I went to the Jackson Georgia testing facility this morning and took my skills test. My tester was a really nice man who made me feel at ease, explained everything and answered my many questions. All in all it was a good experience. I passed and was really pleased that I did it the first time. :lol: I did all the study and practice on my own. Working at a used truck dealer was a huge help because I have the equipment and space needed to recreate the skills course.

I also want to thank the members on this forum that offered up advice, tips and tricks for me so that I could better understand what I had to do in order to perform the exercises. I am really looking forward to taking a truck and trailer on the road to call on customers and potential buyers.

Thanks again for the support and info. Safe driving to everyone!

Way to go Lex!!!! Regardless if you ever drive for a living this will always be a feather in your cap.


BTW: Was the straight back still down hill?

Congratulations, Lex.

Finally, somebody else that did not go to driving school.

Good job! I took my test in Milledgeville, Ga a few y's ago- I was supposed to go to Jackson, but those guys were giving our school a hard time and failing most of the classes for bs stuff...they evidently didnt want us there. Milledgeville said my school did the best PTi's they had ever seen...
Either way- congrats and take it easy! if you see a Wilson truck around atl, holler for VARIABLE and say hi to me, I go through atl at least once a night!

Thanks for the kind words. Ridge.....yes...I rode the brake through the straight line back.....it is still downhill

Good for you. Have fun out there!

Hey I got my cdl permit out of Georgia I’m currently on the road with my dad practicing driving I am looking to take my test by end of summer and from the sounds of it I might go to Jackson to test what was the hardest part for you and were they strict on turns??

This post is 11 years old.. but as an old hand and ex CDL examiner, I can tell you my experience with drivers taking the test.. first of all, nerves nerves nerves. if you know how to drive, relax! This is just a short trip around town or even a few blocks. The pre-trip get most failure's by far! If you are not doing complete pre-trips.. get on the internet and watch as many videos as you can about the CDL pre-trips. Pay special attention to the wording on the videos! Wording and verbiage is a real problem. Try and discover what your state wants you to mention as it relates to checking for loose fasteners etc. In Wisconsin, "No rust dust or abrasions" was what we needed to hear at that time. The in cab air brake test gets a lot of people. You HAVE to get the procedure down and know what your doing. KNOWING what the process does is paramount to getting it right. Lots of people try and parrot the words without understanding what the hell they are doing. The turns are important and screwing them up will cause immediate failure. There are four scored turns on the test, there are usually a lot more turns on the test that you can screw up.. but striking a curb or worse running over a curb is a fail. Its safer to acknowledge something you screw up.. the examiner has seen it before. If you duff a turn.. say something and keep driving. If you sit there and say nothing.. you could fail for an unsafe act. Drivers fail for not competing turns correctly. Turns are screwed up by turning into the wrong lanes. Right turns complete in the right lane.. left turns are complete when you make the turns into the closest lane (normally the left) and then as soon as its safe, move to the right lane. Intersections are important! No lane changes in intersections EVER. The most important thing is to TALK out loud to the examiner! Descriptive driving is important. Mention everything important that you see on the route! Speed limits, intersection signs, yield, merge, schools, etc etc etc. Talk talk talk! The examiner may want you to repeat the instructions given. "We will make a RIGHT turn at the next intersection.... repeat that please".. Listen to the examiner. He is NOT an instructor! He or she will not tell you what to do. They will normally not tell you that you have failed unless you commit an unsafe act or they need to take control of the truck and drive it back to the site. You will be debriefed on what you need to work on if you fail. You will be congratulated on a pass... Good Luck!