Pre-trip inspection test

Hello and Welcome to the Site

You are only allowed to fail a certain amount of the test to receive a passing grade.

The first thing you say when approaching the vehicle is that you check to make sure that you have the key is in your pocket, then the condition of the tractor trailer upon approach, that it is not leaning, due to load shift, flat tire, broken leaf springs... and that there are no wires or hoses, or noticeable leaks underneath the tractor. That is how I have always started mine.

Here is a copy of the Driver's Pre Trip Checklist:

Office of Motor Carriers, US Department of Transportation & Federal Highway Administration
INSIDE
□ Parking Brake (Apply)
START ENGINE
□ Oil Pressure (Light or Gauge)
□ Air pressure or Vacuum (Gauge)
□ Low Air or Vacuum Warning Device
(Air pressure below 40 psi check on pressure
build-up. Air pressure above 60 psi deplete air
until warning device works) (Vacuum below 8
inches Hg. check on build-up. Above 8 inches
Hg. deplete vacuum until device works)
□ Instrument Panel
(Telltale lights or buzzers)
□ Horn
□ Windshield Wiper and Washer
□ Heater - Defroster
□ Mirrors
□ Steering Wheel (Excess play)
□ Apply Trailer Brakes in EMERGENCY
□ Turn on all lights including 4-way flasher
□ Fire Extinguisher and Warning Devices
OUTSIDE
FRONT
□ Headlights
□ Clearance Lights
□ Identification Lights
□ Turn Signals and 4-way flasher
□ Tires and Wheels (Lugs)
LEFT SIDE
□ Fuel Tank and Cap
□ Sidemarker Lights
□ Reflectors
□ Tires and Wheels (Lugs)
□ Cargo Tie-downs/or Doors
REAR
□ Tail Lights
□ Stop Lights
□ Turn Signals and 4-way flasher
□ Clearance Lights
□ Identification Lights
□ Reflectors
□ Tires and Wheels (Lugs)
□ Rear End Protection (Bumper)
□ Cargo Tie-downs/or Doors
RIGHT SIDE
□ Fuel Tank and Cap
□ Sidemarker Lights
□ Reflectors
□ Tires and Wheels (Lugs)
□ Cargo Tie-downs/or Doors
ON COMBINATIONS
□ Hoses and Couplers
□ Electrical Connector
□ Couplings (Fifth wheel, tow bar, safety chains,
locking devices)
ON VEHICLES TRANSPORTING
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
□ Marking or Placards
□ Proper Shipping Papers
INSIDE
STOP ENGINE
□ Release Trailer Emergency Brakes
□ Apply service Brakes-Air loss should not
exceed'
3 psi per minute on single vehicles
4 psi per minute on combinations
Fasten Seatbelt

 

Thats how I was taught to start mine as well.

To newtrucker1916:

This is how I would have done the head light:

"Headlight Properly mounted and secured, not cracked, bent, or broken, Good rubber seal, no moisture, and should be clear in color, and functioning properly"

Thats how we where taught how to do it....not sure if thats what your examiner was looking for or not.



American Trucker

 

Didn't sound like the examiner wanted to "get this testing done". Sounds more like he had other things to do or other things on his mind. Nevertheless, you play the hand you're dealt.

I think examiners like those "key words" that you should have seen in your IL pre-trip exam study materials. Basically, what American Trucker said.

I would recommend that you NOT paraphrase any of the key words/key phrases. Spit it all back to them the way it is presented in you study materials.

Make sure you know why the keywords have meaning, e.g., lights must be working to have any value, glad hands must be properly connected to have any value with respect to having air pressure where it's needed, brake pads must be free of oil and grease, etc., etc.

PUT THE KEY IN YOUR POCKET!!!

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

 

Is this a state CDL test? Did you not read the state CDL manual, avaiable for free at the DMV and usually distributed in a truck driving school? You are allowed to miss several items and still pass. You were tested on....1 item.

I suspect the headlights are supposed to be "properly mounted and secure" (as with EVERYTHING ON THE ENTIRE TRUCK), and high/low beams should work and....not broken....

The real problem comes with wheels and axles. Our examiners allowed us to list everything on one side of one axle that was supposed to be checked, and then say "and i would check the other side just like this side, and that axle and that axle and that axle and that axle..." pointing at the axles, and ...if you forgot to say all that crap you'd fail, even if you passed EVERYTHING else...lol.

 

I would imagine you CAN be failed just on one item if it is considered a "critical error". I can see where you gave the wrong answer, however, based on your question alone, it seems you were treated unfairly. If you complain about it, chances are things will just get harder. Go re take the test, and like everyone else said, spit it back exactly. Mention everything. If it helps, walk around the truck (or visualize the walk) and touch everything starting with approaching the truck, as already mentioned. I wouldnt say the lights are WORKING though as you are just walking up to the truck, as most likely, the lights won't be on anyway(save that for turn signals, hazards, clearance lights amber in the front, red in the back, etc). They want to know what you are checking, what you are checking for, and why you are checking for it. Don't forget about IN cab as well. "seats/seat belts properly mounted and secure. upper/lower dash mounted properly and secure. Nothing in the upper dash can/will fall on me while in motion." Have fun with it. Check and mention everything. Do NOT mention "same for the other side" until (if) the examiner says you can do that. It works best to start walking from the front, open hood, left side and all the way around and under the trailer. Then in to the cab. Get your routine and memorize it. Not only will it help you pass the test, it will keep you and me and everyone else on the road safe by catching an issue before it becomes a problem.

Good Luck!

 

gawd i couldnt imagine doing that test if they didnt let you do same for the other side...

man, our instructors wanted to get it over with though...i remember a couple of times, he was like "Ok.", then it progressed to "Ok means Ok", "Ok means thats good, go to the next thing!!" rofl...you'd be halfway through what felt like a pre-programmed sentence and he'd be like..Ok! "Door properly mounted and sec OK!"

hell in michigan we could have a cheat sheet, it was just a list of all the parts that were tested on, it did not say what to check on them, and we were not allowed to have any writing on it whatsoever...but you had the checklist....hell i added #### cause i was nervous. "door handle..properly mounted and se.OK!!" "mirrorr...properly mounted and secure and free of cr...OK!"

man even though we were basically allowed to cheat, and for the most part everything is "properly mounted and secure", except for obvious stuff...Belts have whatever play theyre allowed to have, gauges read what they read, windshields arent cracked, you know......people still failed. Mostly girls. They'd say, "Im a girl, i dont know anything about trucks!" ...my thought is, then get the hell out of the truck. I mean, seriously. I knew nothing about trucks before i went to the same school they went to. Somehow i learned this stuff, and somehow they didnt. They probably became steering wheel holders..

 

blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts blah blah blah mounted securely not missing nuts bolts or parts

 

Hey Freebird,
You left out 7 "blah blah blahs" and you totally forgot the "yada yada yadas"! How you gonna act!!!!!