TRAINING... How long does it really take ????

I can add a couple of cents too. I got my cdl in October of last year and have been on the road with a trainer since mid December. I have 35,000 miles logged and feel that I can safely operate on my own BUT I am always taking extra time to do just about eveything ie: changing lanes, merging onto highways, backing etc. I have driven on wide open roads to clogged city roads (currently in Newark NJ) and I am "on guard" constantly while the vehicle is in motion. I definitely concentrate much more than when driving my 4 wheeler because there is such a big difference in the vehicle dynamics but also I am finding that 4 wheelers to very stupid #### when operating around a big slow truck. I have never been cut off as much between people merging or getting off highways! You almost have to think 2 moves ahead and guess what other drivers will do so you can be prepared to act.i don't imagine I will ever stop learning at this job anytime soon. HTH!

 

doing stuff faster just comes with time and experience, I remember back when I started backing and I can say I came a long ways, heck just 3 months ago my backing was OK but once I went dedicated where I do several backs in a single day they got better quick. Its the same for the other stuff, turns you get down with experience and if you come to a turn you doubt then just dont do it, move along to find a better turn! There are some streets we just shouldnt be turning on even if a truck specific gps said to.

 

A cage is a car or other 4 - wheeled vehicle.

BTW, love that J-3! I have "driven" one of those before as well. Like the bumper sticker says."I'd rather be flying", but...

 

dennis your experience driving a 25' ryder truck isn't really close to what you face. my pete tractor is 22ft bumper to bumper without the 48 or 53 foot trailer behind me.my truck is 72-75ft long I thread it thru rush hour traffic with people that don't care that if I loose my concentration or loose them in my mirrors I can make them have a very bad day. I pull oversized loads most of the time. I cant see behind me very well at all. I have driven 118000 pounds down the road it was 15ft tall and 11ft wide. if I come across course and jaded I am. I wasn't given my first set of keys for over a year after I put my first truck in gear at the giant truck stop in Mojave CA. if you look on the net you will find a lot of vidios that show why some companys have bad names. no one should be allowed to drive a truck with six weeks under their belt by their selves. there are companys out there that have trainers with only six weeks on the road. I could go on and on. but keep your mind open to new ideas and ways of doing things and you could make it

 

So all you are looking for is someone to tell you what you want to hear?
I think PattyJ summed it up pretty good.

 

I guess it depends on how you want to go about it. I did a small private school here in SoCal that was only 20 hours long - five weekends - 2 hours each Saturday and Sunday. It obviously wasn't extensive training but they got you your license fast and it only cost me $1200. And yes I got lucky and someone hooked me up with a local flatbed job after six months. Some schools like Roadmasters want several thousand dollars and will give you about 150 hours of training but it's usually easier to find a company willing to hire you because they know their school is in-depth with their training.

If you already have some experience pulling a trailer then you're way ahead of everyone who doesn't. Once you figure out how it all works it's not so bad, but there are still certain situations that even give the best drivers a run for their money. And some days we just aren't "in the groove" so to speak. You'll also learn that shorter trailers like 28'ers are actually a little tougher to back and keep straight than a 48' or 53'. The upside, obviously, is that you can fit into tighter spots and city driving is usually easier with a shorter trailer. The longer ones only require very minor adjustments to keep straight. The main thing I've learned is to always watch your tandems in the mirror as you're turning and USE THE SPACE YOU HAVE to your advantage! No sense in making things harder for you. Once you figure out when to cut-in for the turn (usually when your tandems get to right before the corner) then you can look cool and get your tandems close to the curb/corner to keep from going as wide.

There wasn't ever really a time where I "felt ready" so to speak. I just said F it and signed up for classes to try it out.

Don't give up and you'll be alright. It is a dangerous job and it can be stressful in certain situations but it's not as bad as some people make it out to be. Just be patient and drive SAFE. Stand up for what's right to protect YOUR CDL; some employers may ask you to do something that is illegal or unsafe and if something were to happen it's mostly on you.

 

dennisroc, when will you be back in the States and attending school? WWhere? I will be starting next month, even though I already have my CDL A. I am lookking at Watkins/Shepard or System Transport, don't care for the long trainer times either, but if thats what I got to do, as long as trainer is actually training... Funny thing, I was assigned to an M915 and 48 ft flatbed while stationed in Youngson after a 3 hour familiarization course. SL was on his way out and said I was on my own. Scared myself a few times driving over that bill hill on the way to casey and while towing a disabled truck down to Camp Carrol too, drove all over that continent...Learned a lot of things the hard way...was lucky for me, no accidents(66,000), but close calls....3 hours not enough, 6 months way too much...personal opinion- like everything else you learn something new everyday and when you stop learning then you need to find a new line of work...Looking forward to getting back to it...