If you want or need a CDL...

Jody Treadway said:
I know for a fact as of last year, you could go take the road test to add the manual endorsement to your CDL. We had a new hire do just that. He had the auto endorsement, used our truck to take and pass the test. Got the endorsement and went to work for us.
That was last July (2021) so it may have changed since then.
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Hopefully that's how it still is
 
Go on your App Store or whatever you droid users call it and download these 2 apps. They will set you straight for anything regarding testing at the DMV and internally reference all the correct FMSCA sections and subsections for all questions regarding pretrip (form A, B, or, C). I used them and passed everything 100% first time go.
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Well I guess if by chance he last couple tries I don't think I have the hang of the manual I'll just have to have an auto restriction forever. I know a couple people with manual trans trucks but I really don't want to ask to use one to practice. In the past 11 years of buying and selling trucks, I've owned 3 deuces which were manual, and driven one semi for a friend that he purchased that was manual. I can get by without it, and I am sure if I ever got a job requiring a CDL, most trucks are autos nowadays anyway.
 
awheelterd said:
The better question is, how many times have you been pulled over?
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Around here everybody just slaps a farm tag on whatever and whips it.

I on the other hand am trying to grab a truck and use it to travel with our slidein and a bigass trailer with the rigs, but also be able to use it for work instead of having it retitled as an rv
 
awheelterd said:
The better question is, how many times have you been pulled over?
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This is what I was going to say, 20% of people driving around in NC with commercial trucks have no cdl at all... you'll be fine. Especially considering you're most likely only going to be driving military autos. Most military trucks are also grossly under rated, a duece and lmtv gvwr is less than cdl so it's not likely to be a common problem.
 
redneckjeep87 said:
Around here everybody just slaps a farm tag on whatever and whips it.
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This…the farm exemptions for VA are pretty lenient at 150 miles and the only time I’ll be driving the day cab is for that use and within the mileage limits. I do plan to get a good amount of seat time to shake the truck down and get used to the gearbox before hauling anything considerably heavy. Mostly it’s just going to be used to move equipment on a smaller lowboy.
 
I haven't really been pulled over. Got pulled once in Winston Salem way back in probably 2013/2014. Got a ticket, but got the truck converted to an RV and they dropped the ticket. My buddy was pulled with his 'RV' pulling a trailer by a trooper, he let him go, but it's all up to who pulls you. My dumptruck is over 30k lbs EMPTY, although IF I ever tag it I would run a farm tag, but I have heard varying reports of if a CDL is needed or not when using a farm tag. I am going to ask the guy in charge at DCCC and see what he says. Having a truck that looks military is great, but I can think of three instances of being pulled. Just ask @CasterTroy , he had a butt puckering experience with a local DMV inspector 😂
 
StretchASU said:
This…the farm exemptions for VA are pretty lenient
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VA is reeling in the "farm Use" tag misuse. Starting in July 2023 certain vehicle will be required to get a Farm Use tag issued by DMV. And insurance proof will be required also.

Unregistered Vehicle Conditions​

Beginning July 1, 2023, some unregistered farm use vehicles must display a DMV-issued permanent farm use placard. Previously, an unofficial farm use tag was sufficient. More information on the application process will be available at a later date.
 
But basically if I fail the test after 6 tries I guess I'll just keep riding dirty
Tom@Hilltop_Machine said:
VA is reeling in the "farm Use" tag misuse. Starting in July 2023 certain vehicle will be required to get a Farm Use tag issued by DMV. And insurance proof will be required also.

Unregistered Vehicle Conditions​

Beginning July 1, 2023, some unregistered farm use vehicles must display a DMV-issued permanent farm use placard. Previously, an unofficial farm use tag was sufficient. More information on the application process will be available at a later date.
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Farm tags in NC actually cost money and require proof of insurance already. A farm tag is 1/2 the cost of a regular weighted tag.
 
Can't believe it, but passed on try #2. Pretrip was easy since I had watched the video and knew what to say and do. Didn't test the horns (doh!) but passed the pretrip regardless. The backing was easy, only pulled up once on the 90° alley dock, and got out twice to get it in the right spot. I could have pulled up a bunch on the alley dock as I didn't pull up on either of the other two. I was worried about the backing but it was way easier than I expected.

I am fairly surprised I passed the road test as there was plenty of grinding, and some missed shifts. I made it very clear that I have had a total of 1.5 hours in a manual transmission semi truck, so I think he kind of took it easy on me. Upshifts went good, downshifting is definitely tricky, it's tough to wrap your mind around letting off the clutch completely and matching revs to put it in a lower gear. I definitely feel like I coasted more than was allowed (if the coasting length of the truck thing is true).

I literally told the instructor I thought he was lax with me on the shifting, but he said the main thing was I didn't get stuck (or stopped at all) anywhere blocking traffic. Didn't hit any curbs, and @CasterTroy wasn't walking down the sidewalk in Mocksville so I had no reason to swerve. The only thing you have to mention is bridge weights (there are no posted weights on the trip that I saw) and bridge heights (only one, 14'5" and it would be very hard to miss the sign). There are definitely some curves that would be easy to hit a curb. The instructor was very helpful on the road test, doesn't mean I wasn't nervous!
 
Has anyone tested after the Feb changes? I got a card tonight on call for AAA, guy has his own driving school and asked me if I was interested. I wanted to know what the process is like and what to expect essentially.
 
Darkbloodmon said:
Has anyone tested after the Feb changes? I got a card tonight on call for AAA, guy has his own driving school and asked me if I was interested. I wanted to know what the process is like and what to expect essentially.
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I went through in May-June 2022. Did online ELDT’s then went to hands-on (driving/road testing) for 2weeks. It was easy but the Feb 2022 changes made it very pricey if you don’t sign with a company willing to pay for you. I used my GI Bill so….
 
skyhighZJ said:
Got bored the other day: made a couple videos of shifting my 13spd. One is loaded (80k lbs) and I use the full pattern. The other is unloaded (30k lbs) so I just run 2 through 8 then split 8. This is no clutch (floating) only using pedal modulation.



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Wanna see a video of our new auto Freightliner shifting by itself after dropping $5k on a new after treatment system? :shaking:
 
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