Failed First Attempt At (TEXAS) Written Exam...

Good day to everyone and thanks in advance for any feedback.

I went to take my written test for Commercial Learners Permit knowing that I had studied my ASS off for the previous week.

When I sat down, I was confident. The first session was "General Knowledge" and I had to get 14 of 20 questions right. The test was finished 13 questions into it! I had failed before even finishing the test!!!

The reason is...I had to guess at every question I had. I hadn't seen any of these questions in my study sessions. WHERE THE HELL did they come from?

I was asked things along the lines of (and using my best recollection): --- What is the color of the flag used to tow any vehicle with a yellow rope/strap? --- What is the minimum height of reflectors used on flatbed trailers? --- What is the minimum clearance of mudflaps above the ground? --- What cannot be legally used on highways? a) more than 2 mud grip tires, b) chains c)??? d)??? --- What is the main safety check before deeming a bus safe to travel? --- When hauling long cargo, what must be attached to the back of the longest extension? a) red flag b) red reflectors c)??? d)???

That's 6 of the 7 that I got wrong and totally guessed on all of them.

I searched everywhere on TT and even the online course I received from Swift and nowhere did I find any of these questions.

Again, thank you so much for any advice.

Best regards,

AL

The first session was "General Knowledge" and I had to get 14 of 20

Dang, your general knowledge was only 20 questions? The one I took here in Arkansas was 50 questions.

I'm assuming you didnt use the High Road CDL Training Program

I used that system and passed no problem. The hard thing about it, is the tricky questions they ask. You have to read them very carefully.

I had to guess at every question I had. I hadn't seen any of these questions in my study sessions. WHERE THE HELL did they come from?

Welcome to Texas, where we Texans proudly declare that "everything is bigger in Texas!" Unfortunately that includes our CDL manual. Yep, we have an unusual section in our manual that no other state includes. It's section 14 in the manual, and there will oftentimes be questions from that section on your exam. Study our High Road CDL Training Program, and section fourteen in your Texas CDL manual and you'll knock it out of the park on your next attempt.

Thanks so much for the replies! It's greatly appreciated.

I relied heavily on the High Road CDL Training Program. It was far and away better than what Swift had sent me to study from. SO MUCH more comprehensive and I couldn't have asked for any better material. However, with that being said, none of the material in the General Knowledge section was covered by HR CDL.

It is worth noting that even in the Texas CDL program, I was instructed to review chapters 1-3, 5,6, 11-13. See attachment. So I never even glanced at chapter 14.

I guess I'll hit the books and re-take.

Thanks to everyone.

AL

none of the material in the General Knowledge section was covered by HR CDL

Yes, the entire General Knowledge section is in the High Road. The materials in the High Road Training Program are the CDL manual itself. So the entire General Knowledge section is there, and so is everything else except section 14 in the Texas manual, which is exclusive to Texas. No one else has that section. That's the part we didn't cover.

You need to read section 14 from the Texas CDL manual itself, which can be found here:

Texas CDL Manual

Here's another thing about those tests. In Texas each section has several different varieties of questions. It's sort of a computer generated lottery system that comes up with a very different set of questions each time you retake your tests. It's quite possible you'll not even see those same questions next time around. Just make sure you've studied well and give it another shot. You'll get it for sure.

I have an app on my phone iPhone but I herd androids can get it too if you study your handbook and use this app it’s similar to dmv questions you can pick and choose your location such as California where I’m from Oregon etc and pick your type of license commercial a,b,c etc and in California it was 85% similar to the test at the dmv good luck it’s called DMVGenie

Good day to everyone and thanks in advance for any feedback.

I went to take my written test for Commercial Learners Permit knowing that I had studied my ASS off for the previous week.

When I sat down, I was confident. The first session was "General Knowledge" and I had to get 14 of 20 questions right. The test was finished 13 questions into it! I had failed before even finishing the test!!!

The reason is...I had to guess at every question I had. I hadn't seen any of these questions in my study sessions. WHERE THE HELL did they come from?

I was asked things along the lines of (and using my best recollection): --- What is the color of the flag used to tow any vehicle with a yellow rope/strap? --- What is the minimum height of reflectors used on flatbed trailers? --- What is the minimum clearance of mudflaps above the ground? --- What cannot be legally used on highways? a) more than 2 mud grip tires, b) chains c)??? d)??? --- What is the main safety check before deeming a bus safe to travel? --- When hauling long cargo, what must be attached to the back of the longest extension? a) red flag b) red reflectors c)??? d)???

That's 6 of the 7 that I got wrong and totally guessed on all of them.

I searched everywhere on TT and even the online course I received from Swift and nowhere did I find any of these questions.

Again, thank you so much for any advice.

Best regards,

AL

this app it’s similar to dmv questions you can pick and choose your location such as California

So do you think the various state DMV's from all over the country give these people the answers to the test? Of course not.

Listen, if you study the materials instead of trying to memorize a bunch of questions you'll do great. If you just keep doing questions without reading and learning the materials you're going to do lousy.

Guessing at a bunch of questions is not learning. You have to read the materials first and use the questions as a review. No one has the answers to the tests.

Yes, the entire General Knowledge section is in the High Road. The materials in the High Road Training Program are the CDL manual itself. So the entire General Knowledge section is there, and so is everything else except section 14 in the Texas manual, which is exclusive to Texas. No one else has that section. That's the part we didn't cover.

Hey Mr. Brett And let me start by one, thanking you, and two, admitting that I may have worded that wrong in hindsight. What I should have stated was "Nothing on the General Knowledge Test I took was covered in the HR Training Program."

But, even then, I would have been wrong. Why did TEXAS DPS give me questions about flags on ropes, bus safety checks, etc.?

That was my biggest (and only) issue.

I'm hitting the books again and going over everything until Thursday. I will take the test again then and Friday if necessary.

I can't possibly relay my deepest gratitude to you and your community of trucking. I look forward to being a member for a very long time. Hopefully one day, I'll be able to pass along some advice.

Regards,

AL