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If you have passed the general knowledge portion of the CDL test you should also get your Air Brakes Endorsem*nt. If you do not take this test you will not be permitted to drive a vehicle with air brakes. Even if your current job or prospective job does not require such an endorsem*nt, you never know when the requirements will change. Generally speaking, having the air brakes endorsem*nt is a good idea so you will have more versatility and more job opportunities.
Why You Need to Take the Test
The endorsem*nt requires testing, just as getting your CDL required testing. Why do you have to take such a test? The reason is that commercial drivers need to be qualified to operate vehicles that are equipped with air brakes. They must have a general knowledge of the air brake system to be sure that they know the proper way to inspect a brake system as well as the ability to identify when there may be a problem with the air brakes system. All Class A and Class B commercial drivers are required to take and pass the test.
Study Resources: Where to Turn for Help
Even if you have been around vehicles with air brakes for years you will find that there is a lot to learn to really get what you need to get to pass the test and make use of the endorsem*nt when the situation calls for it. It’s important to review information as much as possible until you know it well. A great place to start looking for help is your local motor vehicle department. They may offer study guides for specific tests or they may be able to point you in the right direction of a resource that will provide you with all pertinent information to study.
Check out your library or bookstore but make sure you check how old the book is as standards have changed. The more recent the publishing date, the more relevant the information will be. There is usually a wealth of information that can be found in these books. Not only will you get overviews of the tests, you can also take a look at sample tests and you’ll also find that when you read over the information enough times from enough resources, you’ll really start to absorb it!
Don’t discount the internet as it can provide you with many valuable tools for studying success. If you spend any time searching the internet you will find that there are many websites that will give you tips on passing the test as well as sample questions and the like. Other websites will offer the information up for free and others will require you to pay a fee to access their guidebooks. Shop around and see what you can find, remember the newer the information is the more relevant it will be in meeting your study needs.
The Importance of Practice Tests
Practice tests are important. Many people think that they have studied and they should just go ahead and take the real test to get it over and done with. While practice tests may seem like a waste of time in the short term, in the long run you will be happy that you took the time to take a practice test or two because those who take practice tests usually do markedly better than those who do not. Give yourself a better chance of passing the first time by taking at least one practice test.
Practice tests for your air brakes endorsem*nt are usually very eye opening as it will show you in no uncertain terms what you know and what you need to study more. Continue taking the practice tests once a week and continue studying until you are able to pass the test with ease. Not only will you be able to concentrate your study efforts with the results of the practice test, you will boost confidence as you go along and do better and better.
There are many online CDL air brakes endorsem*nt tests for you to take advantage of. You should check with your motor vehicle department as well, because many offer a free practice test so you can get an idea of the types of questions that you will be asked. It will also allow you see how much you know.
What You Need to Know
What do you need to know to pass the air brakes endorsem*nt test? This is a question that many people answer and really it is quite complicated because you need to know how air brakes are put together, what each component does and how to spot troubling issues. What you need to know to pass the test is 80% of what is contained in the pages of the test. 80% doesn’t sound that bad but you never know exactly what questions will be on it! So, you really should know 100% of what you study for the air brakes endorsem*nt.
As you can see, those practice tests and study guides will help you prepare for the test to the best of your ability. When you do the practice tests you should actually ensure that you know more than 80% and that you score better than 80%. Since the practice tests are a sampling of test questions you should not assume that those will be the specific questions that you are given when you take the actual test.
Study Tips
Studying for such an important test can be overwhelming. It is impossible to memorize everything that you read but by following a few study tips you may find that it is much easier to learn the information you not only need to pass the test but to also do your job well.
I. Break the information down into manageable pieces. Instead of buying a book from the bookstore on the air brakes endorsem*nt and trying to learn it all, try learning it by chapter. Breaking it up and studying a small piece of information until you know it and then adding to that knowledge is much easier than trying to learn it all in one pass.
II. Don’t be afraid to use flash cards. If there is terminology that you have having a difficult time with, flashcards can work wonders.
III. Find a study buddy. Try to find someone that you can meet with once a week or more to study with. Quiz one another. When you study with someone who is also knowledgeable or is learning the information, it can be much more effective than studying alone or with someone who doesn’t know what you’re talking about!
IV. Take more than one practice test. One practice test will give you one sampling of questions. If you take more than one you’ll get an even better idea of what you can expect on the real thing. The more you practice the better you’ll do.
V. Don’t rush. Many people feel that after a certain amount of time that they need to take the test. You don’t have to take the test until you are really ready. You’ll know when you are ready because you’ll know the information inside and out. Don’t rush it; doing so will not do you any favors in the long run.
By Samuel Barradas.
