CDL B

[PatrioticStabilist]

I guess I will get a book and start studying for this test.  I'm reading you are required to parrallel park a motorhome.  I'm wondering how you would do that with a tow car which I will have when I'm traveling.

I'm just plain wondering how I will do that period, I will need to find a place to practice. 

The durn thing would weigh 26800 just 799 over.  I'm also reading some offices of DPS here in Texas only require the written test.

Anyone had to take the test and parrallel park one of these things?

 

[COMer]

I think the rules vary by state and here in PA, it also depends on the person who actually conducts the test.  I took the CDL B and did not get asked to parallel park.  But be prepared for the "walk around" which is big here and probably other places. 

 

[jndcruisers]

If you are in Texas, you need to take the non-commercal class B test - both written and driving. I had to take mine earlier this year after learning I had been driving illegally for nearly a year. You can download the test material from the DPS website and there is small subset of the CDL written section you will need to study. The written was easy and the driving wasn't that big of a deal. A buddy of mine took his in Nachadoches and they did not require him to parallel park. I took mine in Fort Worth and was required to do it. Surprisingly enough, it was fairly easy as I was given plenty of room to park the rig. You won't need to parallel park with the tow vehicle. The most difficult part of the whole experience was all of the waiting and standing in line.

Best of luck to you.

 

[seilerbird]

You are not required to parallel park with a toad attached. It can't be done. You can't back up a toad from what I have read.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

I have backed a little way with a tow car, you just have to be careful and not get your wheels turned so they tear up the fenders or anything.  I was getting propane and had to, I went back and straightened the steering wheel twice, but I probably only backed 3 foot.

No, I will not have the tow car if I have to drive the motorhome for a test, I just don't understand when you would ever have to parallel park one of these things. 

And yes I live in Texas.  That's good to know I can download the materials to study.  I'm going to call around and see where I can take it.  I think I've heard Huntsville doesn't require you to parallel park.  But I will go to a mall or school parking lot or somewhere on Sundays and practice doing that.

What I like about this one is it has a grid on the backup camera and shows distances so you can tell how close you are to things.  Maybe all the pushers have that I don't know but it sure is handy.

 

[seilerbird]

When I went to get a class B license in Nevada they made me cover the backup camera with cardboard. That is cheating.

 

[COMer]

Keep in mind that the test is not designed for people who drive motor homes.  It is designed for people who want to drive tour buses and larger trucks but not combination units.  The requirements are based on their needs since the license would allow you to legally drive one of those rigs and they want you prepared.  At least that is the case in my state.

 

[mnmnutswer]

In Missouri we do not need anything special to drive our MH's.

 

[JayT]

You all may be interested in seeing this web site.

http://changingears.com/rv-sec-state-rv-license.shtml


Jay T

 

[seilerbird]

Why are you worried about getting a Commercial Driver's License? You don't need one to operate your RV.

 

[Lorna]

It is not a commercial license but a CDL B license which is required in Texas for a RV over 26000 lbs.

 

[Ned]

The license requirements vary significantly from one state to the next so what applies in one state is irrelevant in another.  In Texas, a non-commercial class B license is required to drive any vehicle over 26,000 lbs. GVW.  No state requires a Commercial DL for recreational vehicle use.

 

[Dan Walters]

I just took the test about a month ago.  I found out about the requirement to get a noncommercial Class B license for RV's weighting over 26,000 lbs after we bought our 2000 American Dream in September.  The written test is easy and is shorter than the regular CDL test.  There are not any questions about HazMat procedures and such.  The driving test is required and I was required to parallel park the RV.  The DPS officer had me do it on a remote access road and used the white line on the right of the road as the "imaginary" curb.  She also made me back the RV up 60 feet using the mirrors.  Be sure to pay attention to the procedure for the safety check of your air brakes.  That was the first thing she made me do and you will fail the driving test if you fail to do the safety check properly.  There is a detailed description of the procedure in the CDL manual, which I picked up free at the Drivers License Office of the DPS.  Lastly, don't sweat getting the license.  It's not a big deal and you will do fine.

Dan

 

[seilerbird]

It is not a commercial license but a CDL B license which is required in Texas for a RV over 26000 lbs.

