Page 5 - Driving Commercial Vehicles Manual

contents

introduction ....................................................................................................... 1
Using this guide ................................................................................................ 1
Inside this guide ............................................................................................. 2
Licence study chart ........................................................................................ 2

Chapter 1: getting your driver’s licence ......................................................... 3
What you’ll learn............................................................................................... 3
Licence classes .................................................................................................. 3
Medical fitness ............................................................................................... 5
Vision ............................................................................................................. 5
Air brake endorsement ................................................................................... 5
How to apply for an air brake endorsement .................................................. 5
How to apply for a Class 1, 2, 3 or 4 driver’s licence .................................... 6
How to apply for a heavy trailer endorsement ............................................. 7
Knowledge tests ............................................................................................... 8
Road testing ..................................................................................................... 8
Pre-trip inspection test .................................................................................. 9
Road test ...................................................................................................... 10
Road test vehicles ........................................................................................ 10
Strategies to ensure your vehicle is safe ...................................................... 11
Retest ............................................................................................................ 12
Commercial driver training ........................................................................... 12
Air brake courses ......................................................................................... 13
Keeping your licence ..................................................................................... 13
Review questions ............................................................................................ 14
Commercial driver medical examination processing fee ........................... 14
Upgrading your commercial licence ............................................................ 14
Downgrading to a non-commercial licence ................................................. 14
Downgrading to a lower commercial licence class ..................................... 14

Chapter 2: heavy vehicle braking ................................................................. 15
What you’ll learn............................................................................................. 15
Starting and stopping .................................................................................... 15
Power to move and power to stop .............................................................. 16
Stopping distance and stopping time ......................................................... 17
Speed and weight facts ............................................................................... 18
How much heat can brakes handle? ........................................................... 19
Retarders ...................................................................................................... 20
Using retarders ....................................................................................... 20

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