im takeing my cdl road test in a couple weeks just looking for any tips and tricks

Make sure the seat is adjusted so that you can hit the pedals easy and comfortable like, and adjust the mirrors downward slightly to see your trailer end easy. Like all the others said read the signs and all that stuff. Keep those eyes watching ahead with the Smith system and Good Luck!

 

kw18- Hope test day goes well for you, Try to slow it all down in your mind as well as on the road and you will do fine. There is some pretty goog advice on here . Like other posters have said remember what you have learned. I do not know what state you are in but in Illinois during pre-trip when the examiner had you go through brake tests and it was time to test slack adjusters you have to get out of truck with it in low gear not running of course but you have to either tell them you are getting out with key in pocket (if they just want you to simulate) or take it with you to do slack adjuster test other wise instant fail All I know is Illinois hammers you hard on pre-trip any more. Hope this helps

 

So about those federally mandated CDL requirements..... Seems like a lot of variation between states. Get outs, pull ups, angle of the alley dock.....

So the whole argument for the CDL being to have federal standards so each state's CDL speaks to the same skill set was a sham wasn't it?

NH allows 2 get outs, one "free" pull up per maneuver. (additional pull ups are 2 points each) The alley dock is from a 90 degree angle, you don't know if you will have to demonstrate the left or right side parallel park or the alley dock. No matter what you will straight back and offset back.

No practicing at any CDL test site is allowed in NH.

Shall we talk measurements? NH gives you 15' over your overall length for the parallel park, and 70' for the 90 degree alley dock.

Interesting thread. I know I've got an awful case of test anxiety when it comes to this stuff. I've never had it before but something about CDL testing gets me.

The only useful advice I've got is don't bring a tri-axle trailer if you've got the choice.

Good luck.

 

I took my test almost 2 years ago now but it is still the same so I will throw in some testing stuff from out here on the west coast, Nevada specifically in case it will possibly help anyone else in the future.

Pre trip; the manual doesnt tell you everything especially if you arent testing in common tractor trailer combo. I took my test with an end dump and there are many additional things to inspect on there that are specific to the trailer and werent in the book so just be safe and point out anything and everything you can possibly think of if you are drawing a blank with nervousness. Take a deep breath and dont get in a rush, cover all your bases and take as much time as you need.

Skills; in Nevada we have to do a right hand turn getting the rear axle of your trailer as close as humanly possible to the cone without touching it, 90 degree alley dock, a serpentine back up and a sight side parallel park. Alley dock, gives you about 8" leway on each side of the trailer so its pretty tight, rear most part of the trailer must be within the 1' box. Serpentine backing is your overall is done in a space that is the overall length of your tractor/trailer plus 10', again tight boundary lines. Lastly a parallel parking, length of your trailer plus 10', same width lines and cones as the alley dock and the rear most part of the trailer must be in the 1' box again. Like anywhere touching cones or lines in like hitting a wall basically, many points lost. No getting out of the truck, your examiner is your safety adviser and will prevent you from hitting buildings, fences ect. You can hang out the window while backing if you would like. Make your pull ups count, doesnt matter if you pull up 1' or 50' its still the same points. The best advice my veteran truck driver dad ever gave me when learning to back up is SET UP IS EVERYTHING !!!

Road Test; everything that everbody else said but a few more here. Nevada you are required to upshift and downshift by double clutching, ugh I never learned to double clutch downshifting, lost points there. My test was in Reno so all city driving and busy areas plus like 1 miles on I80. Coasting farther than 100' at anytime is a huge loss of points and close to a fail. Can not shift any gears in an intersection. Watch out for little hidden side streets, even if it is several lanes in the direction you are going you cant change lanes anywhere near that side street intersection. Even a slight roll back is a major loss of points a well as any curbing. And finally one they go me on, if you are approaching a light and it turns yellow right in front of you but its clearly to close to come to a stop safely make sure you at least acknowledge it or make a motion as if you thought about stopping dont just drive through like nothing happened.


Most of all as everyone said stop take a deep breath then continue and be confident whether its your first attempt or not. Its easy to end up making silly little mistakes that you would never do normally when you are nervous so think twice. Myself I had my favorite music radio station on playing faintly in the background, just so you could barely hear it and not distracting, it really calmed my nerves, my absolute favorite song came on just as I started to struggle on the parallel park and I did fine after that.

So give 'er hell and remember, engage brain before transmission

 

Thanks.... My road test is on monday.

 

Either because some states have changed since some have taken the test or because some states have yet to implement the 2005 Test Model. If states have not implemented the 2005 Test Model, they have until the end of this year to do so.

Even with the 2005 Test Model, states do have some amount of flexibility.

That's pretty close to the 2005 Test Model, and the slight differences may be the result of the "flexibility" I mentioned. The 2005 Test Model allows for six maneuvers; straight Line, offset right, offset left, parallel drivers side, parallel conventional, and an alley dock (90 degree). The Model states that one may be asked to perform one or more of these. Most states that I know of use three. Straight line (Everyone does), one of the offsets (Selected at random), and either one of the parallel parks or the alley dock (selected at random).

Straight line allows for one "free" pull-up and one is allowed to get out and look only once. Pull-ups after the "free" one are scored at one point each. Encroachments are 2 points each. All other maneuvers allow for two "free" pull-ups, and one is allowed to exit the vehicle to check behind the vehicle twice. Again any additional pull-ups are one point and encroachments are 2 points each. The clincher is that the final position of the vehicle must be in the position as described by the examiner, or you lose a minimum of ten points for being out of position. On a -12 point maximum, this is usually fatal.

That's a state or individual testing station policy (Or lack thereof). Around here if you get there early, they do not usually mind.

That correct, and what the 2005 Test Model allows for. The 70' for the 90 degree alley dock is an issue that when I was on the panel (U. Michigan and AAMVA) to rewrite the Manual and Test I objected to. I and several others on the panel (Obviously not enough of us though) felt like this distance (70') should be adjusted for vehicle length. Obviously a 60' two axle day cab TT has an advantage with this 70' over a 67' three axle road TT with a sleeper.

Yes it is. In the last meeting I had with the feds they asked what I would change on the skills test, and I responded that if I had my way, when examinees had an encroachment, it wouldn't result in a loss of points, it would result in a failure. I asked the feds the same question, and they stated they wanted to add coupling and uncoupling to the skills test as there are many students who just can't do it.

BTW, the 2005 manual itself is a reasonably good manual for the price, but there are some things which I disagreed with but I couldn't convince some of the others to change. This is especially true of section 5, and the air brake check on the exam. The air brake checks required demonstrate a lack of understanding of air brakes by those who made the final decisions.

Best regards

 

Don't panic.

 

Test day today, trying to be not nervous, its not working.