DMV Skills Test Failure
Topic 3130 | Page 1
All you can do is pick yourself back up again and give it another crack in April. Just one more month... hang in there! The time waiting is a drop in the bucket compared to the amount of time you can have driving that big rig.
Vykarius,
All you can do is pick yourself back up again and give it another crack in April
I agree, well said. I'm sure you'll do well the next time . . . or the next. Whatever it takes, right?
Jopa
No worries, i did the same thing. My biggest problem was nerves, sit at the dmv for hours all calm, then when they call your name it's like "Oh My God AAAHHRRGHH". But there's nothing like that feeling of elation when you pass and get that cdl in your hands! Hang in there.
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.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
Vyk, do you only have to retake the skills part or the whole test? I don't know if you have more chance to practice but if you do I have one piece of advice. PRACTICE STRAIGHT LINE. At my school the straight line truck was always open and ready while people were waiting in line to do alley docks, parallels, and offsets. When you practice straight line, set-up in such a way where you cant just hold the wheel straight and go thru. If you get into the cones with your trailer twisted and cab to one side or the other you will gain skill. It's about controlling the trailer, not just doing a manuever in the exact same place the exact same way every time. I became one of the best in my class on the range by doing about 100 straight lines in a row while the rest waited in line to do other maneuvers.
I agree with Michael. It's all about calming your nerves. I was fortunate to pass my first time out but when I first got in the truck I stalled the truck right in front of the examiner. Talk about embarrassing. My nerves we're all over the place. I just took a couple of breaths and just did what I knew I could do. You just need to remind yourself that you can and HAVE completed all of these skills before. You've done it so just do it again. April will be here before you know it!
I don't have to do the pre-trip inspection or the in-cab inspection, but I do have to do the brake test then drive to the skills test area to do a straight line back then a 90 degree alley dock followed by either an offset or a parallel parking then a road test back to DMV. I will try to go back to my cdl school a few times each week for skills training before the 29th of April when I test. I am thinking of watching some you tube videos to learn different techniques and styles. Any suggestions? Thanks for the kind words and supportive feedback. I hope my pre-hires remain in effect.
Vyk, do you only have to retake the skills part or the whole test? I don't know if you have more chance to practice but if you do I have one piece of advice. PRACTICE STRAIGHT LINE. At my school the straight line truck was always open and ready while people were waiting in line to do alley docks, parallels, and offsets. When you practice straight line, set-up in such a way where you cant just hold the wheel straight and go thru. If you get into the cones with your trailer twisted and cab to one side or the other you will gain skill. It's about controlling the trailer, not just doing a manuever in the exact same place the exact same way every time. I became one of the best in my class on the range by doing about 100 straight lines in a row while the rest waited in line to do other maneuvers.
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.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Pre-hires:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Thanks Bill.
All you can do is pick yourself back up again and give it another crack in April. Just one more month... hang in there! The time waiting is a drop in the bucket compared to the amount of time you can have driving that big rig.
I am thinking of watching some you tube videos to learn different techniques and styles. Any suggestions?
Listen...don't over-think it. You know how to do what you need to do to pass the test no problem. You'll get it next time. The DMV knows you failed the first time and it's pretty rare for anyone to be failed twice. I think the second time is going to be more of a formality than anything. Don't change what you're doing. Don't think you have to come up with new techniques or ideas. Just relax, try to put it out of your mind for now, get a little practice in between now and then if you get the chance, and stay confident. You'll get through it no problem. On April 29th you'll be celebrating your new CDL with a big ole steak dinner. Nothin to it.
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.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
Stick with it man. You will get through it! Wow, a month wait before you can retest? That is a long time. Don't give up!
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Hey gang...bad news...I took my DMV test for my CDL on 3-19-2014 and passed the pre-trip, the in cab inspection and the brake test too. My drive test went well but I screwed up on my skills tests and failed the overall because of it. I don't re-test until 4-29-2014. Been bummed for days.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.