Stupid Question Time
Topic 16614 | Page 1
Concentrate on the Big 3, but don't count out the endorsements. They are really quite easy. Use the High Road and you will Ace them all!
I would focus on everything for the permits and endorsements first. Definitely use our High Road and here's how it breaks down:
To Get Your CDL Permit:
- Rules & Regulations
- Driving Safely
- Transporting Cargo Safely
- Air Brakes
- Combination Vehicles
- Pre-Trip Inspection
- Driving Exam
To get your CDL endorsements which are optional but highly recommend:
- Transporting Passengers
- Doubles And Triples
- Tankers
- Hazardous Materials
Two sections we've built ourselves with info you'll need for everyday life on the road:
- Logbook
- Weight & Balance
Two sections for anyone considering flatbed:
- Cargo Securement
- New York State Coil Endorsement
Pre-trip Inspection:
A pre-trip inspection is a thorough inspection of the truck completed before driving for the first time each day.
Federal and state laws require that drivers inspect their vehicles. Federal and state inspectors also may inspect your vehicles. If they judge a vehicle to be unsafe, they will put it “out of service” until it is repaired.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Logbook:
A written or electronic record of a driver's duty status which must be maintained at all times. The driver records the amount of time spent driving, on-duty not driving, in the sleeper berth, or off duty. The enforcement of the Hours Of Service Rules (HOS) are based upon the entries put in a driver's logbook.
Combination Vehicle:
A vehicle with two separate parts - the power unit (tractor) and the trailer. Tractor-trailers are considered combination vehicles.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
^^^^
And the logbook & weight/balance sections aren't going to be on any test. You'll do HOS/Logs at the company.
The weights & balance section is probably THE #1 BEST TUTORIAL I'VE SEEN on how to calculate and move tandems/5th wheels for proper weight distribution, calculating fuel loads and burnoffs, etc.
Do the endorsements, simply because they are easy to do. Tankers (because increasingly, liquid-bearing totes in trailers over a certain capacity are considered to be portable tanks) and HazMat (not because you want to haul nuclear waste - but because many common household items in truckload quantities become placarded loads).
Rick
Logbook:
A written or electronic record of a driver's duty status which must be maintained at all times. The driver records the amount of time spent driving, on-duty not driving, in the sleeper berth, or off duty. The enforcement of the Hours Of Service Rules (HOS) are based upon the entries put in a driver's logbook.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Tandems:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
Tandem:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
The three you should be focusing on are: High Road Training Program, High Road Training Program, and High Road Training Program!
Alexander, it's never a stupid question of the question will help you learn something.
But I have a stupid suggestion. At home, get the broom. Hold the end of the handle right on your hip. Now walk around the house, dragging the other end behind you. Don't hit anything! And don't get stuck in the bathroom where you'd have to back up to get out.
A stupid suggestion, but you're looking at a job where you'll be dragging a 53' long trailer behind you. Get used to it now! Just sayin'.
Alexander, it's never a stupid question of the question will help you learn something.
But I have a stupid suggestion. At home, get the broom. Hold the end of the handle right on your hip. Now walk around the house, dragging the other end behind you. Don't hit anything! And don't get stuck in the bathroom where you'd have to back up to get out.
A stupid suggestion, but you're looking at a job where you'll be dragging a 53' long trailer behind you. Get used to it now! Just sayin'.
Where was that advice when I needed it?? LOL Thanks for the laugh. Really needed it tonight.
I put the broom thing up her every once in a while. The problem is, no one thinks "broom" when they're studying trucks!
Looking around for a broom so I can go vroom vroom.
I was picturing doing that as I was reading your post, Errol, and ya know, the bathroom could be a real issue. I'd have to back in, but then I would have to drop the broom and offset to actually be able to use the facilities!
No one said trucking would be easy lol.
You can adjust your tandems however you like!
Tandems:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
Tandem:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
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I am now starting school later this month - so this means I must push myself to study , study ,study. So I think I should focus on the three (three?) basics. General Knowledge , Air Brakes & combo vehicles in order to pass my CDL Test ............. Is this right .. What's your opinion ...
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: