What's up today (bullchiting) thread.

That sux. Feel better.

 

Truck driver comes today, driving a different truck than usual. So, i ask him why.

they hired a new driver a few weeks ago who had been driving this truck. Turns out, he can't drive a manual trans. "She's a 10 speed." Our driver informs me. "There's not much of a clutch left in her;"

I'd like to know where that guy got his license. The truck drivers institute in this region only has manuals, and as far as I know the next closest one is 8 hours from here.

 

Adaptive Cruise, anti collision brakes system ( radar controlled),Adaptive steering, Adaptive 4wd, traction controll= royal pia for me. I have no idea who the darn thing is adapting to.

 

There is no requirement to take your test in a truck with a manual transmission here. Just that you take the test in a vehicle similar to the one you will be operating.

 

When I took the test it was an auto...even though I practiced in manual, and intended to drive manual...back then there was no differentiation in your license, but I guess Ohio now makes you use a manual to test if you want to drive one...at least this is what I was told by someone who just took the test.

 

Yeah, I might have rented a moving truck to take my test, I know how to drive a manual but my sponsor wasn’t confident his trucks would pass the safety inspection. I got the same license as someone who tested with a clutch(class B) . I have heard rumors that in order to get a CDL in Massachusetts you need to go trough a training program. Sounds like a money grab to me.

 

Ohio now too

 

I have had a driver tell me that if he took his test on an auto, he wouldn't be allowed to drive a manual. I'm not sure if that's actually true here. Never heard so from anyone else. Maybe it was years ago? I know some countries over in Europe, that's the case, even for your car license. But, I do know that the institute here on the east coast only has manual trucks anyway.

Kinda crazy how many big trucks are automatic now. Wasn't that long ago it was quite rare. But, enough of them are manual that it's still a good idea to be able to drive them, even if not a requirement.

As far as a similar vehicle, there's only so much you can do about that with so many different ones out there. Especially with a trailer, going to a different wheelbase length than you're used to can be like learning to drive all over again. I learned that much from towing with cars and pickups.

I plan to get my truck license myself in time.

 

My current employer has a Peterbuilt straight rig that’s over 45 feet long and has overweight permits(another money grab). It has an automatic transmission and is similar to driving a BIG mini van.

 

What kind of moving truck? As in was it a 10 wheeler? Air brakes?

I ask because the biggest U-Haul you can rent here, for instance, (5 ton with hydraulic brakes) you can drive with a regular driver's license. I know your licensing structure down below the border is different than ours from what I've read.

 

22 to 26 Foot Box Truck — CDL Required

 

Yup, I can see that. Kinda like going to a one ton truck from a small car, I imagine, just bigger again. Other than air brakes. It's a trailer, more so reversing them, that takes more skill. And that, of course, goes for towing a 5x8 utility with a sunfire too.

hmm, I see. As far as I know, if it has hydraulic brakes you can drive that with a regular license here.

I hear Americans refer to a CDL, are there additional levels within that term? I mean, I wouldn't think it'd be a good idea to take a test on even a tandem and then go hop in a semi.

Our licenses are just referred to by a 5 class system, class 5 is your regular license, car up to a 5 ton. Air brakes and tandem axles is a class 3 license. Class 1 is a semi.

class 4 is for taxi drivers, small bus, and ambulance. which seems stupid to me in the former case. You're driving a car with paying passengers. In the latter case, I can understand additional training for emergency vehicles.
Class 2 is a full size bus, which as far as I know, you can operate with a class 5 if it's just you aboard. (Converted to RV or otherwise not being used as a bus). But if you're hauling a load of kids, you need the license.

I know if you have a class 1, you're covered for class 3, but I've never heard that it also covers you for class 2. Not positive on that. I mean, I know you want someone who knows what they're doing hauling 72 people, but if I'm certified to drive 80,000 lbs of truck and trailer....

 

In ohio I had to take my test with a manual truck to get a manual endorsement on my CDL. But.... I rented a truck from the school I took my test at and it was a synchronized 6 speed transmission. It was no different than driving a pickup truck but bigger. Way different than driving an non synchronized Eaton 8 or 10 speed.

The truck also barely passed the weight threshold as a CDL straight truck.

My guess is they wanted people to pass if they were competent and get the real training on the job. They wanted to check all the boxes and get people out there and become gainfully employed.

All that is gone and you have to either pay for CDL school or work for a company to get it.

 

Yeah I forgot about that part...didn't know there was any other option though (work for a company?)

 

I don't know if its like a sponsorship program or something. I do recall in the fine print if you quit before a certain amount of time with the company you have to pay them back.

All of this is kinda crazy because I drove a company truck empty to learn and backed trucks into the loading dock. Then I watched a ODOT pre inspect video 1000 times. Then I payed to rent the truck and for the driving exam and pre inspection exam. I was only out 400 dollars.