RDTC JAN 2015 Experiences

Figured I'd copy a post I used about Week 1 from MN Roehl Drivers, and add Week 2. I know that there are a few folks here also in class in JAN so please feel free to add your stories. A bunch of people have said they're coming but then they don't follow up. If you completed the training within the past year or so and want to add your input please feel free. I wanted to put up fewer posts with more of a summary.

I started on 5 JAN and next week is my CDL Test.

Here's my experience so far:

Wanted to say thanks to all for your comments and let you know they weren't wasted time. I completed Week 1 of RDTC and am looking forward to starting Week 2 tomorrow.

For the browsers who look, here's how the first week's schedule went for my class: Week 1 report time is 0645, week 2 is 0630, week 3 is 0615.

Monday: Check into the school, drug test, introductions, simulator to get practice shifting, go over pre-trip inspection of tractor.

Tuesday: Spent a few hours practicing pre-trip inspections to start getting the jargon down. Went on the range making left turns (easier to learn) with a tractor-trailer and to get lots of practice upshifting and downshifting.

Wednesday: Did pre-trip and then spent the rest of the day in the classroom going over map reading, reviewing the book we were issued and doing our weekly open book test. This is different from the normal schedule because of the extreme cold. I presume that maintenance was so busy with vehicles under loads that they couldn't risk having to work on our equipment if something went wrong. Also, hard day to learn backing with instructors being out a lot in -50 windchills.

Thursday: Pre-trips, right hand turns with tractor-trailer, practiced straight-ling backing a few times before the class ahead of us needed that part of the range. The straight line backing may have been on Tuesday.

Friday: Went around the range a few times to make sure we could find the gears (you get rusty until it becomes an instinct). Rode with the instructor around Marshfield as a guide to see how far ahead we should be looking when driving and get a peek into the mindset of an experienced driver while on the road. Then we went on a NASCAR loop 2x each (all left turns) in a less populated area of Marshfield and then did two loops with right turns and a roundabout.

Saturday: Classroom day. Went over signs, the Motor Carriers Atlas, route planning, and calculating how long it would take to complete trips within the HOS regulations. Homework took a few hours afterwards.

Sunday: Off day to get ready for the week, laundry, and other stuff (such as finishing the book reading and questions).

Review of the training so far: Got lucky because there are 3 of us and 2 instructors (a few late cancellations) and the class ahead of us only has 2 students. The new class (one starts every Monday) is coming tomorrow. 1st week start time was 0645, week 2 is 0630 , and week 3 is 0615.

Only item I'd say is that you have to be disciplined enough to work without the instructors on your butt all of the time. We do pre-trips on our own b/c that's time they use for any mandatory meetings and other work. They teach you how to do a pre-trip by the book to get your CDL but you won't be ready for the test if you don't practice it even when no one is looking. You also have to work to break bad habits that weren't a problem in a car but don't work well or get you past the BTW test for your CDL. Moving a small car around a turn is a bittt different then steering a 70' combo around.

CDL test is scheduled for 1 week from Wednesday. This week we start with the pre-trip and simulator time, then will spend a lot of time on backing.

Week 2:

Monday: Pre-trip, simulator time. A few loops around the range just to make sure our shifts aren't too rusty before we're turned loose on the streets of Marshfield. Our simulator time was about driving around and watching for hazards. Turning with a semi is a different world. Figure 15-25 seconds for a basic turn and more if you have to come back on one that's over 90 degrees.

Tuesday: Range for backing and driving around town. The earlier routes have fewer obstacles and dangers.

Wednesday: Lots of time backing. Offset and getting familiar with the 90 degree back. Driving around town. Tend to have 3 per truck in a full class. My class and the week before were small so we had 1 or 2 per truck. My class also was selected for a random test. Once you enroll in the school you enter the pool for random tests and we all won the jackpot. One of the class had a breathalyzer as well and this was right after training ended for the day but it could easily have been at the start. Roehl says no drinking while being as a student so don't play around.

Thursday and Friday: Doing offset and 90 degree backs on the range and driving around town. You get a few turns that are beyond 90 degree ones that you really have to watch out for and squaring corners is the main thing you're trying to get down. The other item is recovery from a missed shift or other issue. Friday was our weekly written test-multiple guess.

