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Yeah, those are B-trains. A-trains are like what you see UPS, FedEx, YRC, ABS, Estes, etc. running, where they'll have a congear attached to the lead trailer with a pintle and clevice. B-trains/B-doubles have the fifth wheel on the lead trailer (thus, you could technically consider a heavy haul trailer with a jeep could be considered a b-train), and C-trains are similar to A-trains, but they typically use two drawbars, and they're also much more stable than the a-dollies... those doubles and triples you see... there's a reason we call them "wiggle wagons".
A lot of people tend to get confused, because classifications of certain things are expected to coincide with license classes, but the classification is separate... a lot of people think a Class A wrecker would be a heavy duty wrecker, but it's actually the opposite - a heavy duty wrecker is a Class C wrecker.
I take that back I just spoke to my brother it was a A train with the pintle and clevice. Michigan has the highest weight law in the country so he said he would load his coils suscide with the eye of the coil pointing twords the side of the trailer, that way he could get unloaded faster. But if a chain broke or came loose the coil could roll right into his cab and kill him. I have seen a tractor were the coil just crushed the cab and killed the driver. He only did suscide a couple times because of that. After that he had the steel coils loaded with the eye twords the ass end of the trailer. Like you say weight means money. One night he ran to heavy and had 5 trailer blowouts under the COBO Hall underpass in Detroit this was at 1am. At that time he was driveing a conventional Ford. This was many yrs ago.
You will never get a cdL with out knowing how to drive a manual.
There is a big push for automatics in the U.S. I've also heard there was talk about creating an Auto endorsement, meaning a person could test in an Auto and only drive Autos.
Now with that said, I agree that one should learn manual transmission. I'll be the first to admit, double clutching is a PITA, but you really only have to worry about it during your road test and if your company requires it. Floating gears is way easier if it's allowed...if done right, is probably easier on your clutch but done wrong can tear stuff up.
As for Class A or B. I used to make good money with a Class A w/Haz & Tanker endorsements driving a Class B bobtail tanker in the oilfield...$45,000 easy with zero driving experience and more with experience. I did very little driving, max 100-120 miles and spent most of my time sleeping and watching movies.
There is a big push for automatics in the U.S. I've also heard there was talk about creating an Auto endorsement, meaning a person could test in an Auto and only drive Autos.
Now with that said, I agree that one should learn manual transmission. I'll be the first to admit, double clutching is a PITA, but you really only have to worry about it during your road test and if your company requires it. Floating gears is way easier if it's allowed...if done right, is probably easier on your clutch but done wrong can tear stuff up.
As for Class A or B. I used to make good money with a Class A w/Haz & Tanker endorsements driving a Class B bobtail tanker in the oilfield...$45,000 easy with zero driving experience and more with experience. I did very little driving, max 100-120 miles and spent most of my time sleeping and watching movies.
There may be a big push for automatics but don't expect all of the freight companies to just get rid of their manual and go automatic. Thats a huge expense. And as far a a auto for steel hauling don't bet on auto taking over to soon. Heavy hauling is best done with a manual. Also the maintenance on an auto is going to be more I'm sure compared to a manual. Compare a trans oil change to a manual gear oil change.
There may be a big push for automatics but don't expect all of the freight companies to just get rid of their manual and go automatic. Thats a huge expense. And as far a a auto for steel hauling don't bet on auto taking over to soon. Heavy hauling is best done with a manual. Also the maintenance on an auto is going to be more I'm sure compared to a manual. Compare a trans oil change to a manual gear oil change.
Hey, I'm with you. I'm a huge fan of the manual, small or large jobs. It's gives you way more control. I'm just saying there seems to be a huge push for autos, just look at the smaller one tone trucks that are all entirely built with autos. Now you're seeing semi tractors with autos.
All the big operators are going with some sort of auto. Or autostick, etc, etc. About a third of the trucks I look at have a form of auto.
So, it is very easy to get a CDL without a manual transmission. Seeing the oilfield wrecks, get some experience and miles on before heading to an oilfield. Otherwise you can end up hurt or dead in a hurry.
All the big operators are going with some sort of auto. Or autostick, etc, etc. About a third of the trucks I look at have a form of auto.
