It's a Team's Life
Tanker Endorsement
I do not take tests well, I over analyze questions, I rethink the problems, and last but not least I wonder if it is a trick question. Taking the tanker test was no different and I was even afraid to start studying as I figured it would be over whelming and I would have troubles.
I was surprised at how easy the practice tests were and I breezed through them. There are two sites I know of that have free practice tests for all endorsements and I took at least ten practice tests. The next day I went down to the DMV to take my tanker test and that is when everything went wrong quickly. The lady behind the desk asked when I had taken my last Hazmat test that had been a year ago. She informed me I had to retake my Hazmat test. We haul a lot of Hazmat but it is usually very specific types of Hazmat and I study for at least a week before taking that test, as it is intense.
The DMV employee told me to go ahead and take the test see how I did and then come back in the afternoon and take it again which sounded reasonable as we were on our way to Saint Louis. The tests were given on an IPad that was much easier then the paper form and let me know immediately if I had missed a question. I breezed through the tanker test and then started the Hazmat test. As the test commenced I thought of the years that Melissa McPherson and her team has drilled into my head hazmat rules and regulations. As I thought of my classroom training I calmed down and out of thirty questions only missed three, which was a passing score. I have always been so paranoid about taking this test I had no idea how much knowledge I had retained. A huge thank-you to the hazmat instructors at FedEx Custom Critical who have educated me on this subject. When I left the building I do not think my feet touched the floor I was so proud of myself.
The reason I had to take the Tanker test was due to a change in FMCSA regulatory rules. Any container that can store more than 1000 gallons requires the tanker endorsement. Notice I said store even if the storage tanks are empty we still have to have the tanker endorsement. We often haul dewers and when hauling several of them the total capacity is over 1000 gallons.
Free practice CDL tests for all endorsements