Community College considered 3rd party tester?

You won't have to borrow a truck. The CDL school may be a 3rd party tester; ask them.

 

The certificate is just a certificate of completion, similar to a diploma.. I attended a community college. The teachers were also 3rd party testers who gave us our road test. If this is not the case, then they should bring someone to the school who is certified to do your road test. They gave us a letter saying we passed our road test and we took that letter to the DMV to get our CDL issued. As Chinatown stated, only the school can give you the most accurate info on this situation.. We would not want to misinform you!

 

I received a certificate when I completed my community college CDL course.

It says on it, "This is to certify that [my name] is presented this certificate of completion for 'Commercial Driver's Class A Training' training requirements set forth in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for entry-level driver training in accordance with 49 CFR 380.503."

We used the school's trucks. My instructors were employees of the state of Virginia and the trucks had Virginia state license plates. When the time came, I drove my student truck to the DMV and tested in that truck for my CDL.
Our instructors were not third party testers - for that there were the DMV folks with their uniforms and dark sunglasses and blank expressions. Some states allow third-party testing and some do not.

 

When I took my CC CDL class in NC, the instructors also administered the road test at the completion of the course.

 

At my C.C., Indian Hills in Ottumwa, IA two for the instructors where "3rd party testers". It meant they knew what the proper requirements of the DOT and ran students through them. When satisfied, they could sign off that a student passed and the student would get their full CDL from the DOT.

Having said that, they way it worked in my class, official DOT testing personal came out to the campus and kind of spot tested students in some areas and oversaw as the instructors tested others. Of about 20 students, about 5 had direct contact with the DOT officials, the rest where signed off by instructors and we all got our CDL.

It is generally said, instructors are more strict that students fulfill the requirements of a DOT test, more strict that the DOT testers themselves, but instructors will take the time and work with you until you get there.

 

The certificate is your diploma. I did mine at a community college and we had a 3rd party tester come in and test us. Our main instructor was a 3rd party tester but he didnt test us since he was our instructor. After our test we were given a sealed envelope to take to the DMV or whatever your state calls it and get our license.

 

To be in strict compliance with the federal rules and regulations, third party means just that. The tester did not instruct the student in any form or fashion.

 

A really good friends son did the same here in NC....