So, it is very easy to get a CDL without a manual transmission. Seeing the oilfield wrecks, get some experience and miles on before heading to an oilfield. Otherwise you can end up hurt or dead in a hurry.
You have to remember that getting a CDL is not like getting a regular drivers license. It a test that is the same in all states. So you have to get the book and study, there are going to be questions on bridge clearances brakeing shifting and log books. It's not a easy test. In order to get hired by any company you have to take a driving test. You have to hook and un hook a trailer. Back up into a dock . You better go to truck driveing school. No company is going to hire you unless you are certified in driving a semi. Or check out JB Hunt or Schnider and see if they will teach you. Than one day maybe you can get a job as an ice road trucker. You never see an auto on their trucks.
You have to remember that getting a CDL is not like getting a regular drivers license. It a test that is the same in all states. So you have to get the book and study, there are going to be questions on bridge clearances brakeing shifting and log books. It's not a easy test. In order to get hired by any company you have to take a driving test. You have to hook and un hook a trailer. Back up into a dock . You better go to truck driveing school. No company is going to hire you unless you are certified in driving a semi. Or check out JB Hunt or Schnider and see if they will teach you. Than one day maybe you can get a job as an ice road trucker. You never see an auto on their trucks.
I really enjoy educating truckstop attorneys. Press hard, there are five copies.
You are missing point on getting a basic CDL. As stated earlier, you clearly ignore that point, a 1 ton pickup with a GVWR of 12000 pounds pulling a trailer with a GVWR of 18,000 needs a class A CDL. You don't have that class A I place you out of service. End of discussion.
It is safe to assume that you do not have a CDL.
You want air brake endorsement you test on a vehicle with air brakes. Same thing for tank and haz-mat, and double trailers. You first better pass the written before taking the driving test. This is the most basic of operation.
You want a CDL you get hired by a company that will train you or go to driving school.
I take that back I just spoke to my brother it was a A train with the pintle and clevice. Michigan has the highest weight law in the country so he said he would load his coils suscide with the eye of the coil pointing twords the side of the trailer, that way he could get unloaded faster. But if a chain broke or came loose the coil could roll right into his cab and kill him. I have seen a tractor were the coil just crushed the cab and killed the driver. He only did suscide a couple times because of that. After that he had the steel coils loaded with the eye twords the ass end of the trailer. Like you say weight means money. One night he ran to heavy and had 5 trailer blowouts under the COBO Hall underpass in Detroit this was at 1am. At that time he was driveing a conventional Ford. This was many yrs ago.
I've seen a lot of A- and B-trains and eight axle "sleds" in Michigan. Used to own a conventional Ford... 1988 LTL9000 with a 3406B Cat, 13 speed low hole transmission and 3.08 rears turning 270/75R24.5s. Pretty solid truck.. and none of this ACERT/CARB crap, none of this multiplexing nonsense... although I do like the OBD feature on these electronic engines.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vannort54
Compare a trans oil change to a manual gear oil change.
They use the same gearboxes...
Quote:
Originally Posted by SVTRay
I've also heard there was talk about creating an Auto endorsement, meaning a person could test in an Auto and only drive Autos.
You mean a restriction, and some states do have it. There isn't such a restriction mandated by the FMCSA yet, but I'm sure it'll be just a matter of time.
Quote:
double clutching is a PITA, but you really only have to worry about it during your road test and if your company requires it.
You forgot "off-roading with full diff locks engaged and where you'll find yourself in situations suddenly having to drop several gears in order to keep rolling"
Quote:
Originally Posted by SVTRay
Now you're seeing semi tractors with autos.
Not really anything new. I've seen trucks from the 70s with Allison five speed autos, and the military went the same route. The autoshifts have been around probably for at least 15 years or so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SD4020
Seeing the oilfield wrecks, get some experience and miles on before heading to an oilfield. Otherwise you can end up hurt or dead in a hurry.
I started in the Louisiana oilfields, and it was actually preferred. You get into freight hauling, then go to the oilfields and drive like a freight hauler in highway-spec'd trucks with rev limiters in such, you'll find yourself not so well off.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SD4020
You want air brake endorsement you test on a vehicle with air brakes. Same thing for tank and haz-mat, and double trailers. You first better pass the written before taking the driving test.
