effect of passing skills,pretrip,driving portion of the CDL test at different times

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Nightwind8830, Mar 31, 2014.

  1. Nightwind8830

    Nightwind8830 Medium Load Member

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    this post was accidental i dont know how to delete it.please disregard.
     
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  3. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    OK .... how does one fail the driving test?

    I thought that was the easiest part of all of it.
     
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  4. Nightwind8830

    Nightwind8830 Medium Load Member

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    Im not the best writer ,I'll try to explain as best I can: part of the test road has a downhill incline,you stop at the redlight on the downward incline,then shift into 4th gear once light turns green, make a left turn up an incline. i messed up shifting into 4th gear the first time I tested,the gears ground and i couldnt get into 4th even easing off the clutch didnt help. i think the RPM's were too high. that was enough for the state guy to tell me to drive back to the school,it was a fail.

    2nd time I tested, you go down a part of the main road for about a mile or so then stop at the light, I got up to 9th gear and messed up downshifting, i couldnt get it into the lower gear I needed,I slowed down enough to catch 3rd gear but it was enough for me to fail. state guy marked his clip board,told me to get more practice shifting, and we drove back to the school.

    i didnt have the $$ for more than 2 hours of practice per 2 week pay period(its $60/hr to practice driving).i felt like I needed more practice than that but didnt have the $$ until now.so, i now have money saved up, my plan is to pay for 10hrs of practice (I havent had more than 2 hours of practice in the last about 3 mos) and try the test again.

    And that is how you fail the test twice.

    my original driving hours were messed up at the school, i had a week of driving practice, 2 hours a day, then there was a 3 week gap, then about 6 hours of driving practice, then the gap of time were i needed to save up to practice skills. Hindsight is 20/20, had it even crossed my mind to apply for a student loan things wouldnt have been so drawn out.its all very aggrevating. i keep reading and posting here,waiting for my time to drive like "When Lord, Whens My Time?!?!?"
     
  5. Olympian

    Olympian Medium Load Member

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    Dude, save your money. Apply with a mega carrier that will put you through school. Unless you are a complete and utter dufus, you will pass the driving portion of the test. In any event, even if you do somehow eventually pass the driving test on your own, you will end up working for one of those big mega carriers nonetheless, at least until you acquire the requisite experience and safety record to seek better employment elsewhere.
     
  6. Nightwind8830

    Nightwind8830 Medium Load Member

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    Id rather pass the test of my own volition than be chained to a mega carrier for two years. its just not worth it.ive already paid for this school,ive already gotten this far,i need to finish.
    I have a job right now, and the convenience of looking for a better place to start so im going to take advantage of that.
     
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  7. Olympian

    Olympian Medium Load Member

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    What you mean? You are going to be chained to one of those mega carriers you dislike so much regardless, because no one else will hire anyone without experience in any event, especially one that can't even pass the driving portion of the test! Hell, since you are going to have to pay your dues just like everyone else, then you might as well let them pay for your school too. That is unless you just like throwing good money away. Indeed, if you would have swallowed your pride and gone through a mega carrier school to begin with, as opposed to your now unsuccessful alternative route, you'd already be a solo driver by now and earning money. Gee wiz...do you know how much money you have already loss? Figure it out!
     
  8. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    It's not for 2 years unless you intend to get paid back for the training.
    And at any rate, you'll have to stay with your first job for at least a year to land something better.

    You are very weak in shifting skills. You really might be better off getting more training from Swift (or another mega) to get your skills more honed.
    If you can't get it into 4th while sitting still, and can't find a lower gear until you are nearly stopped - you really need more training in the very basics.

    You seem to want to rush it by getting a few hours here and there, when you should really be going slower and getting trained better.
     
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  9. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    Ya.
    I was gonna mention that pride thing as well.
     
  10. e40water12

    e40water12 Bobtail Member

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    New trucker has to do what it takes. We were all new at one point. I started at the bottom getting to the top. Takes time to get the experience. You want to make $$$$ company will pay. They want something in return experience.

    Good luck keep safe.
     
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  11. TAC12

    TAC12 Light Load Member

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    Jan 27, 2014
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    I'm sorta confused......Did you go to a school or do your own "hire by the hour" training? I went to roadmaster and from what I seen most, if not all are only 160 hr class which equates to 3 weeks and they concentrate on shifting, especially down shifting....It is all indeed in the RPM's. watch your gauges and allow the the transmission to slow the truck down. Up shift 12-1500, if your slow start your down shifting at 1300 or so and by the time you get it in you should be around the 1000 RPM's required and yes it does depend on truck/transmission. However, the pass/fail rates isnt probably much different at any school. I took 2 whirls at it here in GA. 1st attempt failed at blind side parallel...However the road test should be the easiest part as it was for myself. Like others have said; since you are going to have to go to work for one of the "Big 10" you may have been better to allow them to pay for it...You will be a slave to those masters for a while anyway. No way anyone will hire you as a student other than them so let front the tab and get what you can.....

    Best of Luck!!!!
     
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