration of the truck is luring enough to put in the work and effort to live the lifestyle.

I would look at photos of Mount Rushmore, The Rockies, New Mexico Desert, Flagstaff Arizona. Many places out of South and North Carolina, I knew I was hooked. I know about the family warnings, the setbacks, and even remember a story about the time my dad was stuck in Washington state for 4 weeks because he offered to take a job out of his region, and had to wait that long before coming back. Luckily he had family up there lived on their farm the whole time waiting for that load back. M.S. Carriers was his truck at the time, he was an Owner/Op at the time.

One time when I was 21, I was in my 1988 Thunderbird, Drivers side window broke out, Passenger window would not roll up. It had a radiator like a vampire (it sucked), I was stopped at a 4way in colorado the sign said "LAST CHANCE COLORADO" there were 4 empty buildings and 2 ways to turn, west and north. I went north forgetting about my radiator's abilities, as soon as I was a mile high I heard the clicking, I saw the smoke, and I smart the last fart that Good ole Thunderbird would give. As I sat there 48 hours in a hotel on the outskirts of Denver, I knew that travel was one of my passions and was willing to break down to get out there and explore, like Magellan in a Pontiac. When my dad pulled up in his Kenworth, he took me all over America to "Get it out of my system", what he didn't realize was That it stuck with me, He made unload tractor tires in Oceanside, and Car Parts in Port Copquitlam Canada. It was when we hit Tunica Miss. he took me to my first Casino. All I remember was his life was a dream.

But I never respected it, I never saw him doing his pretrips yet always wondered why he would check the hood, hoses, trailer and truck, i chocked it up to habit. I never paid attention to the minor details, paying for gas, Breaking down, being stuck without a load in Pocahontas IN, i never paid much attention because I was loving just being out there. Now I am learning from the ground up and I will get there one day, I will live the dream of Breaking down in the desert, pretripping in below 30 degree weather, and doing my best to keep them 4wheelers at bay constantly on alert. But when I hit that truck Stop in Texas, Shaped like a castle on the outside, looking like a log cabin on the inside, and I bite into that wonderful Open Face Roast beef Sandwich, I will be happy..

sorry for the long post but thems my 2cents