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CDL Skills Testing
Driver License offices no longer provide the CDL drive test. The CDL College is approved by the state
to administer the CDL skills test. You must have a valid CDL instruction permit, with the appropriate
vehicle class. We are not an extension of the Colorado Department of Revenue. We are a private
business that charges a fee for our services.
Training is not required to take a skills test. The fee for the exam is $100.00. If you need to rent a
vehicle from us we charge an extra $150.00. If you fail the test, a $70.00 retest fee will be charged. We
will not charge you to rent the vehicle for a retest. The CDL skills test consists of a pre-trip inspection,
backing maneuvers and a road test. For your convenience, you may schedule an appointment online.
Written Test
The written test can only be taken at the Department of Motor Vehicle. You will need to obtain a CDL
Manual. For your convenience you may obtain one online. We have an excellent online course to help
you with your studies.
CDL Skills Test
Pre-Trip Inspection
The dreaded pre-trip inspection is actually pretty easy if you come prepared. If you know someone that
has failed the pre-trip; odds are good that they did not prepare for the exam or they did not know what
to expect. Someone that has read the book (or better yet taken our online course) finds they are
actually prepared for the test. Read section 11 in your state of Colorado CDL Manual. It will give you all
of the information you need.
Backing Test
You will have to perform three out of four backing maneuvers. Your goal is to back your vehicle all of the
way through without touching the cones. Every time you must pull forward to make a correction it counts
as one mistake. If you cross a line or touch a cone it counts as two mistakes. You are allowed to make
12 mistakes total for all three maneuvers.
Everyone must do the straight line. The straight line consists of a 100' long box by 12' wide. You must
pull all of the way through the box, stop and then back all of the way out. Sounds easy right, well it is
easy in a class 'b' or 'c' vehicle, but a class 'a' vehicle can be a little tricky. The straight line is where we
weed out the potential class 'a' driver that came in to try the exam without any prior experience.
Next, is the off set. There are two boxes side by side.
The boxes are 12' wide and 10 feet longer than your vehicle. There is a
barrier placed 100' in front of a class 'b' or 'c' vehicle and 140' feet
for a class 'a' vehicle. Your objective is to pull forward (no further than
your barrier) and back your vehicle in to the box next door.
Next is either the parallel park (driver side or blind side) or alley
dock. You will only have to perform on of these three maneuvers
depending on your testing locations yard configuration. The alley dock box
is 40' long and 12' wide. There is a barrier 70' from the end of the alley
dock box. You start parallel to the barrier and back you vehicle in to the
box, as close to the rear cones as you possible without going past.
The parallel park box is 15' longer than your vehicle and
12' wide. You drive the box and back your vehicle inside as close to the
rear as possible without hitting the last cones. Not too bad in a class
'b' or 'c' vehicle but very difficult in a class 'a'. The old class 'a'
parallel park only required you to park the trailer in the box. Now, you
must park the truck and trailer in the box. Remember how everything is scored.
Every pull up is one mistake every touch is two mistakes. On the parallel
park if you are not completely inside the box you will get one more mistake.
On the straight line and off set you should make no mistakes. Then on the
alley dock or parallel park you have 12 mistakes to make. You will need
them.
Road Test
The final test is the actual road test. Not too difficult in an automatic transmission. If you have problems
shifting you will make many mistakes. Every mis-shift with a standard transmission can add up to three
or four errors. If you clash the gears it is mistake. If you shift into the wrong gear it is a mistake. If you
clash gears while shifting into the wrong gear it is two mistakes. If you 'coast' (transmission in neutral or
your foot on the clutch) for too long it is a mistake. If you take your eyes off the road for to long and drift
into the wrong lane while searching for the correct gear; it can be several mistakes. If you can shift fairly
well do not let this scare you. Everyone misses a gear now and then. The test is set up for you to make
some errors. Be scared if you cannot shift; your examiner will be.
Now that you can shift and you are taking your driving test; stop at red lights and stop signs, keep two
hands on the wheel, check both mirrors every six seconds and keep up with the flow of traffic. Nothing
stresses your examiner out more than driving 30 mph in a 45 mph zone. The best advice is to drive as
naturally as possible and to follow the save driving rules you needed when you took drive your driving
test at 16.
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