Beginning the Long Awaited CDL Process

Wedge · Nov 18, 2010

Rknightpd said: ↑

Hey Wedge,
Finally Got a call from Crete, Wouldn't you know it the one school they stil hire out of is he one we're not enrolled at maybe we can get it changed. The starting pay is pretty good the pay after a year is better, we'll see, anyway its another company on the list.

Now if you guys are into disco balls, and shag carpet, you gotta go take the eye exam at the lasik clinic near you;the machine with the fluorescent colors is awesome and yes, I remember them both. A/T I believe you're to young for shag carpet
See Ya,
Randy
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Sorry to hear about the school not being on their preferred list. Companies are beginning to get fussy on where they get their people from.

Have you guys thought about company based CDL training? There are some half way decent companies that provide training (not Swift) or are you already committed to your school? Just throwing the idea at you.

I liked shag rugs. They kept your toes warm.

AT should get a black light and a strobe for the inside of the cab. That will keep everyone away, including the lizards.

sammycat · Nov 18, 2010

LOL!! Wedge!!! How about a lava lamp and a ''water pipe'' to finish it off???

Wedge · Nov 18, 2010

sammycat said: ↑

LOL!! Wedge!!! How about a lava lamp and a ''water pipe'' to finish it off???
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We have to be careful what toys we give him. He might use the water pipe and stare at the lava lamp. Nothing will get done, he'll get hungry and then need a nap.

Merlin1477024 · Nov 18, 2010

Wedge said: ↑

It really was "The Longest Day"

Hello Everyone!

I feel much better after a decent nights sleep. So let me tell you how the testing day went.

We arrived at the Dalton DDS with our tractor at 7:15. A sister team of 4 students arrived with their rig shortly after. When you arrive early, you get one last chance to walk out on to the course and look it over. They won't allow you to practice (that would make it too easy), but at least one more look at the course helps put the range in perspective as you can compare it to the range at school. Does that help reduce the stress? Nope.

There is a covered assembly area at the DDS with picnic tables. Comfortable enough, I suppose. This is where we wait. The only time students go into the building is to register or use the facilities. Besides, you really want to see what's going on in the range.

Each student (in turn) waits by their assigned truck for the inspector (the range is divided into 2 separate courses). They will proceed with the PTI testing which will be 1 of 3 areas: Front, side of cab to the axle, or trailer. Once completed you'll do your "in cab" testing. The critical will be testing your brakes and the brake valve operation. Just as it says in the manual, if you omit any part of the testing that covers checking checking for your brake warning lights and buzzer, and fanning the brakes (pumping the brakes) down so the low pressure causes the brake valves to pop out, they'll stop the testing, you'll get out of the truck and be finishing your morning coffee with everyone else. No one wants to be one of those.

So we all huddle in a big group waiting to see if the truck will move.

The next stopping point can occur when they test your backing skills. It's the inspectors choice. You must execute 3 different types of backing maneuvers (straight back, offset, parallel parking, or alley dock). With the exception of the alley dock, all backing maneuvers can be either sight side or blind side, their call. One student, while performing the alley dock, panicked when he noticed he wasn't centered in the lane and felt he needed to pull up (which you are allowed to do "x" number of times depending on the maneuver). Well, instead of correcting he tried to reset the truck and repeat the maneuver and ended up boxing himself in so badly that he couldn't help but hit the cones. After a couple of minutes of cone bumping and line breaching, the inspector had him park the truck and sent him packing. Not a real confidence builder when you see something like that happen to the very first student.

So what we all looked for was: seeing the tractor move to the range; watch it execute the backing; see it leave the complex for the road test. When the rigs were gone, it was like a scene from any movie about the flight crews waiting for the plane to come back after a bombing mission.

(The road test is about 20 miles long with a mixture of city, country and highway driving. The inspector will ask you to identify a road sign right after you pass it (to see how much you pay attention) and don't forget to slow down for school zones. That constitutes speeding, and they don't like that.)

There is an "early abort" that the inspector can choose if he feels you are too dangerous to let loose on the rest of the population that would bring you back to the DDS pretty quickly. That didn't happen with any of our testing groups.

After about 30 minutes someone spies the the top of one of the tractors on the return route and shouts out "Inbound", and everyone turns to watch. Heads nodding, people whispering " What do you think?" or "Yeah, he got it". You can always tell if a student passed by the walk (or run) and/or the look on their face.

So that's how the day went. 7 out of the 8 students were successful. The one student who failed the backing portion will be rescheduled for a refresher period on the school range, and then retested at the DDS (only what he missed).

