cdl test with auto trans

[Bengalman]

im going sat to take my test ( have to rent truck)they have an automatic or 10 speed i think the auto might be better.can you give some pointers is it just like a car or is there a way to change gears thanks

[fuelman]

DO NOT TAKE THE THE TEST WITH AUTO!!!

your CDL will have a restriction on it so you can only drive automatic trucks.

you will severly limit your options for jobs unless you WANT to hump beer or soda pop the rest of your driving career.

Best of luck

[Uturn2001]

DO NOT TAKE THE THE TEST WITH AUTO!!!

your CDL will have a restriction on it so you can only drive automatic trucks.

you will severly limit your options for jobs unless you WANT to hump beer or soda pop the rest of your driving career.

Best of luck

It might be that way in CA but not in every state. In IL the state does not care what kind of transmission is in the vehicle. You only have to test with the class of vehicle you are getting a license for.

[fuelman]

That's Scary!!!!!

[Uturn2001]

That's Scary!!!!!

Why? Even if you attend the best of schools, most of your real training is/should happen during the 6 weeks or so you are out with a trainer and that is more than enough time to become reasonable proficient with a manual transmission.

Besides that, IMHO, it is far worse for a student to test with a manual and then spend their first year driving an auto shift.

[Malaki86]

That's Scary!!!!!

Why? Even if you attend the best of schools, most of your real training is/should happen during the 6 weeks or so you are out with a trainer and that is more than enough time to become reasonable proficient with a manual transmission.

Besides that, IMHO, it is far worse for a student to test with a manual and then spend their first year driving an auto shift.

I agree 100% on this one. Auto's are great - but KNOW how to drive a manual.

[Bengalman]

they told me it does not tell what you took the test in I can drive a 10 speed just thought it might be better to take test in auto

[fuelman]

For me it is about control of the truck, Hopefully we can agree that it takes more awareness to drive a stick. This guy could pass the test in an autoshift and get a job the next day driving a stick with no trainer riding along. To me that's scary!! I think newbies get consumed with downshifting rather than looking at whats in front of them. I would feel safer knowing this guy passed the test driving a stick and the DMV gave him the green light to safely drive a stick.

I think this is one of the reasons why california places a restriction on CDL's for autoshifts.

But hey, we are left coasters, and have a musclemonkey for govner!!!!

[Fredog]

they told me it does not tell what you took the test in I can drive a 10 speed just thought it might be better to take test in auto

there is no restriction if you take the test in an automatic.... call the dmv and ask them

[rickll]

we drive an Altrashift truck now and LOVE IT will hate to go back to shifting again, but backing an automatic IS DIFFERENT THEN A CLUCH so if you do take the test practice for a few hours before you go.

[Bengalman]

I cant practice im renting the truck from the testing site

[Bengalman]

I just need to know do you just put it in drive like a car I need to know what to expect

[Uturn2001]

I just need to know do you just put it in drive like a car I need to know what to expect

Pretty much. It may have a clutch but the only time you will need to use it is when you are at or coming to a complete stop.

Auto shift transmissions in trucks have Reverse, Nuetral, Drive, Hold, and sometimes Low settings on them.

You park the truck in Nuetral. The only time you use low is if you need to start in 1st gear and/or stay in 1st gear for a while.

Hold does just as it says. It keeps the transmission in what ever gear it is in and will not shift until you either return it to Drive or shift it manually.

[bigpapa7272]

correct me if im worng, in MD if you use an automatic for your test they just deduct 2 points off when you start. but you can get a license that unrestricted

[Fozzy]

Hopefully we can agree that it takes more awareness to drive a stick.

We agree for the wrong reason, it does take more awareness to drive a standard transmission. Having awareness in one area automatically takes awareness away in other areas. The Automatics are safer for everyone in most areas.. It's common sense. If you have to take even the slightest attention away from one task to do the other, usually one or both suffer to some degree.

I agree in principle with the standard transmission endorsement, but I would make it a graduated thing based on time, after a year of being in a truck or having a license, the restriction ought to go away. Unless we are ready to put endorsements for every type of transmission for all levels of driving then it's just silly.