From Lubbock farm or freight work to a Texas CDL test
Backing a stock trailer into a gate or hauling between fields gives you a starting point. The question is how that experience carries over to the combination you’ll use at a CDL skills test. For drivers coming from Lubbock, Plainview or Levelland, we start there.
Before you travel, write down your truck and trailer weight ratings, transmission and brake type. Compare test vehicles
Compare your usual trailer with the test rig
Think about where the trailer pivots, how you set the mirrors and how much room you use to get straight. If a semitrailer is new to you, say so. The Class A page shows the M2 tractor with a 28-foot pup so you can see the combination before deciding whether you need time with it.
Separate a job question from a license question
If you’re moving from farm work to for-hire hauling, describe the intended job, vehicle weights and trailer to DPS. The details of the new work determine which credential to pursue. On the booking call we can address the equipment and services for that goal.
Decide who needs to make the trip
If a farm or small fleet is arranging the visit, have each driver check the permit class, issue date and training record first. Confirm the North Texas meeting and test sites separately. That gives the person covering work at home a realistic window.
What drivers ask us
Should I book backing time because I drive a pickup and trailer?
Tell us what you can already do safely and where the larger combination is unfamiliar. A limited session is for an experienced driver getting used to the vehicle. A driver learning the maneuver from the beginning needs more preparation.
In a customer’s own words
Megan describes learning the names of truck parts before her Class A test in 2016. Watch Megan’s archived Class A story.
Choose your next step
- See the tractor and 28-foot pup
- Read about backing familiarization
- Plan from a rural community
- Check rental and travel costs
Tell us what you usually tow and what you need to drive for work.