Current update to CRST training from the Waterloo Iowa Hawkeye School

Discussion in 'CRST' started by Jagd, Jan 8, 2013.

  1. Jagd

    Jagd Bobtail Member

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    I stated on a different thread, that I would provide updates about the Hawkeye training in Waterloo, Iowa. After working with a wonderful recruiter named Natasha, I was provided transportation via Greyhound to the training location. Currently, CRST is providing lodging at the Super 8. There are plenty of small restaurants within short walking distance as well as a Super Target store. A bus is provided in the evening to go to a Walmart and a few other shops and do a pickup between 1 1/2 to 2 hrs later. Laundry facilities are said to be approximately 3 blocks from our location. The hotel staff is courteous and provides a nice variety of breakfast material for the early mornings before leaving for class. Upon arriving at Hawkeye college, we filled out necessary paperwork to complete the basics and dove right into the first part of our training.
    [1st. Day] The college staff is amazing and go above and beyond in their efforts to make you comfortable with the program. The instructor that we currently have has a great deal of personal road experience and is very interactive with the students in the study course. Having an instructor that insists on the students knowing the "why" of an answer has been priority in his training and has been much appreciated. He does not just teach you how to pass the test or throw a book at you and say good luck, lol.. So far this has been an extremely enjoyable experience. As we had a crash course in general knowledge with lots of detail, we did our urinalysis, sugar test and blood pressure test. I'm proud to say that we lost no one from our class due to stupidity or high blood pressure. Everyone in our group has been friendly and helpful to each other.
    [2nd Day] Today we went into air brakes and combination vehicles, once again the training is great and everyone has been involved in a great deal of discussion and interaction with all aspects of the training. Many feel a little overwhelmed with so much input in such a short period of time but with all the detail involved and the great attitudes of all the students and staff, people are finding their comfort zones quickly. We finished our DOT physical with the physician that came in and we are set to take our written tests tomorrow for the driving permits.

    [A little overview of everything so far]
    We were were blessed with a great instructor Jim and assistant Karen and nurse Molly, the attending physician was fast, polite and professional.

    [Suggestions]
    Study your material before you come! You have 2 days to study for the written test before taking it. If you try to wing it, you will find yourself in an awkward position and will feel much more pressure than necessary.

    I will add to this as we proceed in the course!
     
    beermooch67 Thanks this.
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  3. James77

    James77 Light Load Member

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    Apr 30, 2012
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    Im starting class there next on the 14 and will be leaving out on Friday. This will be helpful for me to know
     
  4. David28

    David28 Bobtail Member

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    Oct 2, 2012
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    Thank you looking forward to hearing day by day updates.
     
  5. Jagd

    Jagd Bobtail Member

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    James, I will see you nxt. week. If the folks coming in have any questions on the testing or anything else, everyone here is more than willing to share the info. The focus is always going to be on the critical aspects but it's a pretty full plate to get down. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Study before you show up......
     
  6. Jagd

    Jagd Bobtail Member

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    I'll keep them coming, David...:Straight road:
     
  7. fastforward1

    fastforward1 Bobtail Member

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    Thanks for the update Jagd. I will be upthere on moday. My question is if you come in with your permit do you juzt sit around waiting on everyone else or do you do something during that time?
     
  8. Jagd

    Jagd Bobtail Member

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    Aug 5, 2012
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    [3rd. Day]

    This morning we shifted from the regular classes at Hawkeye College, to the CDL training center about a mile away. We had 4 other people show up for the class yesterday that had been sent up from the Cedar Rapids training Center. I'm not sure why their location was changed but they were warmly welcomed by everyone. This morning we had a quick review of everything that we had gone over for the last couple of days and then went to the Department of Motor Vehicles for our written exams.
    We had been told in class yesterday that if your birth certificate is not legible, a crease is across any of the pertinent info, or there were any holes, tears, or no State seal, that the DMV may refuse to accept it. There were a few nervous folks who had Birth Certificates that were not in pristine condition, myself being one of them, lol. I volunteered to go with the first set of students because I wanted to get this part over with and go into the other aspects of the training. Several of us piled into a van and off we went. Upon arriving at the DMV, we lined up, checked our paperwork thru the first desk and took our photos. Everyone got that far. They immediately sent us over to the computers for testing and mine did not work. :( That added to my apprehension a bit. After passing my General Knowledge, I had to find a restroom and they did not have one.... Oops, lol. They told me to run down to Sears which ended up being closed so I sidetracked over to the Army recruiting station and the gentlemen in there were kind enough to accommodate me. I got back as quick as possible and went to my testing station and that computer stopped working. This was just not my day! It took the woman at the desk a little while to clear the system so I could do my Air Brakes and Combination tests. I finally passed those and took my eye exam, handed over my class C license, signed my paperwork and received my paper Class A CDL permit. Because of the hold up and my misfortune with the computers, by the time I was finished, the second group was already working on their tests and my group had already been returned to the campus. All was well and I was feeling good. I joined the second group back to start studying clutch components, clutching and shifting. Other things were included in this but the detail will be too long. Before the day ended, I had the opportunity to drive one of the bobtails back and forth a bit to familiarize myself with the system and get a feel for the clutch play in it. All in all, another enjoyable day with a great training team.

    [Overview & Suggestions]
    We lost one student today! It had something to do with DMV. He already had his DOT medical card so was not due to drugs but I'm not sure what the issue was. If you have anything on your license that may be in question, take care of it before you arrive at any of the training centers. Everything is fast paced and you will not have time to take care of any personal issues once you arrive. Once again, I suggest you download a copy of the Iowa CDL manual from the state site and study it well before you arrive. We had about 5 people that had not studied before arriving fail some of the tests. Each one passed at least one or two but not the magic number 3 that is needed. They will hits the books tonight and go back in the morning to try again on the ones missing. The majority of the class passed all of them! ;) If you come here with a CDL "permit" from another state, you will have to retest to get a CDL here. If from Iowa and not expired, you will still do the class work but the DMV will honor the permit if you have enough time left on it to get your Pre-Trip, Skills and Road Test in the time frame available. It was only by the grace of God that I passed. The classes give you good general knowledge on all aspects of the test but it does not cover all of it. They will tell you to also read the study manual, which they will provide in hard copy ( I suggest you download and read beforehand). There are 6 different tests that the DMV can give you on each one and if you don't include the study manual in your training, you might be surprised by questions that were never brought up in class.
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2013
  9. James77

    James77 Light Load Member

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    Apr 30, 2012
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    That sounds great. And for the permit you have to pass all 3 tests to get your permit or is it just the general knowledge and later if you want you could take the other two?
     
  10. Jagd

    Jagd Bobtail Member

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    I included it on the update, fastforward1... ;)
     
    fastforward1 Thanks this.
  11. Jagd

    Jagd Bobtail Member

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    General knowledge gets you a class B and the added endorsements provide the class A status..
     
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