Vehicle for Class A exam will a dump truck work?

Make sure it is a manual transmission. NOT A AUTOMATIC. If it is a auto, when you test, the state will slap you with a restriction against Manual transmissions limiting your hireability.

You study everything inside that CDL Test Manual. There is nothing exceptional or otherwise optional. You learn everything presented to you. Study, study and study.

You learn the pretrip for everything, not just one truck.

You learn the combination.

You learn the airbrakes. if memory serves there is one question that is designed to entrap immigrants with inadequate english. be very careful with those kinds of questions. Study hard.

You also learn how to back, dock that truck. Even thought it might be a end dump you will be docking during the test, a backing exercise. Either sight side or blind side etc.

you will learn the offset. Maybe parralel parking too. That means trucking school.

These are all basic stuff.

Your learning will just be enough to get a CDL. You will LEARN MUCH MORE in your first year and forever in your life as long you drive a big truck. You never stop LEARNING.

IM Still learning. Even today.

 

Don't know if it's true for every state but I know some states will give you a restriction on your class A if you don't test with a fifth wheel trailer.

 

O - No Tractor Trailer CMV: This restriction is placed on an individual's Class A CDL if the vehicle that the CDL skills test was taken in was not a traditional tractor and did not have a fifth-wheel coupling system.

 

That's interesting.

I wonder if we can eventually find articulated .. vehicles that do not require a 5th wheel anymore you might be able to go places where traditionally you would not take a semi.

 

Plus, you need a trailer that is 10,001 gvwr or more. Also, at least in MI, the "O" restriction is specifically no 5th wheel. A lot of dump trucks here do have a 5th wheel off the back for the second box.