) to help you understand the materials better and gain an understanding for how that knowledge will fit into the overall picture.
"My own experience with the course itself was nothing short of amazing. To come into
the course with absolutely no prior knowledge of the subject, and to be able to grasp
the information, understand it, and retain it, has taken quite a bit off stress off me.
Now I know that when I do enroll in a school, I can focus on the driving aspects, and not
have to worry about the classroom side of things.
- Attaching at least two tiedowns through the center of the coil.
- Attaching at least one tiedown over the top of the coil near the rear of the coil.
- Using blocking or friction mats to prevent forward movement.
- Attaching at least one tiedown over the top of the coil near the front of the coil.
Quote From Page 5 Of The CDL Manual:
Tiedowns, Single Coil Option #3
Option #3 is the same as Options #1 and #2, except that the two tiedowns that attach through the eye of the coil are replaced with two tiedowns that pass over the front and the rear of the coil.
Attach at least one tiedown over the top of the coil near the front of the coil.
Attach at least one tiedown over the top of the coil near the rear of the coil.
Use blocking or friction mats to prevent forward movement.
- All of these statements are true
- If you spend 10 consecutive hours off duty or in a sleeper berth of your truck, your 11 and 14 hour limits completely restart
- When using the split sleeper berth rule, you can take your 10 hour break by splitting 8 hours off in the sleeper berth and taking an additional 2 hours off duty
- If you spend 8 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, you can extend your 14 hour limit
Quote From Page 0 Of The CDL Manual:
1. Ten consecutive hours off duty:
You may spend time in your sleeper berth to get some of, or all of, the 10 consecutive hours of off duty time. When getting your 10 consecutive hours of off duty time, what is most important is that you do not go on duty or drive during those 10 hours. At the end of the 10 consecutive hours of combined sleeper and/or off duty time, your 11-hour driving and 14 hour duty-period limits would completely restart.
2. Eight hours of sleeper berth time:
You may also use the sleeper berth to extend the 14 hour limit. Any period in the sleeper berth of at least 8 consecutive hours will not count as part of the 14 hours, and, therefore, would allow you to extend the time during which you could use your maximum 11 hours of driving.
3. Split sleeper / off duty time:
You may also use the sleeper berth in a different way to get the “equivalent of at least 10 consecutive hours off duty.” To do this, two rest periods are required. You must spend at least one of the two required rest periods in your sleeper berth. The required rest period in the sleeper berth must be at least 8 consecutive hours (but less than 10 consecutive hours). This rest period will not count as part of the 14 hours. The other, separate, rest period must be at least 2 consecutive hours (but less than 10 consecutive hours). This rest period may be spent in the sleeper berth, off duty, or sleeper berth and off duty combined. It will count as part of the 14 hours (unless you spend at least 8 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth). It does not matter which rest period you take first. After you complete your second required rest period, you will have a new point on the clock from which to calculate your hours available. This new “calculation point” will be at the time you completed your first required rest period.
TruckingTruth's Advice:
The Sleeper Berth Provision is extremely important for you to be familiar with. It is one of the most confusing parts about the HOS regulations, yet, if you know the rules it will make your life much easier and help your paycheck at the same time. With more and more companies switching to electronic logbooks, understanding all the ways you can legally drive is critically important.
- Ignore all railroad crossing procedures
- Buses are required to stop at all railroad crossings, including those marked exempt or abandoned
- Open the passenger door to listen for oncoming trains, but do not stop
- Slow down and carefully check for other vehicles
Quote From Page 57 Of The CDL Manual:
You do not have to stop, but you must slow down and carefully check for other vehicles:
- At street car crossings.
- At railroad tracks used only for industrial switching within a business district.
- Where a policeman or flagman is directing traffic.
- If a traffic signal shows green.
- At crossings marked "exempt" or "abandoned."
TruckingTruth's Advice:
These same rules about railroad crossings apply for hazardous material loads as well.
- When the trailer wheels take a more inside path than the tractor wheels during a turn
- When the tractor wheels take a more inside path than the trailer wheels during a turn
- Describes why the trailer always follows the same path as the tractor during turns
- When a trailer jackknife is to the point the trailer makes contact with the tractor
Quote From Page 71 Of The CDL Manual:
When a vehicle goes around a corner, the rear wheels follow a different path than the front wheels. This is called "offtracking" or "cheating." Offtracking causes the path followed by a tractor-semi to be wider than the rig itself. Longer vehicles will offtrack more. The rear wheels of the powered unit (truck or tractor) will offtrack some, and the rear wheels of the trailer will offtrack even more. Steer the front end wide enough around a corner so the rear end does not run over the curb, pedestrians, other vehicles, etc. However, keep the rear of your vehicle close to the curb. This will stop other drivers from passing you on the right.
TruckingTruth's Advice:
Offtracking is why trucks and large vehicles must swing wide. You often see the bumper stickers which say "this vehicle makes wide right turns" and the reasoning for that is offtracking. Longer vehicles have to swing wide to avoid running the rear of the vehicle (or trailer) up onto the grass, curb, or striking pedestrians or people.
- Placing a tiedown around the front of the cradle.
- Nailed wood blocking or cleats.
- These can all be used.
- Friction mats under the cradle.
Quote From Page 5 Of The CDL Manual:
Requirements for securing a single coil
Prevent the coil from rolling by supporting it:
- Timbers, chocks, or wedges held in place by coil bunks or similar devices to prevent them from coming loose.
- A cradle (for example, two hardwood timbers and two coil bunks) that is restrained from sliding by:
- Friction mats under the cradle.
- Nailed wood blocking or cleats.
- Placing a tiedown around the front of the cradle.
