Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ

[Mugarolla]

Yes sir I have been hitting the books hard, the only thing that is bothering me is the special requirement section because there are a ton of numbers that you have to remember like vehicle weight for different subjects, and different speeds for certain rigs. Just trying to remember which weights go with what subjects and what speeds go with what vehicle I'm worried will stub me. Other then that I got the lighting and reflector requirement and all the rest down jam pack.

I believe you can get a few wrong and still pass. Don't sweat it too hard.

 

[104Feeder]

You had to get 70% right when I took my test.

 

[barnyard]

You had to get 70% right when I took my test.

I thought it was 80%... No matter, the point is that you do not have to get 100%.

 

[Mugarolla]

I thought it was 80%... No matter, the point is that you do not have to get 100%.

I was thinking 80% also.

I believe the general knowledge was 50 questions. You can miss 10 and still pass.

I also believe that once you get 40 correct, the test is over and you passed. So if you get the first 40 correct, you won't even need to answer the last 10.

So if you are not sure of a question, skip it and go to the next one. You may not have to come back to it if you get 40 right. If you go through the whole test and don't get your 40, you will then be sent back to the ones you skipped. Take your best guess.

 

[barnyard]

So if you are not sure of a question, skip it and go to the next one.

I thought if you skipped a question it was automatically wrong and you could not go back and correct or answer a question later. I am over 50 though, so my memory is suspect....

I am pretty sure you are correct about the once you get enough right to pass, you are done. I did not have to answer all the questions in any of the tests.

 

[Mugarolla]

I thought if you skipped a question it was automatically wrong and you could not go back and correct or answer a question later. I am over 50 though, so my memory is suspect....

I am pretty sure you are correct about the once you get enough right to pass, you are done. I did not have to answer all the questions in any of the tests.

I am pretty sure that I remembered it saying that you can skip questions and then come back to them if you didn't get your 80%

 

[Coldworld]

Engage the hand valve and put the tractor in gear, if the trailer has brakes you won't go anywhere if the rig moves you got a problem with the trailer brakes.
FYI the hand valve is a lever in the cab of the tractor that puts air to the brakes on the trailer without putting air to the brakes on the tractor.

So what would happen if you were cruising down the freeway and put the hand value down ???

 

[barnyard]

So what would happen if you were cruising down the freeway and put the hand value down ???

The trailer brakes would lock up causing a slide. If you hit the tractor brakes, you could jack knife.

 

[Coldworld]

I had a 53 container a few months ago and heAded out but it felt like the trailer had no brakes but maybe the container was just super heavy??

 

[retiredTxfeeder]

Those containers are notorious for being in disrepair. Whenever I got dispatched with one it usually meant money in the bank. Brakes, lights and mudflaps are the usual problems, and our mechanics really hated to work on them. lol

 

[Non sequitur]

So I turned my letter in and heard I'll be getting a call soon, do I wait until I get the official word to go take the written test at the state dmv.

 

[barnyard]

I would wait.

The temps have an expiration date. If you take the test and pass, but a feeder school is not scheduled for a while, you could be retaking the test again.

 

[Non sequitur]

Thanks barnyard. Do you guys listen to the radio on your night runs? Bring your own radio or is there one in the truck?

 

[Jones]

Newer trucks come from the factory with radios, older ones you gotta bring your own or ride in silence.

 

[barnyard]

Overnight radio is ungodly boring. I bring a jobsite radio that I buckle into the passenger sear and listen to podcasts.

Even satellite radio repeats over time and gets boring and predictable.

 

[retiredTxfeeder]

I rather enjoyed XM radio when I was in feeders, simply because of the variety and sheer number of stations. And you never had to change stations when one faded out of range. I had a credit card sized receiver that plugged into a place on my box in my cab. I'd take it off my box when I punched out and when I got to my pickup in the parking lot, I'd plug it back in. I got my money's worth out of XM.

 

[govols019]

Internet radio is making satellite radio obsolete.

 

[Non sequitur]

Can you guys wear a beard

 

[brownburro]

Can you guys wear a beard

We all can with the right doctors note.

 

[Mugarolla]

We all can with the right doctors note.

Or with the right religion.