Non Commercial Class B Endorsement

[ajshepherd]

OK, I passed the Class B endorsement (26,001#s) DMV test yesterday!  Our toad is under 10,000#s so no trailer endorsement required.

I must tell you I feel a lot better that this stress is behind me now.  Nevada is not a good location to get this done.  A lot of grey area and no schools to help you out.  But on my own, I got all of the correct answers, took both tests (General + Air Brake), then the pre-drive test/inspection, skills test (Backing), aced that and then the one hour on the road test!!  Yes one hour!!  Glad I filled up before we departed.  I think the guy just wanted to drive around in the AC and plush ride. LOL.

If you have not yet checked, the FMCA has a guide that will let you determine if you need to get an endorsement or not (Home state rule).  If you think you do not, then at least check with your insurance provider, they may not cover you in an accident if you do not have the correct DL endorsement.  We did not want to risk it, so I took the test.

Good luck, it was a great experience!

[texanrver]

I'm in Texas and have the Driver's handbook here on my desk - they want you to pass a parallel parking test?  Umm.. who in their right mind would parallel a 40ft motorhome?

[ajshepherd]

17 minutes ago, kmcabee1960 said:

I'm in Texas and have the Driver's handbook here on my desk - they want you to pass a parallel parking test?  Umm.. who in their right mind would parallel a 40ft motorhome?

Wow, now that does not make sense.  For the skills portion in Nevada, I had three requirements.  1. Stop exactly on an 18 inch yellow line from an alley approach.  2. Back out of the same alley but stay between the lines and do not knock over the pylons.  3. Reverse (45%) alley dock both square and again not over the yellow line in reverse.  Thank God for the rear camera.  The inspector did not understand how I got so close to the yellow line and not over it!  LOL!!!

The road test was everything you would expect, L&R turning, freeways, streets, schools zones, bridge height after you passed under it, etc.  But I did have to make on emergency parking maneuver as quickly as possible, parallel to the curb.  He was check my parking, 4 ways, parking brake and I did tell him I would put out the reflecting triangles.  That was the answer he was looking for.

I have a 45 DP, not sure I could parallel park that!  Best of luck, let us know how you did.

[wolfe10]

Yes, I had to do the parallel park to get my license in Texas as well.  NOT a big issue.

To be specific:  To start test, had to back up straight for 150'.  Pull forward to beginning point and then back into parallel park space.  Parking space was plenty long enough-- 18 wheelers use the same space, at least at the DMV I went to.  Then do a driving test.

To practice parallel parking, just grabbed a couple of cardboard boxes and when to an empty parking lot.  5 minutes and I had down how to do it.

[BillAdams]

I just did my class B license add-on about a year and 1/2 ago.  I did not have to parallel park and I only have to drive the RV in reverse in a straight line for 40 feet.  The written test was simply stupid as it asked questions like how high above the ground tail lights much be located and how many lights must be used on a farm tractor traveling on the highway.  It was the 18 wheeler test book but I was only required to learn the last 10 pages or so.  None of it had anything at all to do with driving an RV and none of it would help a driver drive an RV.  Maybe my test was so basic due to the fact that we were in the tiny town of Bryan, TX but the "W"itch doing the test had gotten into a phone call screaming match on the way to getting in our RV.  I figured I was a dead man no matter what I did!

[manholt]

iPhone.  Good idea, bad idea.   You passed, that's all that matters!

Carl

[hermanmullins]

Like Brett I to had to do the back up, pull forward then parallel park and is wasn't hard. (last time I had done was when we were shopping in down town Dallas and the DW spotted a spot in front of her favorite store) 

Using my right side mirror turned down so I could see the curb and the rear wheel helped a lot. As I observed the ear of the coach about to go over the curb I cut the wheel hard and the coach slipped right in.

Herman 

[wayne77590]

On 9/15/2016 at 2:47 PM, kmcabee1960 said:

I'm in Texas and have the Driver's handbook here on my desk - they want you to pass a parallel parking test?  Umm.. who in their right mind would parallel a 40ft motorhome?

I used to have that same thought and then it happened. At a military campground and in order to have the perfect spot I had to not only parallel park on a pad but I also had to keep from running over the sewer drain about 3 inches out of the ground.  When I took my CDL back in the 80's (now converted to a Non-CDL) I only had to back up in a straight line and not parallel park.  Fortunately the years of experience let me maneuver when I had to for the good spot. I ALWAYS use a ground guide, My dear wife and she does a good job at it. My backup camera has a microphone so I can also hear her. Just remember when a Texan says, "Whoa" it means "Stop."

[ajshepherd]

13 minutes ago, Wayne77590 said:

I used to have that same thought and then it happened. At a military campground and in order to have the perfect spot I had to not only parallel park on a pad but I also had to keep from running over the sewer drain about 3 inches out of the ground.  When I took my CDL back in the 80's (now converted to a Non-CDL) I only had to back up in a straight line and not parallel park.  Fortunately the years of experience let me maneuver when I had to for the good spot. I ALWAYS use a ground guide, My dear wife and she does a good job at it. My backup camera has a microphone so I can also hear her. Just remember when a Texan says, "Whoa" it means "Stop."

Well we are still working on the remote communication issues.  We have a two way radio system that is unsat.  Working to replace that.  Between too close to the motor (Loud) and talking before keying up the mike on the 2 way it a tough go of it.

[wayne77590]

Have you tried cell phones. You can have yours on speaker or ear bud and she can just hold it up in normal fashion.

Also consider that this is not the time for selective hearing. hee hee!