Texas CDL Road Test
 

I just found out today that in Texas, or maybe in Austin, or maybe just for International Schools in Austin, that we do not have to pretrip as part of our graded practical test. We do test on Air Brakes and Drive. I was thinking from reading this forum that the Pretrip was the hardest part of the Practical Test. Not so much that is is hard, just that there is so much to remember and if you forgot something you could fail. I am relieved.

Maybe they changed it back. I hear that they were going to take the pre-trip out of the driving test. When I got my Class A,all I had to do was the air pressure rate drop,and then drive. Some years after I got mine,I heard that guys had to name everything on the truck,but the color of the paint. There were drivers out there that had so much trouble with the pre-trip,that they were failing,and I heard that they were going to drop that part some day. Maybe they did,I dunno.

That is what I was told by students that had taken the test that very day. I asked the instructors and they said no one did a pretrip for the test.

Well,maybe they did take out the pre-trip.

Yes the pre-trip in Texas is a fill in the dot with a number two pencil written, or computerized press the button/screen selection test.

If Texas is still using the commercial motor vehicle drivers handbook ver 2.0, as we were back in April. The general knowledge section, 2.1 vehicle inspection, and section 11, pre-trip vehicle inspection test (including 11.3 school bus only) and (11.5 coach/transit bus) should teach you all you will need to pass.

There were 7 of us taking the road test that morning. The police officer had us each perform the air brake test first before allowing us to continuing with the road test.

When I took my CDL A test in Houston, We had to do the air brake test, straight line backing, parallel parking and a short road trip trip. There was no pre-trip inspection or 45 degree parking involved.

I did'nt have the 45 degree parking, but we had everything elese as you said and the pre-trip to do, not that he cared what i was pointing out to him but neverless......................

i live in Texas but went to school in AR.
CDL test consisted of 107 pre trip inspections, straight line backing, 45 into dock, reverse serpentine, road test.
3 week 180-200 hr.course

edit: air brake test and tug test was part of the pre trip

I took my CDL in Texas, no pre trip on the pratival exam, just air break test, Road test, str8 line backing, and parallel parkin

Ski

Road Test
 

I am in the process of getting my CDL- completed everything and have the road test scheduled. I asked specifically-- was told that they do not require the inspection because it is covered by the computer test, but they are planning on adding it back on in the near future. I was told that I would have to back my 40 ft horse trailer 100 feet (not a big deal) and would have to parallel park it. When I told her nicely that I had been hauling trailers for 50+ trailers and had never had to parallel park one she laughed and said "You will never have to again probably either!" So-- off to the pasture with my Ford 550 and my 40 ft 7 horse trailer to set up cones and practice. Fortunately You Tube had some great instructional videos on how to and it looks fairly straight forward! Texas is now requiring all people pulling horse trailers 10,000 GVW and over to have an A license and if you are raising or selling horses you must also have the CDL- DOT registration and inspections etc! The hardest problem was finding a "LEGAL" driver to get the rig to the test site. My brother-in-law is a cross country trucker-- but not at home when I can do the test! I guess if you don't want to do the walk around in Texas you'd better hurry up and take the driving portion of the test!

Just got my TX CDL about ten days ago and here's the program:

1. Check in at the DPS at least 1/2 hour before your appointed time.

2. While you're waiting, get the rig set up the way you want it (mirrors, seat, etc.). Maybe run through your 8-step brake test one last time. They want specific phrases from you when you do the test for them, so it is important to have it down. You don't want to be failed before you even leave the parking lot.

3. When the tester comes out greet him or her, and hand them the rig paperwork (registration, insurance, etc.). She will look over that, then you will run through all the lights and turn signals and stuff to make sure everything is in working order.

4. The tester will then get in the cab with you and you will commence the 8-step. Once you do that you will receive your instructions for the road test.

5. The DPS will have a circuit that they will use which is probably about 10-15 miles long and will include an area where you will be graded on a straight-back and on a parallel park. The may do the back and the parallel on the DPS premises if they have an area for it. Corpus Christi DPS does not, so you do those tests on a quiet side street about five miles from the DPS office.

6. Assuming you get around the circuit without stalling, hitting any curbs, crossing a solid yellow line, causing an accident, or anything else that can get you failed, the tester will tell you what you need improvement on and what your score was. If you have a 70 or higher on the test you pass. If not, you need to re-schedule. You get three chances to pass, and if you don't you have to start the licnsing procss all over again.

The Corpus test was relatively easy. There was about 7-8 miles of highway driving, maybe 3-4 of surface street driving, the back and the parallel park. There were a couple of dicey spots where it would be easy to hit a curb or go over the solid yellow line, but if you know they are there then you can be ready for them. The last two days of the school I went to, we just went round and round on the DPS test circuit all day, so I had it pretty much memorized, right down to the shifts.

Hope that helps.

Edit: BTW, on the parallel park thing: Just fake it and get it within 3-4 feet of the curb. They can only deduct a max of nine points for an ugly parking job. However, you hit the curb and it's an automatic fail. I got pretty good at parallel in school, but when it came time to take the test, I made damn sure I wasn't going to hit that curb and ended up about three feet off and at an angle to the curb line. When the tester got back in the truck I said, "That's probably the worst parallel park job I've done since the day I learned to do it." Her answer was, "Don't sweat it. At least you didn't hit the curb and that's all we look for."

Excellent synopses.

Regarding the crossing of lines: Remember that crossing solid white lines on the freeway or the access roads will also count against you. It's been a few moons since I tested for my Class A, but IIRC, crossing those solid white lines was also grounds for failing the test.

You mean that air brakes had been invented back when you tested for your Class A?? :p ;)

Taking the Texas or any other states driving test isn't easy and If you don't take it seriously you can fail. It has become harder now than ever. Last year, my brother also applied for Texas driving test without any preparation and couldn't pass it first attempt. Then I spent my time on Google and found out some practice test and study material that helped my brother to pass the test in 2nd attempt. That's why I always recommend to do preparation before taking test. Here is some links I found that might help others too.

https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license
https://www.testquestions.org/produc...d-answers-pdf/