Saturday: Reviewing a few Chapters of PowerPoint presentations from our book and the main topic was calculating Hours of Service and doing a log. You'll do E-Logs at Roehl but you have to know what the numbers are and why since you input everything other than driving hours. The first and 2nd week classes are in the same room and the classes rotate so you'll get both classes (HOS and Trip Planning) at RDTC. Again, you'll have a few hours of homework that's realistic.

Sunday: Off day for laundry and whatever other things you need to do.

Preview of next week:

Monday: Pre-trip (done 2x daily as exam practice). Simulator, and road/backing time. The ratio of each for Monday and Tuesday depend on what the instructor feels you need to hone in on before the CDL BTW test on Wednesday. My shifting has been pretty good but my backing has taken longer to catch on than I'd have liked.

Tuesday: Last practice day.

Wednesday: CDL test. Pre-trip, then backing, then on the road.

Thursday: If you pass, this day is for close quarter backing training and other items.

Friday: Hire day with Performance Work Screen (to make sure you can do the physical parts of the job).

When you go with your Driver Trainer for up to 2 weeks depends on who--if anyone--is available. You could go right away or have a few days to wait.

POINT TO STRESS: The instructors teach you how to do the pre-trip inspection, the brake checks, and the info you need to practice emergency stops. They are always with you when you're operating the cab including on the lot but you are expected to do the pre-trip before they come to the range. If you want you CAN screw off and act like you're studying. That's on you but since you're being there, not on the payroll, and committing to work there for 120k miles or paying $2800 back it's in your best interest to hit it hard. I know I'll have some nerves on test day but I've made sure that--no matter what--I'll pass the pre-trip because I've practiced it craploads of times instead of wasting time on the jibber-jabber.

Main point by the instructors: Other than driving so slow that you hinder traffic, taking it slow IS their advice. Unless you've done this in the past and are getting your CDL back after time away, backing and turning can be done and aren't a race. The roundabouts have kicked my butt when I've been coming up too fast but haven't been an issue when I was at the right speed.

Non-school notes: The hotel is good overall but you won't get the free breakfast since it doesn't start until you have to be on the way to Roehl. No free breakfast by the hotel on the weekend. Internet has been crappy so prepare to either burn bandwidth on your cell phone or go someplace if you need it for a lot. I walked to Bggby (coffee place by the hotel) to get online today. They replace linens on Mondays and otherwise just take your trash the rest of the week. The guide says bring your own towels but you'll be able to use one in the room so you may only need one if you use the same one for a few days.

The hotel doesn't have a contract with a gym so you're on your own to work out. There's a small pool and a whirlpool for comfort. That said, learning how to safely operate a tractor-trailer combo requires a lot of concentration. I've been pretty tired after class and the young student in my group (21 years old so he's as young as you can be) has also been tired so I don't feel as bad about it. Grocery store in walking distance along with a hotel bar/lounge and a few fast food options. You can use a microwave during lunch and it tends to be an hour.

If you use part of your lunch to work on the chapters in your book you won't have as much homework at night when you're tired.

 

Figured I'd add Week 3 since it's done. I'm at home waiting for my trainer now (grateful for the days off). Here's how the end went:

Monday: Practiced backing and driving around Marshfield. My backing was still lousy but I picked up--finally--one or two items the instructor was saying and got a little bit better.

Tuesday: More backing and some in town driving but mostly backing. Picked up another item or two on backing and felt like I'd pass on Wednesday if the day was OK. It took a LOOONNG time for backing to sink in to my cranium. I was the worst in my class at it so it's not a reflection of the instruction.

Wednesday: Test day. It takes around 1.5-2 hours per person. You can end up doing a pre-trip on part of the vehicle or the whole thing. Just remember what you practiced over the past 2.5 weeks of pre-trips and it won't be an issue. You do the straight-line, offset, and 90 degree backs, and then drive around part of Marshfield and do the emergency stop routine. You don't have to be a perfect driver to pass. My downshifting had been pretty good towards the end but I was still so nervous after my backing that I was grinding a good bit on downshifts but still passed. They'll have some videos for you to watch and you can do the week 3 test while waiting so you aren't staring at a wall.

