Important contributions to driver safety?

Ducks , "this guy" has posted nearly 100 posts in 4 days nearly all promoting schools . He has shown no interest in proving info of any value to assist members regarding other topics .
I don't judge any school's training . My beef with them is their false recruiting methods . How many articles have we seen here from local papers featuring local driving schools where instructors are quoted saying if you have a CDL you can always get a job or drivers can make $40,000 + a year ? Those statements are no longer true . We've read post by both graduates and experienced drivers that have been out of work for weeks and haven't found jobs . We read the posts by trainers that rejected school graduates . We read posts by graduates that get hired and only make $300 a week . Far more people are hurt by schools than helped by them .

 

Thanks, Rick! I thought having a driving school representative on the forum would be beneficial. I see your point, though, and admit that he needs to broaden his focus here on the boards.

Your comment about recruiters brought back to mind something I heard when I attended college orientation with my daughter. Her major was psychology... and the head of that department spoke to all the psych majors. One of the first things she said was that if they were attending college to make good money, they'd chosen the wrong major.

I'll be honest. I really, REALLY appreciated her honesty.

 

Unfortunately many careers have inadequate pay . Education is one of them and trucking is another . My dislike of schools is partly due to the fact they are adding to the oversupply of drivers that allows carriers to drop starting pay to ridiculously low rates . An experienced driver won't accept $.22 a mile . A desperate graduate will - temporarily . But soon he decides it isn't worth it and is replaced by another then another . Most of them end up thousands of dollars in debt unless we paid for their training with taxpayers' money .

 

Unfortunately, Rick, this isn't just happening in trucking. If you have the money, you can training in just about any profession -- regardless of the demand in that particular field.

Individuals need to apply a little common sense when choosing a career. Face it -- all schools want students because enrollment pays the bills -- including salaries.

Caveat emptor.

 

Good morning fellas, I see our gremlin is still at it (annoying the #### outta people) I need more coffee

 

If the government wants to hand out money for schools they should require and provide grants for simulators . Students not performing well on the simulators would be failed and sent home . That would eliminate a lot of those nondrivers trainers waste their time with and reduce the oversupply . How about it , davidcboyd33 , ? Don't you think simulator training showing students' skills under more conditions would give them an advantage ? I am not really against schools . I'm against the number of graduates turned out that obviously can't cut it and wasted their money training .

 

First off when a new driver is assigned to a driver trainer that driver trainer's reputation is on the line. That's the way it used to be. I never said I'd expect a new driver to come out perfect. But I strongly believe that a driver trainer with 20, 30, or even 40 years safe driving can give that new driver better tips and instruction that any school can. Personally I'd rather have a driver that's never been to school so he or she hasn't heard all the BS from instructors and other students. I know that these days a driver must go through a school. But just like Stump has said the schools are there for one reason and that's to get the student his or her CDL. I'm sure there's plenty of good drivers that are teaching and this guy maybe one of them with a few more years experience. However, they don't have the time to really teach a student what they need to know in the time frame they are allotted.


What I'd like to see is another endorsement added to the CDL for driver trainer with rules in which he or she must qualify for. A safe driving record and at least 10 years experience. Then have a requirement for all the companies to follow and then be inspected periodically to ensure their progranm is in force. Let the companies do their own training like years before so they can weed out the bad drivers.


There are many items that bother me about CDL schools. First they'll take your money no matter what and then when the drivers seeks a job he's got too many tickets or a mark on his record the companies will not deal with. Will the CDL school refund any of his money based on the lies they told them to lure them in with? There should also be some type of requirement for the instructors. Books smarts will only get you so far and then you need some solid advice from someone that knows. They don't teach how to take care of the truck or how to drive in the real world. There's no defensive driving or how to become a professional. Say you go to CDL school and you get lucky and land a job driving a truck and trailer. What's the student going to do when he or she finds out there's no fifth wheel?
The list goes on.


I'm sorry but I believe when a truck driver gives cra* to a 4 wheeler then to me he or she is just showing immaturity and non professionalism. Next time ask them what school they went to.

I don't think any of us came on here and singled this guy out until he did. I just have a hard time believing what's he's saying and he did say that schools are the only way to go. Not so much in those words but he did go on the defensive side after he came on asking for advice.

And yes every driver came from somewhere. Some smarter than others but eventually you all learn the same thing. If you were lucky as I was you got taught by a few drivers that took the extra time to ensure you could go out on your own. Back then CDL schools were just starting and I know for sure that ARCO would not hire a driver from a school. They just had too many accidents and no respect for the load. In fact the last school driver they hired ran the truck right into the building when everyone else made the right turn after getting loaded. It was his first and only load.

 

I fully agree... and please believe me when I say I'm not trying to be a smart### here. But do you think the majority of veteran drivers would be willing to step away from their own driving job to train someone who has never been behind the wheel of a truck before? (I'm asking because I honestly really do not know.)

From what I read here on the boards, most veteran drivers have long ago "paid their dues" and are finally finding some security and a decent paycheck in a profession not known for either. What would a company have to offer a driver to take a student and teach him/her from scratch? And would an established driver be willing to walk away from that which they worked so hard to achieve?

 

I had never been in the cab of a truck until I went to Schneider (Charlotte NC). Anyway the second day I had a trailer and was downtown. My trainer said I was ready. I never really ground the gears but still after a short 14 months of experience I suck at backing up most of the time. I was taught a lot of things by the trainer at school and the one on the road I still use today. Never had an accident, ticket or any trouble at all. Knock on wood.

I can say that if you read my last post I have been to a few orientations along the way and the ones that have had the most problems are the older guys. I went to JB Hunt in Atl. We doubled up on the road test. I went out with a guy who said he had 15 yrs OTR. I don't know but he choked down in the middle of th intersection and just about rearended a car. I had no problems.

At Arrow I road tested with a guy who said he had over 20 yrs driving. Again I had not problems but this guy about took down a mail box and was going 60 in a 45.He got mad when we got back and the instructor said he failed?

I anit saying I am the greatest driver but I am safe. All old times aren't good. All new drivers arent bad. I believe if you want to be a professional safe driver you will be no matter what your experience level or who/where you learned how to drive. Just my 2 cents.

 

My company did for awhile. When top loading went away we took all those guys and put them in trucks. We do when something like that happens so we don't loose a good worker. When times are normal we still take a new driver (that has to have 5 years tanker experience) and take him or her as a person that has never driven and any knowledge they know that fits our work is gravy. It different with hauling gasoline around the city all day but the driver trainer does get paid (I think) $1.50 more an hour.