Enforcement question

You have to test in a standard transmission class A vehicle. And I'm pretty sure it has to be pulling a trailer.

 

How did you get your current CDL?
Sounds like a load of carp.

 

Certain situations where your dump truck would be pulling a airbrake equipped trailer makes you a restricted Class A situation. Thats still a combination vehicle. You need to have a manual transmission in that cab for them to lift the auto restriction.

I have said this before and continue to say it again, when the states decided to make this restriction on CDL's they create a problem by limiting potential employees that legally can run a tractor trailer with a manual. That particular problem needs to be stopped by making the states repeal that restriction nationwide. Its so stupid.

Also people in trucking school should be told straight up from day one that they will have a auto restriction if they do not test in a manual transmission vehicle for trucking. The school should make availible to them a manual tractor so they can learn on the #### thing and test on it when the day comes at the DMV. Its a no brainer.

Push button autos are not the be all end all. 20 years ago when FFE bought the first auto and gave it to me and my spouse when she was brought to orientation after graduating trucking test (In a manual... we did not have auto restrictions back then, that started sometime after 2003. FFE told me that the Auto is to benefit my spouse who might be stressed about manuals in general and would be a better trainee and eventually a better team driver when the truck has a auto and able to eliminate a stressor so she can just drive.

Ultimately that was all FFE cared about when they bought the auto. They want her to drive forward without tearing the transmission up or have a bad training experience learning how to shift the thing. It was a good automatic we had from Rockwell Meritor in the 2000 year. It had a paddle shift, normal P, R, N, D and L plus M for manual stay in one gear for mountain work, or ice or whatever. It was a good transmission.

It would have been better that the states never adopted this restriction in this industry for that type of licensing. It creates more problems down the road.

 

Is this what they are doing with the "New Breed"?