Hello everyone. I started the Roehl training program on Mar. 17th in Marshfield, WI. I'm in my third day and I'm having a lot of trouble getting the shifting down. I've never driven anything involving manual shifting so this just seems like a real challenge for me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hang in there, look, listen and do your best. Nothing more you can do.....

Thanks a lot.

Shifting is just like riding a bike. Once you get it down you will have no trouble. Every truck will be a little different depending on age and type, but it will all become second nature. If they offer you free time to practice take it. Nothing takes the place of practice. Ask you instructors for help, that's what they are there for. Only dumb question is the one you don't ask. You'll be fine. I have a habit of finding the worst person at some thing and just saying to myself " If that ##$# can do it I sure as heck can do it better". Works for me. Just find out what works for you.

This may sound dumb, but one of the instructors told me this when down shifting:

Say your name - clutch out of gear
Say "RPMs" - Rev
Say your name - clutch into gear

Just stay calm when doing this, the words and the action have to match and the timing will be on spot. Hang in there.

I have been talking myself through everything. Shifting, intersection, stoplights, right turns, left turn, and so on. I have found that if you talk yourself through things out loud, that you wont forget anything

That is what i did while in school and I also did it when I took the state driving exam. One thing my instructor would tell us when up shifting was "clutch neutral, clutch shift". For down shifting she would say "clutch neutral, rev, clutch shift". believe it or not, this worked well for me and others. Just say it to yourself until you get your rythm and it becomes second nature.

Started training on April 14 in Marshfield. Have a question for any drivers out there. Once you do the 2 evolutions, does Roehl hire you then or is there a certain process? I was with another company training and things there were alot different, you went with a trainer for 5-8 weeks, got your cdl and then they decided if they were going to hire you or not. What is Roehl's hiring process? Have there been alot that have not made it and not got hired after they took the training? The last company I was at only hired a few out of 7 students. I hope this company isn't the same. Also you did not get your cdl license till you did the trainer process. At Roehl do you get your license before you fininsh the 3 week training program. If there is someone out there that can help me get this figureed out, I just don't want this to happen to me like the last company, it turned out to be a waste of time and money. I did the 3weeks of school and 5 weeks of training and still did not have my cdl. Thanks for any help.

Hmph... Maybe something's not too clear here....

1. Do you currently have a CDL?

2. Are you entering the EVO training or are you going through RTDC?

If you have a CDL and you are entering the EVO I/II cycle, then the short answer is that no, you aren't hired by ROEHL until you successfully complete both EVO's and pass a road test. You're classified as "provisional" until those are completed.

If you are going through RTDC, then you aren't "hired" until you have completed training, obtained your CDL, AND passed through both EVO phases.. Now, going through RTDC, you will be tested for a CDL in the state where training takes place and then it's your responsibility to obtain one from your home state as soon as possible.

Hope this helps a little bit....

As far as I am concerned I was an official employee the last day of RDTC when I completed all my paperwork and got my company ID. I got paid my salary through the EVO's and got paid for my travel up to Marshfield. I was told by a DSR just the other day what my hire date was, the same day I finished RDTC. Granted, most places have a probationary period and I'm sure Roehl does too, but you are still an employee and receiving pay.