Advice To New People, Like Myself, Preparing For The CDL Exam. And How I "failed".

Using the training tools on this site was incredibly helpful. I also wanted to make sure I was fully prepared, so I searched more forums, took more tests, over and over and over. In the last two months I guarantee I took over 1000 tests, easy.

Guess what I did? I never actually cracked the Texas CDL Handbook. I learned from the sites and felt extremely confident that I would do just fine.

Covid-19 has made getting an appointment extremely difficult so I was determined to pass on my first try. The first appointment available was a four hour drive for me, but I snatched it up.

I walked in, had all of my paperwork ready, physical done, everything. Then the woman who checked me in said "You know you have to take four tests, today, right?" To which I responded that I only needed general knowledge, air brakes, and combination tests and if I could, take the tanker and doubles/triples test.

"NO extra endorsement testing, today, just your Texas Special Requirements test, then if you pass that, your general knowledge/air brakes/combo tests."

I responded with "You gotta be s******g me" out of habit. She wasn't amused. But that was directed at me, not her or the DPS. I knew right then that I had been lazy and in doing so, possibly messed up my start date for training as well as cost myself more time and gas because of my selfish decision.

And then I remembered that I am too old to think taking the "easy" way out is ever a good thing. If I would have taken the tests AND read the handbook, I would have known not only about the test but also the answers.

So, I promptly sat down and failed the Special Requirements test. 13'6" might be the national height maximum but, in Texas, it's 14. It had all sorts of things that I had never even studied, and I felt like a complete idiot for having taken shortcuts instead of using those shortcuts to enhance the lessons in the handbook.

Fortunately I found one place I could take the computer test much closer to home and went back, yesterday.

Guess what? I passed everything, aced two of them, missed one on air brakes because it was something I never saw on any practice tests and, amazingly, missed five on General Knowledge? Why? Because it had questions that also weren't on any testing site I took. "Glare Ice"? "If you're load is too heavy going up a hill, you should..."

I'm glad I was punished by having to re-take the tests because I deserved it for trying to take the easy way out. Lesson learned.

My point is TT training is great, as are a few other sites, but use the practice tests as aids in addition to learning the handbook because each state has different requirements and if you take the lazy way out, like I did, you might find yourself feeling dumb and/or costing yourself a good opportunity.

Now, when I start Millis training on August 3rd, I will read EVERYTHING they tell me to read. Sometimes we forget the simple lessons in life and for something as important and dangerous as trucking, taking shortcuts are not a good thing.

Mike, I'm so glad you passed!

I can't help but remember when I warned you about those requirements in Texas.

I looked up that conversation. Here's a quote from my response...

Mike, Texas does have some additional questions on a special section in their CDL manual. That material is in section 14. Texas is the only state that requires that material. You'd be better prepared by going over that stuff. It's mostly technical, but they always throw in a few questions from that section.

Do you remember that?

My powerful memory is more of a curse than a blessing, but I knew when I started reading your post, that you and I had discussed this earlier.

For this example, I emboldened that one important statement.

I do, NOW!!! Yup you prepared me and I didn't dig into it like I should have. Next time, I'll pay better attention, promise.

Mike, I'm so glad you passed!

I can't help but remember when I warned you about those requirements in Texas.

I looked up that conversation. Here's a quote from my response...

Mike, Texas does have some additional questions on a special section in their CDL manual. That material is in section 14. Texas is the only state that requires that material. You'd be better prepared by going over that stuff. It's mostly technical, but they always throw in a few questions from that section.

Do you remember that?

My powerful memory is more of a curse than a blessing, but I knew when I started reading your post, that you and I had discussed this earlier.

For this example, I emboldened that one important statement.

The real question is... When was the last time Old School was wrong about something on TruckingTruth?

The answer may be lost to time - I can't remember a single example! Old School is a wealth of knowledge, and I wish there was a way he could more easily spread this among both new and experienced truck drivers. Are all of you spreading the word to your CDL Classmates and Trucking Co-Workers? Save them the stress of major mistakes, Save a career, and potentialy, save a life out on the road - just by bringing truckers to the TRUTH!

(This ornery endorsement was brought to you by Jrod going stir crazy in the office. But its all true!)

Yes - I noticed I misspelled "POTENTIALLY" - no grammar grumps need tell me!