The Life of a Custom Mowing contractor

[Jason05216]

I got mine quite a few years ago. I don't remember it being that expensive. Worst part for me was parallel parking a semi on both sides. I remember the tester climbing on the truck and telling me I would only lose a few points for not getting it in the space but losing additional points every time you stopped and pulled forward and reversed. So, I popped the air brakes and called it good.

 

[Hay Dude]

I remember my test day. Man that was a rigorous test.
We’d be doing 40+ MPH and instructor would say to me “what did that sign say back there?” “What was the clearance on the next overpass”?
Then we pulled over and had to do a roadside simulation of a breakdown, setting up warning triangles, etc.

 

[Willman]

I had my CDL since the early days when first implemented in PA in 1986
Was simple, get the study book from DOT, study any section of endorsements you may need or want (air brakes, hazmat, doubles, tankers and so on)
They set up test stations around the state, I went to a fire house near Allentown, you would pick up any test booklet as I mentioned and sat down for an hour or more and took each test
If you passed each test you got the endorsements on your new license, no pre trip test, no driving test
It was done this way to get all the working truck drivers licensed as easy as possible and not affect the industry by putting them out of work
Many of the truckers got cassettes to listen to while driving to study
I remember many of the older truckers at the testing site really complaining of this “new law”
And they didn’t require a medical card then either

 

[dodge man]

I know someone in Illinois who lost his CDL he had for years. He couldn’t parallel park a semi. Do people even do that?

 

[Lastkidpicked]

You know how we say "Things were easier back in the day?" Well, get ready for this:

18 year old me was working for a mom and pop lumberyard back then, and the yard had a few 18 wheelers. One morning a driver called in sick and they asked me to move his semi out of the yard and park it across the street.

One of the owners sees me and says, "Hey kid. The driver is out today so take his semi over to the tire shop across town so they can put new tires on it."

I was scared to tell him I was moving that truck with no CDL so terrified little me agreed to drive it to the tire shop. I realized on the way that I was going to pass the DMV. I parked at the school across the street and walked into the DMV to ask how to get a CDL.

They said, "You don't have an appointment, but if our tester isn't busy, you can do it now" So I took the written test and the driving tester came out.

"Your boss can wait here while we test"
"My boss?"
"Isn't he the one who drove this truck here? I know YOU didn't drive it, you don't have the license to do that."

Again, I was so shy back then that I didn't want to tell him this whole trip was basically a bootleg operation so I just kind of nodded.

Took the driving test and then waited around for about 10 minutes so they could laminate my new license for me. Then I continued my trip over to the tire shop.

Oh yes! Things were so much easier back in the day.

 

[Jason05216]

I know someone in Illinois who lost his CDL he had for years. He couldn’t parallel park a semi. Do people even do that?

I know, who would parallel park a semi? A lot of the drivers we get in here can't even back up. We've had them take up to 45 minutes to put a truck on a dock, I can't imagine they got even close to parallel parking.

 

[Hay Dude]

We had to reverse through a slalom and back trailer up to a loading dock.

 

[LouNY]

I know, who would parallel park a semi? A lot of the drivers we get in here can't even back up. We've had them take up to 45 minutes to put a truck on a dock, I can't imagine they got even close to parallel parking.

I didn't find it in the least bit difficult. Of course I was backing up front steer farm wagons and trailers before I was 9, now at 74 I can still back up quite well.

 

[Doorman63]

I know, who would parallel park a semi? A lot of the drivers we get in here can't even back up. We've had them take up to 45 minutes to put a truck on a dock, I can't imagine they got even close to parallel parking.

I’ve seen other drivers back into docks for some guys!

 

[civilian]

Back in the early 70's, when I was 16 years old, parents just moved to northern Michigan for a trucking business hauling milk products to stores. If dad broke down on the routes, he'd call mom at the middle school (she was their secretary). He'd tell her to call the high school and get me out of class and bring him a truck so he could finish the route. Me with a fresh driver's license, not a chauffeur's (prior to CDL's) license took him a semi tractor, mostly twin stick 6 cylinder Macks. Even crossed the Mackinaw Bridge to the UP. Also drove trucks into town to use the truck wash to clean the trucks. This is all before I turned 18 when I then took the written test, passed, and no driving test. Got the chauffeur's license and then was legal.

So was I legal before turning 18? Never pulled a semi trailer before turning 18? Never stopped by LEO. Was told because of no trailer, it was just like driving a car or pickup somewhere. Thoughts? Jon