Hello everyone,
This is going to be a long one, I hope you can read it. I REALLY need some comments!
My significant other (SO) has been talking about going to school for truck driving for YEARS and he finally started class 2 days ago and has his nose stuck in a manual studying for his permit.
My SO and I were originally from Massachusetts. As I went through undergrad at Small-Commuter-University in some biological sciences, he worked various non-cdl driving jobs to transport people to medical appointments (like a step above being a taxi driver...pays better but otherwise similar). I got into a PhD program at Major Midwestern Research University in Subfield of Biological Sciences and am just getting through my first year. This is relevant to this post because a lot of what my SO and I talk about are my interactions with people at said Major Research University where I am actively doing research as well as taking classes and the way I think about things may rub off on him a bit.
My SO has decided college wasn't really for him a long time ago (although he would like to go at some point when he's ready). That's all fine and good. Since he had talked about truck driving for so long and has had a difficult time finding a job around here, he managed to secure nearly-non-existant funding from his family to sign up at Local Community College for the program. He started classes 2 days ago. It was huge for both of us that he decided to start doing it and he was really looking forward to it. He expected challenges, so I think he was also realistic. But we really didn't expect how it seems to be turning out.
The past 2 days were nothing less than stressful to him. Ok, he needs to get his permit in a few days so quick, CRAM, that's fair enough. We know that the majority of the 4 weeks really needs to be spent driving. But here's what's been bothering him:
The instructor doesn't really "teach". He just has them open the manual, read it, take a practice quiz, etc. That's all fine and good but they can do that at home. What really bothers my SO is the fact that the instructor doesn't really talk about the technical aspect of the questions. I really understood where my SO came from when I looked at some of the questions.
For example, in the air brakes system (quoted to the best of my memory, but not verbatim), there was a question, "The warning light should come on after the air pressure in the valve drops below: a. 80 psi, b. 60 psi, c. 40 psi. After reading the question I asked my SO, is an optimal pressure for the air pressure system? How much pressure is too much? What happens if it has too much or too little pressure (besides the obvious non-specific something-bad-will-happen)? Where is the pressure coming from, where is it released? Ok, I get it. I am wired to think this way because that's how I plan experiments for MY work and I may be rubbing that off on him JUST a bit....
Still, my SO always asked questions like these and he says that if he asks them, his instructor will tell him "it's just a test, don't overthink it." I don't know if wanting a systematic way to think of how a truck works is "overthinking" it. In addition, memorizing and regurgitating numbers is near impossible for even ME if there's no meaning behind them. That's what my SO complains about. The material is vague. Although there are diagrams and they're helpful, they're not flow charts. He has a much better memory than I do but he's frustrated that all 8 1/2 hours of class time is spent on practice tests that aren't really even explained well and not outside where students can really see the inside of a truck, where the parts are, how they connect. Sure the students are responsible for learning and studying and my SO's been doing nothing BUT studying when he gets home.
Is it reasonable to be disappointed by this? I mean, I know that this ain't rocket science but isn't it important to feel good about the material going into an exam and to feel comfortable asking questions?
It really doesn't help that his instructor is a misogynist jerk who brags about sleeping around on his wife and talks about the drama that goes on between him and the program director. My SO and I look past character faults when we don't want to burn bridges but #### the level of disrespect towards others piss me off. My SO says that he's not always a bad person and does care about his students to some extent but that there's probably no special training to be a truck driver instructor.
This is nearly $4000 of money we don't really have spent on a program that's really been nothing short of stressful, unprofessional and disappointing. I have a feeling my SO will pass his exam and I REALLY hope he's comfortable getting through the next three weeks of driving. If not, he can probably defer until next month and in the mean time, study to get his permit.
My major question is: are our expectations that he should be able to be comfortable asking questions and have them thoroughly answered unreasonable? If not, would it be a good idea to talk to someone higher up the food chain at Local Community College about this?
I am curious as to what others' experiences were in truck driving school. Were they similar or is there something really wrong here?
In academia this sort of unprofessionalism is rarely tolerated even though I am in a field that is pretty male dominated so I'm obviously biased, which is why I wanted to post here before doing/saying something that might not be appropriate.
Community college training...a trucker's SO's perspective and some questions...
Discussion in 'Trucking Schools and CDL Training Forum' started by lab_rat, May 5, 2010.
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Hi Lab_Rat,
I thought I would throw my $.02 in. I recently opened my own driving school in York, Pa so I thought I might be able to shed some light into why certain things are being done.
Right or wrong, that first week IS somewhat of a cram session. The sooner we can get the students' permits, the sooner we can begin working out on the road. However, I feel there is time to get that done and still time to get out and get your hands on the trucks. Even if it is only two hours of an eight hour day, that little bit really makes the whole day go a lot better than being stuck in a classroom the entire time.
