is it really that hard?

That's the biggest issue with CDL mills. Not enough time spent on driving skills. Going in a straight line, and shifting gears, is not a skill.

It's not difficult at all, if you've had the seat time. It's going to be, if you haven't.

School down the road from me, provides 3 weeks classroom instruction. Then ONE week of driving instruction. On a course that follows the exact test run for CDL's. Maybe 6 - 8 hours on backing skills over a 4 week period.

 

I'm going with Prime as they are the only companie that will take me. I have had wheel time in the past in a big truck but I rather go through their training because they don't rush you through it. You get 60k miles hand's on training which is more than enough time for anyone to get their act together and get used to it rather than a CDL mill that will just take you in for about 4 week's then get on with a company, spend about a month with their trainer then give you the boot. By that time you either sink or swim. I didn't want to go that route because that's not enough time to get comfy with driving.

 

The tests can vary from state to state, Massachusetts looks for any reason they can to fail you, Virginia will pass you as long as the inspector doesn't fear for his life. I can't tell you what Ohio is like, practice as much as you can. watch for stupid mistakes on the driving tests, stopping on a crosswalk, shifting during a turn, failing to place both hands on the steering wheel between shifts, you'll be surprised at the reasons people have failed the driving test.

 

Jesus christ! 60k miles? Thats close to half a year OTR if your driving legal. I went to Schneider National's School for about 2 weeks and they had driving simulators/skipad, its all driving and backing and classroom. Then I took their road test and they sent me with a trainer across the US and back to Washington State for about 2 weeks. Then they had a rep. from the Department of Licensing come down and test me which I had to pay 70 bucks. The test was pretty tough for a rookie driver. They really hammered me on Pre-trips, driving around the city and highway driving and finally backing at an actual truck stop. It was good training. My trainer had me drive 11 hours per day for 2 weeks straight. When I stopped he stopped and we woke up again 10 hours later for another 11 hour run. I almost did 2 years and I quit those guys with a 2 weeks notice and went to temp agencies 3 of them to be exact in the Western Washington area. Now I am with a company where I make 19.50 an hour and I work about 55 hours a week for 4 days and I take 3 days off. There is also tons of other money to be made with overnight runs out 1 night at a time, I can easily make over 1000 bucks a week here after taxes.

Anyway for guys getting into driving try OTR and get your CDL for free. Do about 2 years and rotate to the local sector. You make more money and your home everyday and you can work out and do things like that. I gained about 30 lbs over the road and I had to work 2 months to get it off. LTL is hard work, so is Food Service or Beverages like Beer or Water. They are high paying though. The easiest jobs are Construction companies, or Tool Rental Companies, also any job that advertises 99% no touch freight. Thats just throwing freight in the docks. Good Luck to you guys.

 

Alot of people are having trouble in our school. They do half day driving then half day class room.

I think it's mainly a lack of driving time. We have about 3 out of our 12 students that still drive as bad as they did the first day, and we are now in our fourth week.

They've asked me and a couple of the other better drivers if we wanted to test out 2 weeks early. I think that this is so they can spend more time on the people that are way behind.

If you turn out to be one of the better drivers, you'll spend most of your time in the sleeper birth, with your eyes closed, guessing if the tractor is going forward or backwards, while the other student is steadily flattening every cone in sight.

One thing that got me ahead was that I practiced my maneuvers in my head, and on paper. That's how I found out what exactly each turn of the wheel did and what mirror to favor on certain maneuvers. The only bad thing is, is that I was doing the 90 degree wrong in my head and now I keep getting a little jacknifed because of that. Other than that I'm good.

Good luck

 

The school I just graduated from did 2 weeks class, then 2 weeks in the trucks. Driving was split - 4 hours a day on the pad, and either 4 hours a day on the road, or 4 more hours on the pad.

One really good thing, though - it was one student, one truck. If I was in the truck, I was in the driver's seat.

In my post-graduation critique, I suggested more hours in the mountains. All of the school was fun. but the day spent in the mountains west of Denver was **FUN**.

 

I am a Massachusetts resident, and the test wasn't easy, but I spent a lot of time practicing. Every opportunity I got I was on one of the maneuvers banging out the kinks. Here in Mass the State Police are very tough, some more then others. The one I had was tough but fair, and would cut you a break if he saw you knew what your were doing. I used my get outs and pull ups as much as I needed. I didn't even have to get my rear end in the box, I was like 2-3 feet out on each one and the trooper said next.
My advice would be practice and more practice, use your pull ups and get outs, and most of all don't go with the mindset that you must pass the 1st shot or all is lost. That kind of pressure will just make you be a nervous wreck.
Good luck!!

 

Today we had simulated Driving and Maneuvers tests. Everyone was failing including me.

I ran over a curb and then later coasted too long. I know what I did to cause my mistakes, so I should be good this Friday for the real test.

Our testing route is really tough, with lots of down hill stops. So, if you mess up downshifting, the tractor-trailer will speed back up. So, you really need to know what gear matches what speed.

Suprisingly, half the students couldn't do the straightline backing without using at least 3-5 pull-ups. Not sure what that's about. ??????

Then, again this is why they are having the better drivers test out early; to give more time to the others.

I used a few pull-ups on a driver's-side paralell, then put it in.

We have 2 to 3 students per trainer. I'd say I drive about an hour and a half a day. So, the learning curve is very very steep.

 

Ouch, that's rough - 1.5 hours a day isn't enough time to even get warmed up.

Yeah - what IS it with those who can't do a straight line back? For me, the hard part was making sure my bumper was in that 2-foot box.

Offset parking (moving from one stall to the stall next door) is also easy, since all the real steering is done on the pull up.

I do not wish to speak about driver's side parallel parking. I'm convinced that was invented by Torquemada. I managed to pass the test, though, with only one pull up. I put the truck in the box, barely, with a huge kink in the middle

"Coasted", as in 'out of gear'? yeah, that's a bad thing. But then, so is downshifting on a downward grade. They should be having you pick your gear *before* the truck crests he hill. (yes, you CAN downshift going down a hill, but it's considered a 'Bad Thing' (tm). Even so, I did it behind a C.R. England truck on I-70 west of Denver )

In a 13-speed, add the two numbers on the spedometer together - that should give you your high-range gear. In other works, if you are doing 15mph, 1+5 = 6th gear. if you are doing 45... 4+5=9th. That worked out really well for me.

I hit only one curb, my second day on the road. After the instructor smacked me upside de haid, I never did it again. Came close, though. Some intersections, it's HARD not to.

My biggest problem is that I'm clutch-happy. In a car, when things go wrong, you are taught to jump on the clutch and get off the gas. It's essentially just the opposite in a truck.

Also, putting your clutch to the floor is recommended in a car. It's a Bad Thing (tm, again) in a Truck. Unless you are at a complete stop, of course.

I have a couple of serious habits I'm trying to break, you betcha!