Let me start off by saying sometimes my standards are set to high and I'm a perfectionist. So I completed the course requirements of the school I went to and got my certificate, but I feel I'm no where near ready to take my Road-test.
The school only took me on the road 3 times (seems to be the norm, hour at a time) and I feel that's no where near enough time. Driving is ok, but I could use some more practice shifting. They have a lack of instructors. A lot of students to rotate through.
As far as the manuevers go I can get it good enough to pass maybe 2 or 3 out of 5 tries. Again lack of trucks to many students.
Graduates are allowed to practice on weekends, but again half the yard trucks are broken down. Maybe ten or more students per truck per manuever. Last time I went I was there 4 hours and got in a truck once per hour.
I'm ready to cut my losses and go talk to another school or buy a trailer and practice with my pick up truck. Maybe I should have just done this to begin with. Is this the standard for CDL schools? The school I went to is supposedly one of the best in the country.
I feel for the 11k I spent it should have been better. They also have a high Road-test failure rate. Pretty much every student needs to take the test 2 or 3 times before they finally pass. Maybe driving a truck isn't for me. What say you? Thanks.
Matt
Really disappointed. CDL School.
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by EMDMatt, Oct 23, 2021.
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Chinatown, austinmike, bryan21384 and 1 other person Thank this.
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Don't get put off a trucking career. You picked a crap school. A decent school would not have any out of service trucks. Zero. Just get the practice in the trucks they seem to let you have, take the test, pass, and get driving. You also need to name these scammers so other future drivers can avoid them.
Bean Jr., Lonesome, austinmike and 1 other person Thank this. -
While some CDL school are seriously lacking on competency. All CDL schools really ever do anyway is get you tomthe point they think you can pass your CDL test. I think it's rare that any student anywhere thinks they actually received enough training and practice. In the beginning, with school and with getting started, I think about everybody feels they are being thrown into the deep end without a life preserver. It's just the way it is I think. But, just hang in there. In the beginning, it sucks and is often overwhelming. Just hang in there, it passes. I wanted to quit several times in my first month. But, I hung on, did my best to do the next thing in front of me to be done and after a couple months things started to ease up. At about 6 months, I finally started feeling like I just might make it after all. I'm just over 2 years now and glad I hung on through the beginning. Being a trucker is far from perfect. But, most of the time I really enjoy it. The other times aren't that bad either. It is a job after all.
tscottme, Bean Jr. and bryan21384 Thank this. -
Think I had maybe 3 hours total road time before my driving test for the state.
azheavyduty, Speed_Drums, tscottme and 6 others Thank this. -
Honestly, you can go to the best school reputation wise. A person who is brand new to the industry is not going to be at a point where they don't need any work. Going to school just gives you enough instruction to get you a CDL. Once you go to a company, then the real training begins. You'll be with a trainer, and you'll get plenty of time behind the wheel, in more realistic situations. My advice to you is to stop trying to be a perfectionist. Nobody out here is perfect, nor do they know it all. If you do, then you have no purpose to drive a truck. Take your time and keep working at it, and let it come to you. Worrying yourself to death is the worst thing you can do on any level of driving. Stop second guessing, you'll be fine. You don't have to be perfect, you just have to be good enough. I've got 12 years in and I've never been perfect.....
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My experience was you dont learn to truck from CDl school, the company you hire on after that to put you through their version of training. You learn this job when you get handed the keys to your own tractor and go out there and learn. That's how you do it. So put up with the crap, get your keys, and do it.
tscottme, Dave_in_AZ and bryan21384 Thank this. -
Speed_Drums, LoneRanger and Dave_in_AZ Thank this.
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I went to truck school through a community college. They were pretty decent. 5 weeks, 40 hours per week. Very thorough on filling out logs, HOS, split logging, and all necessary info to pass all required knowledge tests. Several hours of practice maneuvering around the property. The last week was all road trips. Longest one was a couple hundred miles.
When I was training guys fresh out of school for USX it seemed like the ones that went to the biggest schools new the least. At least back then, community colleges and other smaller schools really seemed to do a better job.Speed_Drums, tscottme and snowlauncher Thank this. -
If you have passed the DOT exams and gotten your CDL based on what you learned at this school, then you are ready to get a job. What's really going to help you feel like your ready to strike out on your own, is being put in a truck with a good mentor for a month or so. You will get more practical experience and there will be someone by your side to give you advice. The rest is all common sense, and a cooler head, which unfortunately, not many people understand these days. Good luck!
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