How hard and strict are truck driving schools?

You won't pull a trailer while loaded in school most cases. Also, learning the narrow and difficult roads are the ones you want to learn while you have an instructor next to you. Learning to shift is something that EVERYBODY has to do. I know some veterans that get into newer trucks and are told not to float gears and they have trouble. You will learn. It isnt as daunting as it appears.

Go for it! I am.

 

everyone is different when it comes to learning anything, driving is no different. You have to develop good hand, foot and eye coordination. That can be practised and done with effort. Shifting gears is all about coordination. People who have never been around a truck usually pick thispart of fairly easily, but I have seen some that just made me shake my head. No matter how hard I tried they couldn'tpick it up. Then I would just walk away and let them practise on their own and bam, thye figured it out. If you go to school you should get plenty of time in the truck and it will get you use to the sixe and the like. Be the first to step up and volunteer to get behind the wheel, thats the only way you learn is behind the wheel.
As far as the job goes, its tough, its real tough and not for the faint of heart. But like I told all of my students, give the job six months, a good six months, and then you will have a better feel for everything, the truck, the loads, the roads, customers etc.. Now 95% of this job is driving, its fairly easy, but 5% of this job will drive you nuts, pure and simple. Just don't let the 5% outweigh the 95%. This isn't a job, its a lifelong career.
Hope that helps, and thats my two cents.

 

Your trainer .......................................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhlWddAXSRA

 

I dont know if this is standard at other schools, but at the one I just graduated from, I had to take a drug test before starting classes. They want to make sure you will be hireable once you are done.