After passing we got our WI CDL's (around $75). The guy at the DMV was so slow you could watch paint dry and apply a second coat but it was done. Also had a hair drug test.

Thursday: Pre-trip, close quarter backing, 45 degree backing, and a different pull-through. We also got photo ID's and a few more videos. Got copies of the Driver Reference Guide, and Hazmat books to keep with us on the truck--true even if you don't have a HAZMAT endorsement.

Friday: Performance Work Screen to make sure you can do the needs of the job (crouching, pulling, a bit of lifting) without getting your heart rate all crazy. No worries since it's not a timed event--within reason. New hire paperwork, got logbooks, fuel cards, a hat (the important stuff ), simulator training on winter driving. Big note is to pack your stuff the night before since you're supposed to leave your rooms today unless told otherwise. Roehl bought lunch for this day and it was good. After this I left for 4 days of hometime. Could go out tomorrow but don't know yet.

Final notes:
1. If you're from out of state and fail the test, you'll have to go to the DMV and convert your license to a WI one since out of state students can only take the test once. Roehl will provide you letterhead to cover your temporary WI residency for the testing.

2. Each week I was there had 1 student fail the CDL test and they were allowed to stay for extra training but Roehl wouldn't cover the hotel. Runs $45/day or--better yet if needed--make friends with a student behind your week and see if you can stay with them to save $.

I mention failure items only because they happened. Both weeks it was somebody just having a really below average day on part of the test. I'd feel safe riding with either of them--at least as safe as one noob can feel with another one!

 

Follow up: I was out with my trainer from January 31st until around noon today when I got dropped off for testing at the Ellenwood terminal. I'm spending a day with a local driver to work on a few more backs and then test to get my truck on Thursday. My backing has been slow to get where it should be but I'm not hitting stuff.

How it went:

Went to Appleton to meet my trainer and ran up to Michigan to get a load to eastern NY (in time for the storm), had a follow up load to Pennsylvania, back to Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Indiana, a Chicago suburb, a few Wisconsin loads in the 10 full days. My high mileage was 472 on the second day and delays at shippers/receivers caused my 14 hour clock to kill me a few days. Ended with a load from Wisconsin that dropped me off by Atlanta. Tended to do a couple of docks a day and my trainer ended up closing our driving in the evening b/c of delays not caused by us.

Had one place where the shipper took almost 10 hours and the receiver took 5 to get us out so got to experience the 'joy's of long loads. Only accident I saw was a Wal-Mart driver backing into a light pole in a yard with tons of open parking. Guy just wasn't paying attention.

 

Following up since I've now spent 3 weeks as a solo driver. At home now doing Guard drill this week.

First solo week: Get tractor on Sunday (a sold tractor I was bringing back to Marshfield). Ran up to VA and back to Chicago, then a Wisconsin run to get me home. Did around 2100 miles in 6 days.

After hometime and Guard drill I went out for a 2 week run before coming back for Guard drill. Got around 4,500 miles in the 12.5 days I was out. This includes swapping out from the sold truck into a new truck that only had 1800 miles on it, waiting overnight on Monday for reefer training, and having enough dead time from Sat afternoon-Monday at 2 a.m. to take a reset. Pretty much lived by I-80 to PA and back.

So far everything is going as I was told it would and expected. The only surprise was getting a new truck instead of one with more miles on it. My classmate got one with 210k on it that the previous driver had abused. FYI, it's an automatic and Roehl is getting more of them.

 

Follow up for those curious about Roehl. Started my 4th month solo this week. Reefer national and have averaged 2400 miles/week.

A lot of time going on I80 to and from PA but I have made it to Arozona once and up to the suburbs of Boston.

 

I tend to be out 18-24 days at a time. I park my truck at a drop yard 3 hours from my house (done to avoid becoming a flatbed driver). This makes it where less time out and shorter hometime breaks don't make sense.

If you are curious, check out the Roehl jobs site and it gives you the options by Zip code or city.