As an example, in my program we spend all morning and the first half of the afternoon in the classroom. The last two hours of each day of the first week are spent on the driving range. We begin backing up trucks the very first day. Unfortunately, many larger schools work in weekly 'shifts'. They do all of the classroom first, then all of the yard, then all of the road. That way, instead of a new class every say, five weeks, they can begin a new class much sooner -- as soon as the old one has moved on to their next activity. If it makes you feel better, I hear of some schools that spend two or three WEEKS in the classroom before moving outside. As an INSTRUCTOR that would kill me, I can't imagine as a student.
When it comes to reading out of the book, yes it is dry and boring and could be done at home, BUT the tests come directly from the book. I tell my students: There is the right way, the wrong way, and the SCHOOL way. Unfortunately, the best way to make sure that students understand what is on the test, is to make sure they are learning from the manual. Generally, I save the "road stories" for after they have completely their testing to avoid confusing them on what the "Right" answer should be.
Some instructors feel that any more information above and beyond what is "absolutely necessary" wastes time and muddies the water, so to speak. Personally, I am somewhat of an academic (and proud of it). Just like people who ride motorcycles shouldn't necessarily aspire to fit into the stereotypical biker, I don't think that you should have to fit into the stereotype of a trucker to be successful. Just because you wear a cowboy hat, boots, a big buckle and like to roar your jake through the middle of town doesn't mean you are a 'real' trucker. I'm not trying to disparage anyone who wears a cowboy hat or boots, but rather those that try to dress and act the part because they think that is how truckers should look and act. But I am off the subject. Personally, I like to know the hows and whys, and I try explain them as much as the given instance will allow.
That being said, I believe it is okay not to always go into detail about a particular subject UNLESS one of the students asks about it. In that case, I feel there is an OBLIGATION to expain the whys and hows. Sometimes the other students can make this difficult for both the student who wants to know the answer and for the instructor, but a good instructor, I feel, sets the tone and encourages questions and discussion.
In any case, in answer to your 60psi question... The air compressor pumps air into air storage tanks. The air from these tanks are used mainly for two things -- to release the emergency brakes, and to supply air which applies the service brakes when the brake pedal is pressed. Remember, trucks don't have hydraulic brakes like your car does, it uses air instead. Normally, the air pressure in your tanks ranges from 100psi to about 125psi.
Since this air is used (and then released) when you push on the brake pedal to apply the brakes to stop the truck, it becomes a real problem when you no longer have any air. No air means the truck no stop. So trucks are built with a safety system.
There are springs in the brake chambers that in the normal position keep the brakes fully applied. This is used when parking. In order to release those brakes you apply air. (It's a little different than the normal brakes -- those you apply air to make the brakes come on... with the emergency brakes you apply air to make the brakes come off). When there is not enough air to keep the emergency brakes released, they resort to the fail-safe which is brakes applied.
So lets go back to us running out of air... At between 20 and 40 psi the service brakes don't have enough air to work effectively, at the same time the emergency brakes don't have enough air to stay released. In order to protect the truck from having no brakes at all, the emergency brakes come on full. Sometimes you can see the result when there are two sets of really long skids going down the middle of the highway. This is where for some reason (usually a broken hose) the emergency brakes came on in the trailer. The brakes came on fully as a safety precaution.
Soooooo. The reason that we want to know when the air pressure reaches 60psi, is that unless we do something soon, before long we are going to get to the point where all of our brakes suddenly come on and we are unable to control our vehicle.
As you can see, the answer is somewhat lengthy... which is (probably) why the instructor doesn't want to get into it. However, your SO paid his money and (in my opinion) is entitled to get an explaination as to why something is the way that it is if he really wants to know.
So to make a long story short (okay, too late for that)... No, I don't feel as if it acceptable. On the other hand, I don't know the complete situation. Sometimes you have a student who questions EVERYTHING and as a human being (as all instructors, good and bad, are), they are forced to resort to the "because that's just the way it is." It doesn't sound like that is the case here, but I'm just throwing that out there.
I don't know if this helps you or not. And I'm not sure what you can do about it even if you decide this program is not for you. But feel free to shoot me a message if I can help you out.
Good luck to you and your SO.
ChrisLast edited: May 5, 2010
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I went through a truck driving school as well. The first two weeks were classroom and the remaining two weeks were in the truck. The truck driving school cannot teach you experience, they teach you what you need to pass the test to get your CDL.
Your real experience will come when you find a trucking company that takes student drivers ( Truck driving school grads ). If you end up with a good trainer, that is where you will cut your teeth in the real world of driving.
Even with a trainer, its a whole new world when you get your own truck. There is no one there to guide you and answer questions.
The bottom line, your trucking school is what it is, a stepping stone to getting your CDL. Study and do the best you can. Like I said, you are basically "book learning". You will get your real teaching through a good OTR trainer.
Good luck to ya.
Midgets are people too, they just have shorter arms and legs.
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