New CDL help, can I test out and be on the road?

I’m sure this is answered elsewhere, but with so many threads, figured I’d ask: I have a company that deals solely in boat and yacht shipping and sales. We lost our CDL class A driver to an illness, so I am getting mine back for the time being. I had one for 8 years in california and let it go 4 years ago when I moved to Washington. We primarily tow with a Ram 3500, so don’t need anything technical, just need to pass the skills test so that I can pick up the 3 yachts we have waiting for pickup ASAP. Do people still do individual training to sign off on competency to take the skills test or is the 4 week long trucking school the only way to get to the skills test? Thanks in advance.

 

Good question I never new that was a thing.
In va you can test out right the DMV. However I've noticed the further west people are from the harder the test are. Call your local DMV and ask. How do I set up a cdl test. They will tell you. Or wait people with more expanice than I will be on in a bit.

 

Ya, it’s a sham policy in my opinion. Make the skills test a little more difficult and trucking school optional (not a $5000 + 160 hour burden). It puts people like me in a pickle because I don’t have the month to give up to it, but it’s either an employer signs you off or a trucking school signs you off, but you can’t take the skills test until that happens.

 

Man that's rough

 

Sounds like you need to hire a truck to meet your immediate business need, then walk the muddy path towards getting your CDL reinstated. Sucks, but sometimes it comes with solving problems.

Maybe browse the new driver forum for people living in your state posting about the process. Most of the people following this one have had their CDL for several years and things at the DMV have likely changed since then.

 

yep, I’m working on that now. I decided to get 5 of my staff all signed up to do the CDL since were already paying for the insurance. They all got their permits yesterday and I’m sending them to school so I can run the business and I’ll do mine once they’re all done and can run future loads with no one jumping down my throat to get their new shipment delivered. But yes, you’re right that the slow and muddy path is the only way in Washington. Appreciate the reply.

 

What state are you in?

Once someone has a permit they can watch pre-trip vids on YouTube and then literally go down to the local DMV and watch people do the backing test and then set up in a big parking lot and practice.

In Texas you will see many people fail the pre-trip and have to go back, then you will see many people fail the backing and have to go back and then fail the road test lol.

There are several places where you just pay for a week or two of training and then rent their truck for the pre-trip and testing and not take a 4 week class.

With you all have the truck and trailer already you can save a bunch.

 

If you have the truck and trailer, I would suggest setting up a empty parking lot with cones to practice backing, while all of this is going on. This way you can be ahead once you get to the DMV for a skills test. If you don’t have a truck and trailer think about renting one for a few days.

 

i appreciate it, thanks. I’m in Washington. Had I not held a CDL for so long previously, I would take the classes happily and learn from it. But I have 8 years and a million+ miles of CDL hauling experience, so ive been looking hard at options. I also can’t leave my business for a month to sit through a school or who knows what calamity could happen there. Any suggestion are amazingly appreciated.

 

I do not get what you are driving at, did you call a third party tester to see what the deal is or did you read somewhere that you need to have training?

i looked at the Washington state cdl site and I didn’t see any issue with just getting your written exams done and then scheduling a skills test, then turning in a certificate of completion when you get your cdl.