I must be looking in all the wrong places for this air brake endorsement. I've had a CDL in four different states (only one at a time, of course), and have never had an actual endorsement for air brakes, yet I've never been put OOS?
And has something changed? When I got the doubles/triples and tanker endorsements, they were just written tests. I know passenger requires a road test, and I know hazmat requires a TSA background check and fingerprinting, but I've never heard of a road test to go with that one, either.
I've seen a lot of A- and B-trains and eight axle "sleds" in Michigan. Used to own a conventional Ford... 1988 LTL9000 with a 3406B Cat, 13 speed low hole transmission and 3.08 rears turning 270/75R24.5s. Pretty solid truck.. and none of this ACERT/CARB crap, none of this multiplexing nonsense... although I do like the OBD feature on these electronic engines.
They use the same gearboxes...
You mean a restriction, and some states do have it. There isn't such a restriction mandated by the FMCSA yet, but I'm sure it'll be just a matter of time.
You forgot "off-roading with full diff locks engaged and where you'll find yourself in situations suddenly having to drop several gears in order to keep rolling"
Not really anything new. I've seen trucks from the 70s with Allison five speed autos, and the military went the same route. The autoshifts have been around probably for at least 15 years or so.
I started in the Louisiana oilfields, and it was actually preferred. You get into freight hauling, then go to the oilfields and drive like a freight hauler in highway-spec'd trucks with rev limiters in such, you'll find yourself not so well off.
I must be looking in all the wrong places for this air brake endorsement. I've had a CDL in four different states (only one at a time, of course), and have never had an actual endorsement for air brakes, yet I've never been put OOS?
And has something changed? When I got the doubles/triples and tanker endorsements, they were just written tests. I know passenger requires a road test, and I know hazmat requires a TSA background check and fingerprinting, but I've never heard of a road test to go with that one, either.
If you don't have the air brake endorsement it will be a restriction. "Class A with vehicles not equipped with air brakes." The majority of class A holders have air brake endorsement, they don't make any special annotation for air brakes unless you can't.
As far as auto only restrictions, I doubt it will happen anytime soon.
Driving a standard 13 speed is pretty easy once you have a feel for it. Double clutching and floating gears takes practice. I'd rather be in control.
The oil fields I deal with is the stuff from the Bakken. It is chaos up there. Just like any other oil rush.
I see a lot of pneumatics, flatbeds and hot shot operators all rolling out of the oil fields.
Yeah, I know this already... I just keep seeing it called an endorsement, yet I've never seen it listed under endorsements (on a US license.. when I had a South African E+C, it was listed on there).
Re: the auto only restriction, I'm not sure. Ann Ferro hated trucks, no question about that. But only time will tell if her replacement at the FMCSA will be not as bad, just as bad or worse... if it's the latter two, I find it a little difficult to see them passing that one up.
They're all easy once you've had practice... 8LL, 9 speed, 10 speed, 13 speed, 15 speed, 18 speed.. even the 6x4 twin stick I operated - which seemed daunting as all hell the first time I tried it - became easy once you got the hang of it. Thing of it is, a lot of people... they can get down the road, but they don't actually get the hang of it... I see it all the time, drivers who push the clutch all the way in to the point where it engages the clutch brake when they shift, drivers who live by the "can't find it, grind it" principle, drivers who'll take off fully loaded in 5th gear, etc. The "loose nut behind the wheel" accounts for a whole lot in repairs, and you know as well as I do that not everyone behind the wheel of a big truck is an ace at it. Which is why I find it laughable when they keep carrying on and on about this "truck driver shortage".... no, the shortage isn't of truck drivers, but of good ones, which is going to continue to be a problem so long as the freight haulers continually cheapen this industry and turn those trucks more and more into sweatshops on wheels.
All kinds of stuff in the oilfields... I ran winch trucks, flatbeds, hauled around generators, derrick components, mobile office buildings... if I wasn't doing that, I was either operating equipment or working as a floor hand.
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