CDL in Wyoming

I am looking at getting my CDL in Wyoming. Any helpful suggestions for a new guy looking at getting a CDL? What things to know your "stuff" on, etc.

if you have a cdl from another state I only had to pay and surrender my montana license That was 5 years ago

This would be my very FIRST time getting a CDL.

i would think your local drivers license office would have a study book for you...here in Texas they use to but since feds got involved in cdl's i went back to a regular operaters license so i'm not sure whats offered in literature.

Go to truck driving school.

Vito

A local college continuing education dept. had a course on the cdl.They went over everything and almost all the questions on the test.

Got my cdl in Ohio 1 and a half years ago, the worst part for me was the Pre-Trip inspection, way too many things to remember, and point out, and tell why you were checking them...Had my Chauffeurs License 20mumble years ago and let it lapse, or I coulda grandfathered it...Dang It...
Later,
Bill

They really hammered me on the pre-trip years ago, I made sure I knew enough when I went back that they made me stop talking.

Of course, being able to handle a truck is kind of important. The farm experience I had was my driving school.

Do a goggle search for Wyoming cdl. Brings up all kinds of information. Remember to physicaly touch the items during your pre trip inspection. Such as steering wheel, spring hangers, slack adjusters, etc. Keep both hands on steering wheel when driving, unless shifting gears or turn signals. DH

If there is a urine test...don't fail it!

Here everything is written except the actual driving test. Just make sure you know specific specs, numbers, etc. Keep both hands on the wheel and look around a lot at intersections and it is not hard at all. TX is the easiest state to get a CDL in.

The pretrip inspection is the big thing, to much to remember and point out by touching and explaining. Got the choffers (SP) licence when I hit 18 and had it but never used it till the day they were no longer vallid and had to have a cdl, that was the day I was hired to drive a fertilizer delievery truck. Had to take the CDL test and the pretrip was the worst part. Turned in the CDL at 62 as was not using it and was not going to go 80 mile to get finger printed to renew it and every time for renual you have to take a written test. Had class B with no air brake but tanker and hazmat and without those a CDL is worthless. Just turned 66 a month ago.

Look at this.
Poke here

I do not know why you guys have such a hard time with the pre trip inspection part of the test. You are allowed by law to use the vehicle inspection book when taking the test. It list everything that needs to be checked. You just go down the list.

It really depends what kind of CDL you want to give the hardest part to pass.
I find the haz-mat test is the hardest to pass.

Read the CDL book. You can take sample written test online for free.
Use the vehicle inspection check list for your pre trip part of the test.
Drive like you know what you are doing and try to keep the trailer tires off the curb in turns..

Maybe in la you can use the book to take the test.

In Pennsylvania, in 1987, they expected a little bit better from us.

I re-read my post and may have given you the wrong interpretation so let me rephrase.

Under DOT federal law §396.13 each driver must..
(b) Review the last driver vehicle inspection report

This report (book) has a list of things that needs to be checked. No it does not say you need to check each lug nut for tightness by touching each one like the CDL book outlines; but it does list WHEELS. If you have read the CDL book in advance you can let this DVIR book help you remember everything that needs to be checked.

Any inspector that will not allow you to look at the trucks DVIR book is breaking the law because section B of this section says each driver MUST review any defects the previous driver may have reported.

That is the funny thing about DOT law. It can work against you but then again if you know the ins and outs you can use it to your advantage.

With that said……… I never took the driving skills test. I was grandfathered in.

This is all news to me. I have been to Wyoming several times to visit relatives. I didn't think anything was againist the law there, nor was an Lic necessary to do anything.

from a driver, first you got to know trucks if its on the truck you need to know what it is, what it does, and what to look for as to failure or getting ready to fail,if its in the book you need to know it, do the pre trip inspection, acuratly, and get used to it you will do it everytime you start up a truck to make a run, after you pass all the witten, and you may need mor than you think, here in nm, when i had mine upgraded[ needed a tanker endorsement] after driving for 20 years, i also got tagged for doubble and tripple trailers too, never studied any of it but got all correct, guess experience counts for something lol,it may be in your state too , the problem was rookies fresh out of school, got there first cdl then a month later were found out pulling doubbles for lee way or somebody a few years ago, so the dot made it automatic thet any cdl holder here has to have doubble and tripple trailers too, the last thing is during the driving test, be able to handel the truck, if your short on seat time borrow or even rent a tractor trailer and practice in a closed supermarket parking lot, you need to be able to hitch, unhitch, as well as alley dock, straight dock and prescision park the truck and make the inspector believe you can do this relitively easily so pratice makes perfect , as your on your test drive with the dot sitting beside you he may ask you what a sign you just passed said, better know what it was, be observant, also this is stupid and nobody does it , but if you inspector is a by the book kind of guy, when you start up at a intersection dont grab that stick and get another gear untill the truck is all the way through the intersection, they count heavy for that [ if your empty you can start in 2nd or third gear to get across the same day you start across , good luck hope this helps

Depending on what endorsements you need (such as no air brakes), if you have a truck and a gooseneck trailer you can take the test with that. But even if you need air brakes, which pratically every truck has, and you have a truck with a gooseneck trailer, go out and practice with that. Pull it in and out, parallel park, back it up. No its not the same, but you do get the feel. Also hitch it and unhitch it without looking behind you as much as possible, use your mirrors to try to judge, If you have a fifth wheel hitch even better. When my neighbor went to get his CDL for driving a fire truck, they didnt even go over the components of the air brakes and such. He said when they got into the truck the first thing the lady said was I hope you can drive this thing, because if it appears you cant then I am supposed to and I would have no idea how to. He asked her if she had a CDL and she replied no. So apparently in Tx the examiner does not have to have a CDL.

if you know your truck as well as you know your wife, and understand your trucks workings as well as you understand your tractor, you should be ok.
good luck
Tim in OR