What was your CDL-A road test like?

The one in Arkansas you have to alley dock, successfully ramp the truck and trailer over a pit of alligators, Pre-trip inspection so you'll know the best places to hide all your different log books, and finally a road test to determine how many cases of road rage you can cause from 4 wheelers in a 10 minute period. You have to at least get 3 incidents to pass. Leave the left turn signal on while you're in the slow lane, then guide the truck towards the center lane whenever a 4-wheeler tries to pass. Do that a couple of times to the same car and you'll get a guaranteed incident right there.

 

Hi jbatmick, I hear ya. Funny, say "chauffeur" license to a youngun' today, they think you drive a limo. In the late 70's, my boss at my 1st T/T job said I really should have a chauffeur's license, so I too took a written test, while I can't remember what the questions were, I remember it wasn't very tough, the examiner asked if I had a road test of any kind in the previous 2 years, I said I took my motorcycle road test a year before, he said good enough, NEXT!
I've been grandfathered in ever since until 2018. When it comes up for renewal at that time, I'll be 63, and for the 1st time in 40 years, I will legally not be able to drive a truck.:smt023

 

I had pretrip inspection, interior and exterior,backing(straight back,offset,parallel or 90 degree alley dock), pass all those then it's driving time. I had a 30 minute route. Highway, city streets, also had to demonstrate a roadside breakdown,and a hazmat railroad crossing.

 

Left the yard made a left turn, left turn again got out walked up to an ATM got four C notes got back into the truck shook hands with the instructor ....made two more left turns and was done lol

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4251038]Hi jbatmick, I hear ya. Funny, say "chauffeur" license to a youngun' today, they think you drive a limo. In the late 70's, my boss at my 1st T/T job said I really should have a chauffeur's license, so I too took a written test, while I can't remember what the questions were, I remember it wasn't very tough, the examiner asked if I had a road test of any kind in the previous 2 years, I said I took my motorcycle road test a year before, he said good enough, NEXT!
I've been grandfathered in ever since until 2018. When it comes up for renewal at that time, I'll be 63, and for the 1st time in 40 years, I will legally not be able to drive a truck.:smt023[/QUOTE]

Why won't you be legally able to drive a truck. I'll be 68 in October and I'm still driving.

 

Hi srsd, I'm not going to renew my CDL, enough is enough. When my CDL was up for renewal in 2006, I wasn't going to renew it then, but my then gf talked me into it. After 35+ years and 2.5 million miles, (and with stupid HOS rules and crazy distracted drivers), I have no desire, what so ever, to drive a truck anymore. If you enjoy driving, keep on truckin', pal.

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4251381]Hi srsd, I'm not going to renew my CDL, enough is enough. When my CDL was up for renewal in 2006, I wasn't going to renew it then, but my then gf talked me into it. After 35+ years and 2.5 million miles, (and with stupid HOS rules and crazy distracted drivers), I have no desire, what so ever, to drive a truck anymore. If you enjoy driving, keep on truckin', pal.[/QUOTE]

OK, I understand that. I'm like the ever ready bunny, I just keep on ticking. Almost 50 years and over 4 million miles I still enjoy it. That is probably because I have the perfect job for a retiree. Haul a load once a month. I'm gone for three nights out and back loaded both ways bump a dock no touch. I have a great piece of equipment and boss gives me total freedom, no pressure at all. I will finish my career where I'm at.

 

Hi semi, I guess I shouldn't be so negative. If the right opportunity came along, I might go for it, but I've done part-time gigs in the past, and they always start out good, but turn into "just do this one load" and the next thing you know, you're on your way to Phoenix. Besides, I want to kick back in your beautiful state, although, I'm partial to the UP (hey), and I know you lower Mich. folks don't get along with your UP brethren. Not sure why that is, but I love the Houghton-Hancock, Copper Co. peninsula area. You Michigan folks sure beat Wisconsin's backward ideas. Heck, there's parts of Wisconsin that don't even have high-speed internet yet.

 

The first time I got my CDL (1996) it was easy. Pretrip, no in cab air test, straight line back then I had to pull up to a cone keeping my front bumper no more than 2' away. Drove around for about 5 minutes. Passed.

Second time (2013) was pretrip, in cab inspection, air test, straight line back, offset back, alley dock then a road test. Aced it. I got lucky and didn't have to parallel.

 

Way back we delivered a load of road salt to the testing site in the middle of a blizzard. Dumped the load and took the RMV cop out for a ride. Got back from doing the slip sliding thing and he called me into the little office. I asked about the backing up part as we could just barely see the cones. He said I don't want to go out there you did good enough. Signed my pink slip and off I went. Funny my car test was just after a huge snowstorm too.