Profile For TailDragger

Hang tough and good luck!

Thanks for the comments Brett!

I completely understand and agree with everything you said. What makes no common sense is the fact that after clearly passing the driving test and the paperwork complete, I was no longer legal to drive the very vehicle combination in which I had just passed the test. Now, I can't even legally drive it with a licensed driver in the front seat. It just makes no common sense.

Again, thanks for your comments and your work on this great forum.

The more I think about it, the stupider it seems. After taking the driving test and passing, I am not legal to drive the rig home that I took the test in. Where is the common sense in this?

Test Report:

Bittersweet victory.

I passed with a 98. Parallel parked like a pro if I can toot my own horn. I right signaled going into the parallel parking space, but forgot to signal coming out. I did a sharp hairpin turn along the route and the signal didn't cancel on it's own. The indicator is hidden by the steering wheel and I couldn't hear it click, so that was the other lost point.

Two of my friends took their Class A tests with this very same rig which is an air braked dump truck and electric braked equipment trailer. The rules have changed and even though there are air brakes on the tow vehicle, I have an air brake restriction. Bummer. They say that to get the restriction lifted, I have to retake the air brakes test and do a driving test with an air brake trailer. My buddy says he thinks he knows where he can borrow an air brake trailer, so I'm not done yet.

I will report again after the double air brake driving test.

Thanks VERY much for the answers and encouragement. This is a great forum.

I was getting worried that I wouldn't have the truck ready for the Tuesday test. The speedometer was erratic and I'm sure they would not like doing a driving test without a readable speedometer. I found a bare wire on the output shaft sensor, taped it up and the speedometer is now working perfect. I will be getting lots of parallel parking experience this weekend and be studying the pre trip details further.

I'll check in Tuesday evening with the results. Larry

Thanks Old School!

I will try to report back next Tuesday after the test.

Larry

I tried to pay the forum the courtesy of filling out my profile.

I selected "Driver in Training" but the system insists on showing me as "Company Driver in Training." I tried to change it several times, but it goes back to "Company..."

I am enjoying the forum. Thanks to those who make it possible. Larry

Thanks very much for the replies guys! From what you are saying, it sounds as if I can pass the test even if I am not successful with the parallel parking. I will be practicing parallel parking this afternoon, and my test is next Tuesday. I feel comfortable with everything else, so it sounds like I can pull it off. That said, if for no other reason than my pride, I really want to successfully and completely parallel park on the test.

I am not looking for an over the road job. I am about to retire and I will sometimes be helping a friend of mine do dirt work and small construction site prep. Between he, I and a third friend we have various pieces of equipment from small dozers to back hoes. I just want to be legal for moving this stuff around. I have some other things going that would make it good to have a car hauler. Nothing too big, but enough to haul a couple of one ton crew cabs.

In my early years, I drove a five ton tractor with a large radar trailing behind while in the Army and worked as a mechanic in a big truck shop for a while after I got out of the Army and moved stuff around the yard and road tested. I'm certainly not an experienced OTR driver, but I am not a rank beginner either.

Thanks again for the quick, friendly and useful responses.

I will be hanging out here and will report my test results.

Larry

Looks like a great forum.

I have passed all my written tests and I'm ready to take my skills test. I will be using a friends dump truck and a trailer. He and another friend took their class A in this rig a few years ago. Neither of them had to parallel park on the test. As far as I can tell, it appears to be absolutely mandatory unless maybe if you get enough points on the rest of the test, maybe they don't do it.

The Texas CDL manual is not clearly worded regarding this. I have driven the rig and feel quite comfortable with it and with all the things necessary, except I have yet to parallel park it.

Thanks for your comments, Larry