Testing for a commercial license is much like testing for a regular drivers license. You’ll need to study, maybe take a driver training course, get a few practice tests under your belt, and then make an appointment for the real thing.

The only difference is you’ll be operating a significantly larger vehicle.

The CDL Road Test

When it’s time to take the skills portion of your CDL test, it’s likely you’ll face three test sections:

• The Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection Test: During this time, you’ll have to show the examiner you can properly conduct both internal and external inspections of your vehicle. Your horn, parking brake, lights and reflectors, mirrors, oil levels, tires, doors – they’re all covered during the pre-trip inspection.
• The Basic Vehicle Control Skills Test: This test is actually part of the skills test, but is sometimes conducted off-road. Expect to demonstrate straight line backing, a forward stop, and an alley dock.
• The On-Road Driving Test: This is the test that really separates the commercial drivers from the wannabes. The examiner will have you operate the vehicle in a variety of traffic situations, and expect you to show you can stop and start, turn, handle intersections, react appropriately to railroad crossings, changes lanes, and properly use your gears, brakes, clutch, and signals.

Keep in mind that while these three test areas are standard, the lists of actual skills you must demonstrate within each one are much lengthier than provided here.

Preparing for Your CDL Driving Test

Some of the above ideas might seem foreign to you now, but after you take steps to prepare for your CDL test, those sills will feel like a second nature. Sure, you’ll be nervous at first, but there are plenty of ways to prepare.

Before you take your CDL driving test, you should:

• Study your state’s CDL driver handbook.
• Enroll in driver training. Depending on where you live, your state or your future employer might have requirements set in place for commercial drivers ed. Be sure to talk with your DMV and the company you’re applying with.
• Take a CDL practice test or two. You probably already took one to prepare for your written exam, but brushing up on this knowledge will help you during your road test. On a practice test, you might see multiple-choice questions related to:
  • The specific name for when a longer commercial vehicle swings wide on a turn. (This is called offtracking.)
  • How far down the road you should always be looking. (12-15 seconds.)
  • The three factors that affect how quickly you can bring your commercial vehicle to a stop. (They are perception distance, reaction distance, and braking distance.)

Make a CDL Test Appointment

Some states require appointments for CDL driver testing; some don’t. Once you’re ready, contact your local DMV branch to ask about road test appointment requirements and be sure to ask about locations and third-party testers.