Is Parallel Parking Absolutely Mandatory For Texas CDL Skills Test?

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.

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?

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?

Well having air brakes on the trailer is a whole different world than electric. I mean, they're not even similar in how they behave. Not only that, but there's no way you can demonstrate doing any pre-trip checks on the trailer air brakes and there are quite a few checks you have to do. It is a bummer they changed the rules unexpectedly but what can you do?

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.

Parallel is mandatory, then again you can pass without completing it in full. lets say you do straight line in one then on offset you use 2 pull ups which are free, you still have 12 points you can loose. So you attempt the parallel and get the corner of your trailer inside the box, set your brake and then blow your horn signaling you're done. They will take 10 points for being outside the box and you will move onto the road portion as you passed the yard by 2 points. the trick is you must attempt a parallel and can not loose more than 12 points between all 3 yard tasks.

Parallel is mandatory, then again you can pass without completing it in full. lets say you do straight line in one then on offset you use 2 pull ups which are free, you still have 12 points you can loose. So you attempt the parallel and get the corner of your trailer inside the box, set your brake and then blow your horn signaling you're done. They will take 10 points for being outside the box and you will move onto the road portion as you passed the yard by 2 points. the trick is you must attempt a parallel and can not loose more than 12 points between all 3 yard tasks.

Or you could just learn to do the maneuver..... it really isnt that hard to listen to the instructors directions. We were given reference points and made it nearly fail proof provided you followed what you were told to do. Id jokingly asked my examiner about that and was told that you'd receive the 10 points and told to do it again because you intentionally didnt follow directions.

Sometimes they make you simulate a breakdown and railroad crossing (with a train coming) too. I was lucky to not be put with those testers so I just had the basic driving and straight line backing and parallel.

So, they have you simulate breaking down on a RR track with a train coming? Why? To see how fast you can get out and run?

Sometimes they make you simulate a breakdown and railroad crossing (with a train coming) too. I was lucky to not be put with those testers so I just had the basic driving and straight line backing and parallel.

So, they have you simulate breaking down on a RR track with a train coming? Why? To see how fast you can get out and run?

Do you get extra points for messing your self?