YRC CDL training program experience

Won’t really know till I start doing it. These 4 weeks are basically like any other cdl training. They’re setting us up to pass the dmv test. We do an additional 4 more weeks of “finishing school” training with a trainer at our home terminal learning everything there is about our roles (either P&D or Line). From what I gather, starting on extra board doing line there will be plenty of miles and hours of work. My terminal is a union one so I’ve been doing some reading of the contract to get a better understanding of what to expect.

 

That’s how I’ve approached it. The fact that I can get started doing linehaul was big for me making money and starting in a sector of trucking that I was going to want to end up in down the road anyways. And my plan was always to stay long enough to get a few years of experience and safe driving on my resume so that I could eventually go to one of the better LTL companies and start building up seniority there. It also helps that the Reddaway terminal ill be out of is 15 mins away from the house and if things do get “consolidated” like people say the bigger YRC yard is only a couple blocks away.

 

Been needing to update this post with week 2 and now week 3 in the books.

Things have definitely progressed. My backing skills have progressed massively. Things just finally clicked for me when I took the instructors advice of small bites and small corrections in regards to turning the wheel when backing, using the clutch to maintain the speed and taking some advice I read on this board about holding the bottom of the steering wheel and moving your hands in the direction you want the trailer to go.

I was pretty bad the first 2 or 3 days but since then I’ve made huge improvements.

we’ve also done quite a bit of road driving: both in the area of the terminal as well as the freeways and it was surprisingly not as bad as I thought it would be in my head. It’s all about operating the truck safely.

Im feeling confident about my test scheduled for next week.

The last thing that I thought I might have trouble with is the air brake test but after doing it a few times I’ve gotten it down.

I would say to anyone going through training to make flash cards for the pre trip, in cab and air brakes. It helped me.

We’ve gotten a ton of time shifting different trucks around the terminal, practicing the multiple DMV skills tests, drilling the pre trips and air brake tests and getting on the road.

In the end, it’s a four week class to get you prepared for the DMV test. The real training will be the four more additional weeks of training at the home terminal but I’ve been happy with how it’s been going. Next week we will co to us to do everything we have been to tighten things up.

I also happened to meet a business agent from local 63 and chatted to him a bit since I’ll be going to a union terminal with Reddaway. It was good to get his insights, cause at the end of the day the most important thing is to get the CDL. That’s the ticket. Weather I stay with Reddaway/Yellow or move on if I get laid off when the big merger happens, at least this was a great way to get my CDL and some experience right out of the gate.

We got two other guys that ended up getting tests scheduled for Wed and Thursday this coming week and with mine on Friday, half of our class could have their CDLs by the last day of class.

Again feel free to ask questions.

 

I passed the pre trip, air brakes, in cab and skills in my first attempt at the DMV. Had a few issues with shifting and downshifting during the road test and didn’t pass that part. Luckily all I have left to do is the road test and I’ll be doing plenty of driving the next four weeks.

That was the one thing about this class that I felt could be done better. It’s not the instructors fault, they can only work with what they got. Our main trainer was pulled to go start another class halfway through and the new trainer brought in to help was mostly tied up taking guys from the previous class to the DMV for their tests. That left us with two trucks on any given day if we were lucky. And one trainer a lot of the time. Obviously with one instructor on site during those days, we couldn’t get out on the road much. We got plenty of pre trip, in cab/airbrake and skills prep. We would shift around the terminal but it’s hard to recreate city driving while trying to drive at a safe pace around the yard. The company is just kicking off this whole cdl school thing and they asked for feedback and all of us students gave them some. Hopefully they listen.

In the end it was good. I was well prepared for most of the DMV test and passed the first two portions easily.

My operations manager at my terminal is pretty cool and he said I can take as much time as I want to train and make sure I get the shifting down. I’m going the linehaul route, but he’s having me go out with P&D guys for the first week or two to really work on city driving and shifting which I think is a smart approach.
I just got done on a city run today (with a long trailer for the first time). I’ve only driven with pups during the training so going out today with a long box was interesting. Drove for most of the day after the first hazmat delivery. Backed up to multiple docks today and did a pretty good job.

At some point I’ll go on a run with a line driver.

Any more questions feel free to ask.

 

Nice. Let us know how it is