Classroom Instruction

 

3 Hour Air Brake Inspection Class

This class will help drivers prepare for the state administered air brake inspection that must be passed at the beginning of a CDL road test in a commercial vehicle with air brakes.  Students will practice taking the skills in our truck to get ready for the test. The class will focus strictly on the air brake test and will only cover components on the test. 

 

This class is a must for drivers that are not comfortable with their mechanical knowledge.  It is also important for anyone that has difficulty with verbal communication because the state examiners expect you to explain each of the air brake components and what to look for when you inspect them. 

 

This class would also be necessary for individuals that are competent mechanics and are familiar with brake system components because the Driver and Vehicle Service Division of the MN Department of Public Safety does not have the funding to hire examiners that have previous real world experience with trucks.  To pass the air brake inspection you must tell DVS examiners what they have been trained to require you to tell them rather than the proper procedure for inspection brakes in the “real world”.  We have had several customers that are licensed DOT mechanics come to us after they have failed the air brakes test.  Then after taking our class, every one of these individuals have passed the next time.

 

This class meets every Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. to noon (except Holiday weekends).  The class also meets on Wednesdays (please call our office for dates and times).  The tuition for this class when taken separately is $199.00.  The class is included free of charge for all of our students enrolled in any of our programs if they need to take a state administered road test. 

 

Interstate Truck Driving School students can repeat the air brake class as often they like without charge.  We want our students to be fully prepared to do what it takes to pass the air brake test and we invite them to come back if they feel the need to.  Study materials are also provided free of charge.  No discount is provided for students ITDS that do not take the air brake class. 

 

Instruction on the “real world” of how to properly inspect air brakes is provided in our FMCSR class.  Each component of the air brake system will be examined to help drivers understand what each part does and how they relate to the complete system.  The potential defects for each component will be described in detail to help drivers identify problems quickly.  Students will learn about the differences between self-adjusting and manually adjusted brakes, and how to properly adjust the brakes on both systems.  This information will conflict with the air brake class to prepare for the state of MN administered test so we recommended that students only take this class after the have successfully passed the state test first!!!!!!!

 

In order to help our customers become safe truck drivers, students that take any of our programs may take the “real world” inspection class free of charge at any time in the future.  Our wives, our kids, and our friends are out there on those roads and we want you to be a safe truck driver.  Since passing the state administered test is not a true evaluation of your ability to properly inspect brakes (in our opinion), we are willing to provide all of our students with the information they need to be safe on the road without any charge.

 

The U. S. Dept of Transportation has announced new rules that is going to require a more complete inspection during road tests in the future.  Hopefully, when these new Federal rules go into effect it will provide an opportunity for the MN Dept of Public Safety to get more funding from the legislature so they have the resources to hire a CDL exam supervisor.  A supervisor with real world experience with commercial vehicles that have air brakes would be in a position to provide better training for the exam staff. The goal would be to have a test that is more realistic and practical than the present exam.  

 

We would be very supportive of such improvements even if it would result in higher testing fees.  There is a $70.00 fee for taking a CDL road test in Wisconsin where the examiners have practical experience in commercial vehicles.  The benefit of the increased fee would be a test that is fairer for competent drivers and do a better job of making our roads safer.

 

FMCSR Entry Level Driver Classroom

 

In May of 2004 the Federal Department of Transportation began requiring classroom instruction for commercial drivers that wish to drive interstate. 

 

Interstate Truck Driving School provides the required class at our office on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and mornings from 9:00 a.m. to noon.  You need to attend eight classes for a total of 24 hours to complete the requirement (one of the classes is the air brake class mentioned above).  You may start the class anytime.

 

The subjects covered during the class include;

 

Ø     Driver Qualifications

Ø     Hours of Service Regulations

Ø     Federal Whistle Blower Protection

Ø     Driver Wellness

Ø       Pre-Trip Inspections

Ø      Post-Trip Inspections

Ø      En-route Inspections

Ø      Air Brake Systems, inspections, and how to adjust air brakes

Ø      Driving Emergencies

Ø      What to do if you have an accident

Ø      Hazardous driving conditions

Ø      Night driving

Ø       Cargo security

Ø        Rules of the Road

Ø        Hazardous Materials

 

You will be provided with materials including FMCSR Pocket Book, Logbook, and Inspection Forms.

 

This class is included in all of our comprehensive training programs.  It can be taken separately for a fee of $195.00.  The comprehensive training programs include additional study materials using Keller’s Tractor/Trailer Textbook