A CDL (commercial drivers license) is a commercial license. What she wants in a non-commercial B license.

 

[COMer]

Each state seems to make their own rules.  Many states (mine for example) require special licensing for all vehicles with a gross over 26,000 #s which include more and more motor homes.  Some other states do the same so it pays to check what your state requires.  In PA, I have a CDL, class B, and am not allowed to pull trailers that weigh over 10,000 #s.  That's a lot of the fifth-wheel trailers on the road today.

 

[jndcruisers]

A couple of additions to my prior notes from my TX test.

- They will most likely make you schedule your driving test. Here is the kicker. They told me that I had to have someone that was already Class B certified ride with me in the rig to the test. Since I had passed the written portion, I was considered a licensed student driver and could legally drive with someone with the B certification sitting in the co-pilot seat. Further,  they would fail me if I drove myself to the test without a licensed driver. Fortunately, my buddy came with me and it wasn't an issue. I have no idea what I would've done if he wouldn't/couldn't accompany me.
- The officer will do a walk around your coach to ensure ALL lights are working. One overlooked  fact is that it is required to have a license plate light that is working and they will fail you if it does not illuminate. I checked mine before heading out to the DPS office and found both lights for the rear license plate were dead. A quick trip to autozone corrected this problem.
- Know the operation of the air brake system and be able to talk conversationally about it. I had to do this over a detailed start-up procedure. This could be a DPS site specific preference (like the parallel parking requirement), but my buddy had to demonstrate the same thing in Nachadoches. I went through the procedure before taking the test (be sure to put blocks under your tires and remove them when you're done!) My coach must've had the air suspension audible alarm disabled by the previous owner and I learned that prior to the test. When asked why there wasn't a buzzer when the pressure dropped below 60psi (only a red light), I told the officer that it wasn't uncommon for motorcoaches to have the audible alarm disabled due to the need to drop the air tanks to level and that the law only requires a some sort of detection feedback (audible is one, visual is another). He shot me a look but he let it go.
- Parallel parking: Facilitator asked me to pull up to a seam in the concrete. Had me do back straight up until he told me to stop. I used mirrors and back-up camera with no issues. He then instructed me to mentally capture this point as it was the back point for parallel parking. He then instructed me to pull to the seam and then parallel park. He exited the vehicle and watched me maneuver. I started the test with the mind set that I would fail this section but just needed to be sure NOT to go past the front seam or the rear point as that would be an auto-fail (collision). To my surprise, I nailed it and I never practiced the maneuver. Really, it wasn't that big a deal at all.
- Highway driving: When you exit the highway there are dramatically reduced speed zones (hwy = 65, exit hwy = 30mph) If you are exceeding the 30mph speed limit when you exit the hwy, they will fail you for excessive speed. I found it to be difficult to hit that target speed so quickly without being a hazard to the people behind me and without hitting the brakes really hard. The officer had me enter/exit the hwy twice. The first time, I only got the coach up to 50mph. He asked me if I was uncomfortable driving the coach at hwy speeds because I was going so slow. Without blinking I told him I preferred the hwy - I was only going 50mph to conserve fuel. In secret, it was so I could do a slower decel to exit the hwy as the exits in this neck of the woods were very short. The second time he instructed me to bring the coach up to the posted speed limit (65mph). I hit 65mph and then immediately let it fall back down to 60 and it was a more "dramatic" decel on the short exit ramp. He gave me a hard time on it but didn't deduct points.

Good luck.

 

[Kim (skyking4ar2) Bertram]

Christi and I both took our Class B Non Commercials just recently after waiting almost a year because of scheduling issues. We had Arkansas licenses which were valid and Arkansas allows motorhomes to be driven on a regular Class C license without any other restrictions.

We had taken the written test, which is only across one chapter, maybe 14 or 15, last year, but could not get a driver's test in Livingston. Since they could not take our licenses, we were still legal and drove on, to test another day. However, the written test is only valid for 90 days.

So we returned through Amarillo this fall and retook the written. However, they could not schedule driver's tests, it was first come, first served, and we did not particularly want to stuff the rig in Amarillo traffic in rush hour traffic to take driver's tests.

We found that the DPS in Dimmit would allow us to schedule the tests which we did. Amarillo told us do not show up driving the rig, but did not realize we had valid Arkansas licenses and were not illegal. Had we had Texas licenses looking for an upgrade we would have been.

