Anybody here have a CDL?

[craigcully]

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[Oz]

What's a CDL?

[ec437]

I'm guessing a commercial driver's lisence.

[eversio11]

I think he actually means carrier donkey leg.

[Marc-OS]

The written test is easy as Paris Hilton, I don't know about the driving test though.

[alfonso2501]

I had one for years before I moved. I worked as both a tractor trailer driver & a bus driver for years before I went back to school. It’s really cool to have because it opens up a opportunities for you. I can tell you that the road test is more anal then the road test you took when you were a kid. They actually make you get out & inspect the rig & do an air-break test before rolling. What kind endorsements do you need? R U paying for it your self?

[speediva]

My dad has had his CDL for years. He had his Hazmat (but got tired of renewing it all the time), he had I think Class A (in the state of PA, for what it's worth). He could drive doubles and triples.

He went through a school to get his, so I don't know about supplying rigs. As for costs, it's been well over a decade, so I'm sure prices are much different now.

Good luck!

[alfonso2501]

If I remember correctly, after you do an outside inspection (depending on how cold it is they may not have you do it) you turn on the rig, pump the brakes a few times, and then let the air build up. While you wait for that you go thru the dash controls verbalizing what you’re checking (wipers, defoggers, cute stuff like that) after that (hopefully the air has built up now) you pull up the emergency brake or both the parking & emergency brake (I don’t remember which) put her in 1st and let out a little clutch w/o stalling it. That’s your parking break test. Next you push down the parking/emergency brakes let out the clutch roll about 5 feet or so (not too far because the tester will fail you) & hit the breaks. (that was your service break test) then if he hasn’t done this already he may or may not get out & do a single light test (put on your left blinker, right blinkers, ok now hazards!) depending on how cold it is outside. I took it about 7 years ago so if anyone else who knows better then me or if things have changed since then please chime in.

Sorry to be so long winded. Anyway if you can afford it, at least take about 2-3 lessons @ a school. Just to get a feel for how the tester will test you. If your old boss will let you borrow the rig for a few hours a week I’d give him a big wet sloppy kiss afterwards because he’s saving you lots of $$$! He’ll probably have to drive it down too the test site because they won’t let you dive it there your self. Oh BTW, I failed it the first time out.

[grimmy]

The best piece of advice I ever heard was toward the exterior inspection. Pretend that you are painting the rig with your hands while explainig what you are checking.