Today, the profession of a truck driver is highly valued because it has many advantages, such as stable and high wages, the possibility of business trips, etc. But to master this profession, you need to obtain a CDL license. To do this, you should enroll in courses at a trucking school to prepare for a practical exam.
You can count on getting top-notch knowledge and experience at www.go4cdl.com driving school. In this review, you will learn what it takes to successfully pass the road test to start your long-haul trucking career with one of the best transport companies at the best rates per mile.
What Does a Practice Test Consist of?
Road testing consists of three components: Pre-Trip Inspection, Basic Control Skills Test, and On-Road Driving Test. Let’s look at each stage in detail.
Pre-trip Inspection
You must tell the inspector everything about the components and assemblies of your truck. You should know everything about the engine, wheels, brakes, suspension, coupling, trailer, cab interior, etc. There are two ways to prepare for this stage: if you have chosen a driving school to prepare for the practical stage, then the teachers will provide you with special material to study at home. If you are preparing for the test yourself, then use the literature prepared by the DMV specifically for obtaining a CDL license in your chosen state. This test takes 45 minutes. After successful completion, you are allowed to the second stage.
Parking
It is a demonstration of driving skills on your tractor with a trailer. Examiners require the delivery of three things:
- Straight Line Backing — you need to drive back and forth;
- Offset Backing (Right or Left) — change the line of movement in reverse;
- Alley Dock — reverse parking at a 90-degree angle.
On-Road Driving
As the name implies, this is driving in real conditions. An examiner will sit next to you in the transport and monitor the correctness of lane changes, visual inspection, the ability to make right and left turns, and your driving approach on the road in the city. In addition, you should comment on every action that you will do on the road.
Upon successful completion of the Commercial Driving Skills Test, you will not be issued a 10-day temporary CDL, as was previously the case. Instead, you will be issued a receipt stating that you must wait a business day before visiting the DMV office to receive your Commercial Driver Document.
Conclusion
Try to pass the practical test without violations, and you will receive points. In case you have a lot of points, it will be hard to find a job as a trucker. Companies are reluctant to contact such drivers. Truckers must have insurance, and the cost of insurance services directly depends on the number of points as well. So you should think about it in advance.
