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CDL B Texas Exempt
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In CA the pre trip air brake test IS part of the CDL B driving test.
The “exempt” B in Texas seems to be sort of like what a “non-commercial” B is in CA. But in CA if it’s a motor home and over 26k but under 40’ you wouldn’t need a B or A… a C does it. I’d think CA would be the most restrictive… but it seems sort of in the middle.
A “B” in CA let’s you drive a vehicle over 26K… if I remember correctly there is some sort of fire truck endorsement… probably because an engine is a big water tanker. I probably should know that… because we have a fire engine for the kids birthday parties! Though, now we’re in Texas.
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The TX class B license is a complete joke and does not train or help the driver drive more safely than anyone without the B add-on. It is NOT even closely related to a CDL and is just an exercise in stupidity.
You take the CDL pamphlet home but you only read something like the last 10 pages. Those pages include questions like “how many headlights are required on a farm tractor driven on the highway”. “What color marker lights are required on the rear roof line”. How high must the license plate frame be mounted above the ground”. In what year did the requirement for turn signal begin”.
I am not kidding, they are all like that when you take the test. The driving test is OK in that the DMV person can pretty easily tell if you know how to drive but “legally” you illegally drove it to the DMV to get tested!
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1. You need to be to conduct a DOT Brake Test prior to taking your Class B CDL Exempt. Fail it or not understand it you fail. The tester will help you through it.
2. When you do take the test in must be in the vehicle your going to drive….so you need to make sure it can pass the DOT brake test as well.
3. Not going to go into the Test Texas and what you must and must not study ….. but your not studying the last ten pages. That is just untrue for a class B Exempt. You going to take the same written test a commercial driver applicant will take. Your going to have to read Sections 1, 2, 3, 5, 11 , 12 and 13 in Texas Handbook DL-7C Google it online.
So please don’t make the test out to be a joke. Your driving a 46000 lb vehicle at speeds of 65MPH or higher. You better be able to stop and anticipate stopping….or your may want switch to a Class A.
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I took the test. I read the last 10 pages. I answered a series of 10-15 questions that had nothing to do with driving anything. There was no brake check (whatever that is) there was nothing. It was a complete joke.
Again, this is TX and not what might be required for a similar Class B in some other State. I learned nothing. I regurgitated the nonsense I remembered from the last 10 pages, I got several questions wrong and I moved on. I had to schedule the driving test for about 2 weeks later which was completed without ANY outside actions by me or the tester. I was only instructed to drive the course she had selected and exaggerate all of my head movements so she could see what I was looking at and when. That’s the only part I did not do well enough but, no matter, I have my TX Class B license.
I should add that I took my RV Class B test 4-5 years ago so maybe something has changed but I really can’t believe it would have gone from nearly nothing to full blown CDL when a CDL is NOT required.
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I thought the driving test quite through. The driving test required me demonstrating the air brake system. We did about 45 minute driving test which included a parallel parking test between pylons with instructions to not touch the curb or be farther than 18 inch away from it. I thought interesting that I was instructed to drive it to the DMV to take the test. She took off one point on the whole test because I forgot to put my turn indicator on when pulling out of the parallel parking test which was in a closed off parking lot.
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I think this discussion is important because we are driving a big heavy vehicle with a brake system that is unlike anything on a car.
There is a lot more to driving a Prevost than having the ability to make a right hand turn without running over a curb.
If we want to act responsibly, we should know and understand and prove able to perform the various things a driver should be able to do to pass a test and be deemed qualified to drive a vehicle like ours, regardess of if your state requires it or not.
For those who don’t think that should be necessary try to imagine yourself allowing someone who has not passed a test to drive your family, especially with all that is going on on today’s highways.
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I took and passed the above written test in May 2018. A few weeks before taking the test I went to the DMV and got the booklet. The clerk told me to read chapters 2,5,and 14. The majority of the test came from chapter 14. My wife took and passed the same test two weeks later after studying the same chapters.
Because of our schedules we did not take the driving test within the 90 day window. Probably retake the test sometime in the future.
Reese
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In Maryland, you will take the same test for a non CDL Class B as the CDL. The only difference is no requirement for a DOT physical. The majority fail the pre-trip inspection on the first attempt. Over 70%.
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Are we all talking about the TX Class B (non-CDL) license? There certainly is a large variations of experiences with this test. No one ever mentioned anything about air brakes, we didn’t have to park and the test drive lasted maybe 20 minutes max. Maybe the driving test is location dependant but the written test should be the same and there were only 15-20 questions and none had any brake related or CDL related topics.
I did my driving test in Bryan/College Station and a couple of weeks earlier the written test was in Livingston, TX right after getting the RV registered there.
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Denise pass her CDL B Exempt today. Now both of us are qualified in 50 states and can drive a fire truck in Texas. The DMV folks given’ the test always like going for rides in the bus.
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Good for Dee. Thats awesome! Lindsay only has the rainman certification. Definately slow on the driveway.
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Congrats Dee….
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Got to love Missouri, 16 years old, pass the driving test and your good to go
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