In Dimmit, TX, which was not much bigger than some Sam's Club parking lots, we had to do a air brake leak down test, have all the lights and wipers working, (I was not asked about license plate lights), and off we went. She wanted lots of head movement looking for traffic so I just do what I do on FAA flight exams, explained all my movements as I made them. When questioned about speed, I explained we drive no faster than 62, generally, and can more easily retain control and react to traffic at that speed.
 
I had points taken off for not signaling a turn before getting to a stop sign and for making a turn one handed with the spinning wheel on the steering wheel. She told us we would not be required to parallel park which makes a lot of sense to me since a parking spot is far too short for a motorhome anyway. And while we were towing when we got there, I unhitched before I went to get the examiner.

So there you go - you pays your money and you takes your chances! Piece of cake and over in less than 30 minutes ( the amount of time between appointments).

Based on my knowledge of driver's exams as a police officer and flight exams as a pilot, the examiner is typically looking for you to be confident and in control at all times. He/she has their points list, but if you drive like you know what you are doing, you should be fine. Another tip - take your test in the morning before your examiner has had a bad day and remember there is an expectation that a certain number of examinees will fail. Increase your odds!  8)

 

[denmarc]

As a CDL-A holder in Michigan, I offer this advice...

Confidence was mentioned in a previous post.  Spot on!  An examiner may ask you questions, point directions to which way he wants you to go, or just chitchat, during the actual road test.  They do this for a reason.
They want to know you are comfortable driving a larger vehicle.  They need to know you are ready.

Another post mentions knowing your air brake system.  Also excellent advice.  How to check your air system during what we call your "pre-trip inspection".  Expected (yeah, right) to be done before every trip down the road.
Regardless, you should know how to do an air system check to determine if you have any leaks in the system that need attention before you get on your way.  And an examiner in MI would be asking that question FIRST during a test.

Most of the road test is common sense.  Timing of signals before turns, overhead clearance, proper parking,  etc...
First thing to remember before taking your test is to study the basics.  Then, study and apply the additional rules and applications for the type of vehicle you are taking the test for per your state.

One last piece of advice...
To those that mentioned the "dependence" on those rearward cameras...
If that camera is the only way you can back up your RV, then you are in a position to make a big mistake.  You should be able to do the same task using only the mirrors and maybe getting your fat butt out of that comfy driver seat to see what you are backing into!  Or get a little help from the spouse/friend.  I detect a bit of overconfidence in those cameras.  They do help, granted.  But one should not depend on them to get the job done.
Some day the camera isn't going to work for some reason.  What you going to do...

 

[docj]

Additional advice from a CDL B holder--

Parallel parking a MH is no more difficult than parking a car.  Sure the dimensions are bigger but once you know when to cut your wheels (your reference point) it behaves just like a car would (just takes a bit more space.).

As for backing, the CDL test in most states requires the vehicle be backed within a lane for a distance of ~200 ft.  As the previous poster noted, you should be able to do this fairly quickly relying only on your mirrors.  The second part of the backing test is usually offset backing which is very helpful for learning to put the rig into a campsite.  To practice this sort of thing consider buying a set of small orange cones (Dollar Stores often have them).  You can use them to mark the path of your rear wheel; it is a great learning aid.

 

[Flyboy]

A couple of additions to my prior notes from my TX test.

This is good info, but sounds like you had the examiner from hell. You forgot to take a box of donuts didn't you? 

Everyone has some good input on this issue. The first thing that came to mind when reading many of the posts is what answer would have been received if the examiners had been asked the question.."Have you ever driven a motor home?"

There is a huge inconsistency in the Texas state DMV manual as to whether or not a Class B license is actually required.  On the same page that provides for it's validity for vehicles over the 26K is printed wording to the effect that motor homes are exempt.

I have corresponded with my district state legislator on this entire class B issue and applicability of road tests.  Perhaps others could take the time to do so. After all, they are just like any other state, they want the money so just let me write a check and be done with it.  I'd defend that statement by asking my fellow Texans how hard it is to stop a loaded goose next trailer full of horses, but weighs less than 26K and therefore doesn't require the license to drive it??