MA CDL A Exam State Troopers

I've heard it from alot of old timers say Mass is so ridiculous at the things they fail you on. It's no wonder that all you see around Mass is not just job posts but huge highway billboard signs asking for CDL drivers, because to get one in MA is so fn hard. I've never heard of anyone passing the first time and most take 3-4 times to pass at $350 a pop. I'm going for my fourth time and here is some of what I've see personally and experience:

1. First time around I did my inspection perfect the state trooper said got almost every single item on the list, but he had to fail me because when I went in the cab I only turn the truck to electronics to display my gauges and test lights. BULL

2. First time failed the airbrake test because I said after releasing my parking EBrakes I'll wait till the needle stops and time it over a minute and shouldn't lose more than 3 PSI over that minute. Forgot to say that I lose 5-15 PSI when I release my EBrakes. Bull

3. One guy finished his airbrakes and was done with the airbrake test and just shutting down the truck and pressed on the brake while the EBrakes where on. Failed the airbrakes because state said he was compounding the brakes. Bull

4. On my alley on one pull up I slipped into fourth which gave the truck a jolt so I tried to put it in second and it slipped into reverse for a second and it made the beep, but I didn't move. So I just get into second and continue the pull up. State trooper counted that as two pull ups because he was in his car just listening for the reverse beeps and not watching. So when I got almost in the alley and was just looking to straightening it out before backing up I failed for going over the pull up limit.

5. Seen guys fail the maneuvers because they didn't get out of the truck using three points of contact. Trooper was telling people that they weren't driving the truck in a safe manner and some other bull which made no sense how getting out of a truck effects the way you complete a maneuver.

6. Same trooper fail people for looking out the back window. Which make no sense when in the real world you will use everything you can to do the maneuver safely.

7. The reason I'm going for the fourth time. I failed at the every end when I say every end I mean the every every end. Took the trooper out on the road and was a piece of cake even told the trooper if I pass (which I assumed was) I had a job interview right after for a driving position and I would finally have a job. Told him I was paying out of pocket for everything and the bank account was getting real low with $350 a pop. So completed the road exam and trooper is telling me I did great. We're in the parking lot, I'm at a complete stop at the parking space, I put the EB on, put it in low gear, and go to switch off the ignition, and my foot comes off the clutch and the truck stalls. Trooper looks at me and says I just failed for the truck stalling out. Which left me a grow man almost breaking down knowing now I don't have a job and running out of money to pay for another test because at the every every end while I was parking in the parking lot my truck stalled instead of shutting down. The trooper just got out and said "O well you drove great you should have no problem the next time". Even my instructor was looking at the guy like the biggest ******* the trooper was. I was so in shock I stood in the truck for awhile thinking about if this guy was just joking. The instructor even tried talking to the trooper about it because it wasn't so ridiculous. But that's why people absolutely hate state troopers because they're not human. To fail the driving part of the exam on something that was not even driving and was so minimal. So now I'm at around $6000 in to this and now I got to wait 4-6 weeks to get another exam date and hope to pass that.

All of this is why every single person there at the exams including the instructors are getting fed up with it and the things they are failing there students on. While the troopers are complaining about coming on their days off and the huge backlog of guys trying to pass. Had a guy that drive OTR for 14 years go for the test with me because he let is med card expire and he even failed for the same reasons. Mass is a joke

I've heard it from alot of old timers say Mass is so ridiculous at the things they fail you on. It's no wonder that all you see around Mass is not just job posts but huge highway billboard signs asking for CDL drivers, because to get one in MA is so fn hard. I've never heard of anyone passing the first time and most take 3-4 times to pass at $350 a pop. I'm going for my fourth time and here is some of what I've see personally and experience:

1. First time around I did my inspection perfect the state trooper said got almost every single item on the list, but he had to fail me because when I went in the cab I only turn the truck to electronics to display my gauges and test lights. BULL

2. First time failed the airbrake test because I said after releasing my parking EBrakes I'll wait till the needle stops and time it over a minute and shouldn't lose more than 3 PSI over that minute. Forgot to say that I lose 5-15 PSI when I release my EBrakes. Bull

3. One guy finished his airbrakes and was done with the airbrake test and just shutting down the truck and pressed on the brake while the EBrakes where on. Failed the airbrakes because state said he was compounding the brakes. Bull

4. On my alley on one pull up I slipped into fourth which gave the truck a jolt so I tried to put it in second and it slipped into reverse for a second and it made the beep, but I didn't move. So I just get into second and continue the pull up. State trooper counted that as two pull ups because he was in his car just listening for the reverse beeps and not watching. So when I got almost in the alley and was just looking to straightening it out before backing up I failed for going over the pull up limit.

5. Seen guys fail the maneuvers because they didn't get out of the truck using three points of contact. Trooper was telling people that they weren't driving the truck in a safe manner and some other bull which made no sense how getting out of a truck effects the way you complete a maneuver.

6. Same trooper fail people for looking out the back window. Which make no sense when in the real world you will use everything you can to do the maneuver safely.

