What Aspiring Commercial Drivers Need to Know About The CDL Skills Test

There was once a time when kids in America wanted to be fire fighters when they grew up. Many of them might still do, but nowadays, there are also an increasing number of them wanting to become a commercial driver when they are older. The reasons that have attracted them to the profession are evident-the lure of distant and exotic lands and the belief that life as a commercial driver or a trucker is as exhilarating as the Ice Road Trucker episodes portray. By the time these kids grow up, these notions may have been altered, but they are still convinced that a career as a commercial truck driver holds many promises, in the shape of fat paychecks, lucrative perks, and ample time off duty to spend with the family. Hence begins the quest for a commercial driver's license (CDL), the passport to a career as a truck driver. In almost every state of the US, a commercial drivers license applicant is required to first take and pass a written knowledge test before he or she is allowed to sit behind the wheel for the skills test. There are many places online and in a classroom you can go to prepare for the written exam and take practice tests. The written test typically consists of general truck driving rules and regulations and operation, a portion o using air brakes (may be one of the most important topic when it comes to truck driving), and in some cases a HAZMAT (hazardous materials) portion. The HAZMAT test is the most difficult of the CDL practice tests because there is so much that goes into the security of transporting hazardous materials. A CDL skills test evaluates an aspiring commercial driver on these three grounds. Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection: The aspirant is tested on his knowledge of the safety and road-readiness of his vehicle. He is asked to perform a pre-trip inspection test on his vehicle and also explain to the examiners the reason for carrying out each test. Basic Vehicle Control: A commercial driver is supposed to possess all the skills related to this, like moving the vehicle forward and backward, and turning it within a specified area On-Road Skills: This is the climax of a CDL skills test where the applicant is tested on his on-road skills-negotiating a variety of traffic situations like turning left or right amidst heavy traffic, driving on single- and multi-lane roads and highways, tackling curves and intersections, and traveling up and down grades.