DPS Road Test

I passed my CDL test today with flying colors. I parallel parked that beast with ease and finesse. I graduate from school in two days. Taking endorsement tests tomorrow just to stay ahead of the game. I just want to say thanks to Brett for the High Road Training Program study materials and the rest of y'all for great advice.

Congratulations Weezy, we love hearing this kind of stuff! We're very excited for you and wish you all the best as you jump into a new job and lifestyle.

There ya go WEEZY !!!!! We knew you could do it !!! Now on to bigger and better things. You will be off with a trainer......listen listen listen...and ask questions when you have them.....My dad used to tell me that when my lips were moving they blocked my ears....its the truth...lol

Hey congrats!!! That's fantastic!

There's no feeling in the world like hearing that you passed the exam and you've earned your CDL. Makes you want to run around with your hands in the air screaming like you just won the 100 yard dash in the Olympics!!!

Man I was cheesing like a fat kid with a whole cake for himself.lol I also got a 90 on my backing test today for the school. I was upset that I couldn't pull out that 100 percent. June 8 I have drivers training with new company in the mountains and off-road in mountain country. Nervous going to be hauling a water tanker!!! Any advice for this adventure?

I pulled a food grade tanker for a year and it was a lot of fun but my God you have to be careful. I don't know if your tank will have baffles in it to prevent the sloshing from being as severe, but food grade tankers do not have any baffles. I've had the surge hit the front of that trailer so hard it knocked my hat off my head and knocked everything off the shelves in the bunk and onto the floor at my feet.

Just be super, super careful. DO NOT take any chances. Drive that tanker like an old lady. There's a saying in trucking - "You can take a curve too slow 1000 times, but only too fast once." Don't forget that.

If you come across any terrain or circumstances you're unsure of, get in touch with the boss or one of the other drivers. Ask before you try anything sketchy. Do not be shy about them making fun of you for being overly cautious. In fact, plan on being overly cautious and let them know that. It won't take long to get a feel for the truck and what it can do, but you have to ease into it.

It's your life and your career that's on the line every day you're gonna be out there. Don't let pride stand in the way of smart, cautious decision making and don't ever convince yourself that something will turn out ok if in fact you're not sure. I always say "Don't make decisions based on wishful thinking." If you don't know something, admit it. Don't take chances, don't make assumptions, and don't try to prove anything to anyone other than how safe you intend to be at all times.

All of this sounds simple and obvious right here, right now. But once you're in that truck and you know the boss or the crew is waiting on you, it's hard to admit you're unsure of something or ask for advice. There may be times you just want to close your eyes, pray, and go for it. But don't. Knowing what you can do safely and making smart decisions is what it's all about.

Man I was cheesing like a fat kid with a whole cake for himself

. You should of seen me when I passed mine yesterday. I jumped out of that truck and started skipping around the parking lot like a school girl. Whatever works lol.

Congrats bro, keep us updated on your progress.

I'm a seasoned water tanker yanker...And I, like you learned up in the mountains. I watered construction road work. Sometimes it was nice new gravel, sometimes i think they wanted to see my freckles fade, so they told me to water after the D9 Cat knocked the big stuff out of the way. THAT was scary. There were sink holes, big boulders, tree snags, and ALOT OF DUST. It was exciting for sure. But I got pretty catty with that old truck. The worst part ? I had a tagalong trailer that had my pump on it. I pumped the water out of the river into my tank. Small gas engines hate me...and this one was hard to start on a good day. I know that one of my arms was longer than the other from pulling that starting cord 9 million times.

You can never drop your guard when driving in the mountains. They don't take care of the roads there like they do on the interstate. You'll never know what tree,boulder, or critter might be in the middle of the road around that next turn. If you will be on gravel, understand that the surge in your tank will carry you twice as far on gravel. And don't even think about side slosh...it gives the word terror a brand new meaning. Be patient, aware, and be sure your on good footing in regards to the road bed. I sincerely hope they give you a tanker that is baffled....It makes you life alot easier.