State CDL Manual Backing Maneuvers

Scoring

Crossing Boundaries (encroachments) Pull-ups

Outside Vehicle Observations (looks) Final Position/Inside Parallel

Encroachments – The examiner will score the number of times you touch or cross over an exercise boundary line or cone with any portion of your vehicle. Each encroachment will count as an error.

Pull-ups – When a driver stops and reverses direction to clear an encroachment or to get a better position, it is scored as a “pull-up”. Stopping without changing direction does not count as a pull-up.

Outside Vehicle Observations (Looks) – You may be permitted to safely stop and exit the vehicle to check the external position of the vehicle (look). When doing so, you must place the vehicle in neutral and set the parking brake(s). Then, when exiting the vehicle, you must do so safely by facing the vehicle and maintaining three points

of contact with the vehicle at all times (when exiting a bus, maintain a firm grasp on the handrail at all times). If you do not safely secure the vehicle or safely exit the vehicle it may result in an automatic failure of the basic control skills test.

The maximum number of times that you may look to check the position of you vehicle is once (1) Each time you move from a seated position or on a bus walk to the back of a bus to get a better view, it is scored as a “look”.

Final Position/Inside – It is important that you finish each exercise exactly as the examiner has instructed you. If you do not maneuver the vehicle into its final position as described by the examiner, you will be penalized.

Exercises

1. – Straight Line Backing

   You may be asked to drive your vehicle forward and stop before the end of the lane then back your vehicle in a straight line between two rows of cones without touching or crossing over the exercise boundaries. (See Figure 12.1.)

   
   

2. – Offset Back/Right

   You may be asked to back into a space that is to the right of your vehicle. You will drive forward toward the outer boundary. From that position you must back the vehicle into the opposite lane until your vehicle is completely within the set of cones without striking boundary lines or cones. (See Figure 12.2)

   
   

3. – Offset Back/Left

   You may be asked to back into a space that is to the left of your vehicle. You will drive forward toward the outer boundary. From that position you must back the vehicle into the opposite lane until your vehicle is completely within the set of cones without striking boundary lines or cones. (See Figure 12.3)

   
   

4. – Parallel Park (Driver Side)

   You may be asked to park in a parallel parking space that is on your left. You are to drive past the entrance to the parallel parking space with your vehicle parallel to the parking area; and back

   into the space without striking boundary lines or cones. You are required to get your entire vehicle completely into the space and as close to the rear without going passed it. (See Figure 12.4)

   
   

5. – Parallel Park (Conventional)

   You may be asked to park in a parallel parking space that is on your right. You are to drive past the entrance to the parallel parking space with your vehicle parallel to the parking area; and back into the space without striking boundary lines or cones. You are required to get your entire vehicle completely into the space and as close to the rear without going passed it. (See Figure 12.5)

   
   

   Section 12 - Basic Control Skills | Page 129

   Commerical Driver’s License Manual | 2015 CDL Testing System

   

   
   

6. – Alley Dock