As for me, I missed only one item on my pre-trip (turning on the wipers during my "in cab" (go figure). I nailed the backing with no deductions, and the road test was very good but I did blow a down shift (went into the corner a little hot). I'm used to 18 speeds and I've got to remember to scrub off more speed before I begin downshifting with these 10 speeds.

We finished up at around 4 pm and headed back to the school. We stopped at a Quick Trip (I think) in Dalton for a snack before rolling out. Somebody had a Big Mac attack (plenty of Watkins and Shepard rigs, there's a terminal in Dalton).

So where do I go to work? I know the answer but I'll leave you hanging for a bit.

I have to run. I'll respond to posts later today.

Thanks for reading.

-Wedge
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Been on the sidelines for awhile. What a great post to read on my return! Congrats, Wedge, Congrats!

Wedge · Nov 18, 2010

Merlin1477024 said: ↑

Been on the sidelines for awhile. What a great post to read on my return! Congrats, Wedge, Congrats!
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Thanks Merlin, Haven't seen you in a while.

wulfman75 · Nov 19, 2010

Disco balls and shag carpet come back every ten years or so...

Merlin1477024 · Nov 19, 2010

Wedge said: ↑

Thanks Merlin, Haven't seen you in a while.
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I kept hoping against hope that my field in mortgage lending would recover, but you've seen all the news. Thought about trying a few other things related, but pretty much trucking seems the most sensible path. One major reason in benefits.

Schneider has a contract with a local college and if all goes well, I start school in Jan and will come out without a bill or repayment of any sort. They must have gotten a lot of contracts for bulk work, and tankers is what I'm after. Just honor a commitment to drive for them six months. If the commitment is broken, probably facing a bill for the school then.

I've had the interview and returned all the forms. Just study for the permit test and endorsements, get a TWIC card once a school date is selected and then a passport. And of course the PWS testing. Was doing that before and started again last night. All should be fine. I just need to relocate the limits to make sure I'm within them.

All I'm nervous about is the drug test as I had some long postponed surgery and have found out what to do from SNI medical. Just take the pill bottles along. They do both urine and hair test.

That may be more than you wanted to know, so apologies in adavnce and once again... Congrats!

Merlin

Wedge · Nov 19, 2010

Merlin1477024 said: ↑

I kept hoping against hope that my field in mortgage lending would recover, but you've seen all the news. Thought about trying a few other things related, but pretty much trucking seems the most sensible path. One major reason in benefits.

Schneider has a contract with a local college and if all goes well, I start school in Jan and will come out without a bill or repayment of any sort. They must have gotten a lot of contracts for bulk work, and tankers is what I'm after. Just honor a commitment to drive for them six months. If the commitment is broken, probably facing a bill for the school then.

I've had the interview and returned all the forms. Just study for the permit test and endorsements, get a TWIC card once a school date is selected and then a passport. And of course the PWS testing. Was doing that before and started again last night. All should be fine. I just need to relocate the limits to make sure I'm within them.

All I'm nervous about is the drug test as I had some long postponed surgery and have found out what to do from SNI medical. Just take the pill bottles along. They do both urine and hair test.

That may be more than you wanted to know, so apologies in adavnce and once again... Congrats!

Merlin
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Just be a straight shooter with them and you'll be fine. Keep track of any information you give them, and be honest about your past, good or bad. It has a way of coming back at you.

Let us know how you make out with them. I haven't seen a Schneider training thread in a while.

We'll be waiting to hear.

sammycat · Nov 19, 2010

Wedge said: ↑

We have to be careful what toys we give him. He might use the water pipe and stare at the lava lamp. Nothing will get done, he'll get hungry and then need a nap.
Click to expand...

Merlin1477024 · Nov 19, 2010

Wedge said: ↑

Just be a straight shooter with them and you'll be fine. Keep track of any information you give them, and be honest about your past, good or bad. It has a way of coming back at you.

Let us know how you make out with them. I haven't seen a Schneider training thread in a while.

We'll be waiting to hear.
Click to expand...

I've got a driving school start date of 1/10/11. On way to school, drop by Schneider OC and take the work screen test (which I've restarted training on). All my #'s are OK now, but in Jan will cut out all caffeine just the same. Next is reconfirm with recruiter and talk to SNI medical on 12/15.

For now, I'll be lurking around here and occasionally asking some questions of you and some others here, if that's OK. Probably start delivering pizza in a week or so as well.

Nothing happening to me merits a thread, at least not yet.

Sorry to hijack, but regards and respects to all. (back to lurking now)

Merlin

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