Insider Tips for Passing the California CDL exam

Earning a class A license involves more work than a standard class-c license, but the two processes are not significantly different, the key distinction being the amount of training required to receive a class A license. You probably assumed as much. However, obtaining a California CDLor commercial driver license in any state offers numerous employment opportunities within the trucking industry. The training involved before acquiring your CDL is serious. However, it takes notably less time than many other vocational schools, often just 30 days. The information provided here details a thorough account of the steps you must take before getting a CDL.For beginners, you will need to be at least 18-years-old, 21 if you plan to drive past state lines, you will also need to hold a current active California class-C license. Before enrolling at a trucking school or seeking training of any sort, visit the California DMV Website and read the Commercial Driver handbook. You can locate the link below the resources section. Unless you have amazing instincts for commercial truck driving, you will need to receive training, either at a driving truck school or a truck hauling company. A trucking school is more common. Typically, trucking companies lack the time and resources to conduct driver training. However, it is not beyond question to get training from a trucking company. Many commercial drivers have done so and successfully obtained their license. Either way, diligent training and a class A license puts you in line to get hired for a number of sound paying jobs in the industry.It may seem readily apparent, but most do not own their own commercial truck. You will need one when you take the driving test, of course. The DMV, unfortunately, does not loan them out when it comes time to take the CDL driving test. Sometimes it is possible to take the test at the truck school, so ask about that if you are shopping schools. If you receive training at a company, you will likely be allowed to take the CDL test using one of their trucks. Before you take the road test, you will need to pass a written exam. This gets you a valid learner’s permit, a huge step in the process. The written test will also include pertinent endorsements like air brakes, bus driving, passenger driving that any prospective employer may ask you to acquire. Any truck driving school or future employer will let you know their specific requirements.  You will also need to pass a visual test as part of the written exam.Now you need to step inside a commercial truck and learn the ways of the big rig. Again, you will do this at a trucking school or company equipped to train truck drivers. You will need to complete a behind-the-wheel test before taking the CDL driving test out on the road. This involves a pre-trip inspection and a driving skills test where you steer around cones, driving backwards and forwards. The road test comes next. Pass the road test and the hard work is behind you. The only remaining step: passing a physical exam. Earning your California CDL or a class A license in any state requires an investment of time and money, but it pays offs once the employment opportunities start rolling your way.