- The support must:
- Support the coil just above the deck.
- Not become unintentionally unfastened or loose in transit.
- Increased air pressure
- Lack of braking power
- Pulling to one side or the other
- Wheel lock-ups
Quote From Page 37 Of The CDL Manual:
When driving in heavy rain or deep standing water, your brakes will get wet. Water in the brakes can cause the brakes to be weak, to apply unevenly or to grab. This can cause lack of braking power, wheel lock-ups, pulling to one side or the other, and jackknife if you pull a trailer.
TruckingTruth's Advice:
During cold weather, wet brakes can also cause brake pads to freeze to the brake drums. Before parking, you can ride the brakes a bit to heat them up slightly and dry them out.
- A coupling device of one or two axles and a fifth wheel by which a semitrailer can be coupled to the rear of a tractor-trailer combination forming a double bottom rig.
- An anti-jackknife braking system similar to ABS used in the second and/or third trailer
- A special device to indicate any airline failures or leaks in the rear most trailer
- A special accessory used to supply hydraulic pressure to the rear trailer brakes
Quote From Page 80 Of The CDL Manual:
A converter gear or dolly is a coupling device of one or two axles and a fifth wheel by which a semitrailer can be coupled to the rear of a tractor-trailer combination forming a double bottom rig.
- A rail along the side of a vehicle that protects the side of the vehicle from impacts.
- A female housing fixed to the side or ends of a vehicle to receive a stake or peg, and may also be used as an anchor point.
- A structure, device, or another substantial article placed against an article to prevent it from tipping that may also prevent it from shifting.
- An inflatable bag intended to fill otherwise empty space between articles of cargo, or between articles of cargo and the wall of the vehicle.
Quote From Page 2 Of The CDL Manual:
Stake Pocket:
A female housing fixed to the side or ends of a vehicle to receive a stake or peg, and may also be used as an anchor point.
Is there a 14 hour rule violation on Day 2?
Day 1
Day 2
- Yes, at 7:00 a.m.
- No 14 hour rule violation occurs
- Yes, at 9:00 p.m.
- Yes, at 1:00 a.m.
Quote From Page 0 Of The CDL Manual:
Day 1
Day 2
Violations: There are no violations in this example.
Explanation - 11 Hour Limit: After 10 consecutive hours off duty, the driver had 11 hours of driving time available beginning at 2:00 a.m. on Day 1. The driver used those 11 hours by 4:00 p.m. on Day 1, when he or she entered the sleeper berth for 8 consecutive hours. Because the driver accumulated at least 10 hours of rest using a combination of at least 8 consecutive hours in a sleeper berth (4:00 p.m. to Midnight on Day 1) and another break of at least 2 consecutive hours (8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Day 1), he or she was eligible for the split sleeper berth provision. This moves the calculation point to the end of the first of the two periods of rest, or 10:00 a.m. on Day 1. Starting the calculation from there, the driver accumulated another 10 hours of driving by 5:00 a.m. on Day 2. By 7:00 a.m. on Day 2, the driver accumulated another pair of qualifying breaks totaling at least 10 hours [4:00 p.m. to Midnight on Day 1 (8 hours) and 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. on Day 2 (2 hours)]. This moves the calculation point again, to the end of the first of the two breaks, or Midnight beginning Day 2. From there, the driver accumulated another 10 hours of driving by 1:00 p.m. on Day 2. The pattern of 8/2 split sleeper berth provisions continued, with no 11 hour violations.
Explanation - 30 Minute Break: On Day 1, the driver spent a total of 12 hours split between on duty and driving time. In order to continue driving beyond the 8th hour, a 30 minute break must be recorded. The calculation point on Day 1 is 2:00 a.m., so in order to continue driving after 10:00 a.m. (8 hours later), a minimum of 30 minutes must be spent off duty. In this example, the driver spent 2 hours in the sleeper berth from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and this satisfies the 30 minute break requirement, so no violation occurred. On Day 2, the driver first went on duty at midnight. In order to drive a CMV after 8:00 a.m. (8 hours later) a minimum of a 30 minute break off duty would be required. The driver met that requirement by taking a 2 hour break off duty (sleeper berth) break between 5:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. The hours spent driving between 9:00 p.m. and Midnight on Day 1 are also legal since an 8 hour break was taken between 1:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Explanation - 14 Hour Limit: Calculation of the 14 hour limit begins at 2:00 a.m. on Day 1. The driver accumulates 14 hours by 4:00 p.m. before entering the sleeper berth. Because the driver then met the requirements for the split sleeper berth provision, the calculation point moves to the end of the first qualifying break, or 10:00 a.m. on Day 1. So at Midnight leading into Day 2, the driver had accumulated 6 hours. By 7:00 a.m. on Day 2, the driver accumulated another pair of qualifying breaks totaling at least 10 hours and has not exceeded the 14 hour limit. This moves the calculation point again, to the end of the first of the two breaks, or Midnight leading into Day 2. From there, the driver accumulated 13 of 14 hours by 1:00 p.m. on Day 2. This split sleeper berth pattern continued, with no 14 hour limit violations.
- Back the tractor directly in front of the trailer
- Back the tractor to the trailer on the left side
- Back the tractor to the trailer at a 45 degree angle on either the left or right side
- Back the tractor to the trailer on the right side
Quote From Page 75 Of The CDL Manual:
- Put the tractor directly in front of the trailer. (Never back under the trailer at an angle because you might push the trailer sideways and break the landing gear.)
- Check position, using outside mirrors, by looking down both sides of the trailer.
TruckingTruth's Advice:
It will take some practice, but always back under a trailer as straight as possible to avoid turning the trailer over.
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