7. The reason I'm going for the fourth time. I failed at the every end when I say every end I mean the every every end. Took the trooper out on the road and was a piece of cake even told the trooper if I pass (which I assumed was) I had a job interview right after for a driving position and I would finally have a job. Told him I was paying out of pocket for everything and the bank account was getting real low with $350 a pop. So completed the road exam and trooper is telling me I did great. We're in the parking lot, I'm at a complete stop at the parking space, I put the EB on, put it in low gear, and go to switch off the ignition, and my foot comes off the clutch and the truck stalls. Trooper looks at me and says I just failed for the truck stalling out. Which left me a grow man almost breaking down knowing now I don't have a job and running out of money to pay for another test because at the every every end while I was parking in the parking lot my truck stalled instead of shutting down. The trooper just got out and said "O well you drove great you should have no problem the next time". Even my instructor was looking at the guy like the biggest ******* the trooper was. I was so in shock I stood in the truck for awhile thinking about if this guy was just joking. The instructor even tried talking to the trooper about it because it wasn't so ridiculous. But that's why people absolutely hate state troopers because they're not human. To fail the driving part of the exam on something that was not even driving and was so minimal. So now I'm at around $6000 in to this and now I got to wait 4-6 weeks to get another exam date and hope to pass that.

All of this is why every single person there at the exams including the instructors are getting fed up with it and the things they are failing there students on. While the troopers are complaining about coming on their days off and the huge backlog of guys trying to pass. Had a guy that drive OTR for 14 years go for the test with me because he let is med card expire and he even failed for the same reasons. Mass is a joke

I feel for you brother seems they have funds raising racket going on think how much they are making in retest fees the feds need to investigate them something in the milk isn't clear there? Can you go to another state take the test and then come back an change it over? that would be an extra expense too? but man you deserve better than that they are losing tax revenue from people not working who could be driving and getting paid and paying income taxes? They are always saying people don't want to work and want a handout the they do everything they can to keep you from working?

Hang in there they can't keep a good man/woman down

Thanks, I'm going Monday 6/22. Hopefully everything goes ok and I don't psych myself out and do something stupid that they can fail me on. Another student failed his driving part last week because he didn't stop before the white line at the stop sign completely. He needed to move up to see around a bend that had trees so he crouched the truck out pass the line to see better and the statey failed him. Statey said he should have stopped completely before the white line and then crouch forward to see better around the bend.

Mass has automatic failure if you don't follow the rules of the road which I'm all for when that means going excess over the speed limit, dangerous driving, or anything else that is real is bad driving, but not coming to a complete stop before a white line of a stop sign is so small of an infraction that it's insane to fail on. Like the instructor says they're not looking for what to pass you on but what they can fail you on. Hopefully I'll get a job that will have some kind of tuition reimbursement so I can get some of the money I've spend on training and testing. Now I've spent more time on going for testing and waiting than actually training in the truck.

Went Monday to the Dartmouth lot for the driving test. If anyone been up there they know that there's a bunch of construction and redrawn lanes right at the lot. I know that I was going to have a problem getting out of the lot due to a small steep downgrade to get out, then alot of traffic that will not let you go, and then worst of all due to construction instead of two lanes and two emergency lanes on the edges they cut the road in half. So now all that is left is 1 1/2 lanes that they somehow made into two tight small lanes. Instructor told me to make a wider turn because there was a curb close to the edge and if you go over it it's an automatic failure.

So I go down the downgrade entrance and of course some DOT employee in this little car cuts into the lot right infront of me which I have to slam on my brakes, then at the entrance I have to wait till some kind of gap in traffic opens just to start to get in. I finally get this little little gab and start taking the turn making sure to go out little more because the curb is right at the edge. And of course some ass in a truck doesn't want to let me go and speeds past me in the other lane that I'm creeping into to turn onto this road. So right off the bat I already know I failed because this ass that doesn't want to let me turn is such in a hurry squeezes by me and almost hits me. Statey says I went into the other lane too much, even though he says it's tough with one lane down.

Other than that I did the rest of the drive test fine again. But I already know I failed right off the bat. Was hoping I would get a chance because the other guy was an ******* and didn't want to stop which made it look bad because he had to squeeze around me and had no room because of all the traffic cones cutting the road in half. So now another $350 and five to six weeks of waiting to go again. Hopefully if anyone reads these they get a hint of some of the things to watch out for.

On a side note I saw we were the only company using manual and all the other drivers came back that passed used automatic through the whole test. Wanted to slap them because they were all ****y saying they had no problem. I thought there was a restriction on the license that if you take the test using an automatic then you can only legally drive an automatic truck. Which the statey says currently is not the way, but will be soon.

Ok, I'm not from the area, but by sounds of the PITA you deal with to take and pass the test, @ $350 a pop?? Why not move, or at least "move your mail" in a different state, and go thru that state?? lol

Why not move, or at least "move your mail" in a different state, and go thru that state??

In MA in order to transfer an out of state CDL you need to have had it for at least 2 years. Otherwise you need to go through the testing again, including permit.

This past year I just moved to MO from MA. Was planning on moving back there but plans changed. Getting my CDL out here, actually WI. But will be easily transferred to MO when need be.

I said this before. They call it Taxachusetts for a reason.

Good luck Michael, don't give up!!