I'm going with Maverick: newbie trainee blog

No. You will road test in what is available. I road tested in a 10 speed. Same goes with the truck. You might get a 10 speed or an automatic. More than likely you will get an auto for both tho. Just relax. They will put you with a trainer anyway. 1st seat drivers are looked at harder with any company. Companies that know you are new know you will be nervous.

 

thank-you for the reply no tarps. Do you know what kind of backing is required on the road test i am good at staightline backing and a 90degree allydock but I never learned paralel parking in a truck because it is not needed to get a cdl in my state. Is there anytime in orientation where I can hop in a truck to familiarize myself with how it handles before the road test.

 

Your welcome. When you go out there just stand in the back of the crowd and watch a few first. I did mine 1st they said who goes first and no one stepped forward so I did. There is several staging areas in the parking lot for backing. They will have cones set up and it is with a 10 foot spread, but at least it is empty. As far as practicing you won't get into a truck until the skills test.

 

its part of flatbeddin yall, i used to drive for Arrow Trucking outta tulsa, you wouldnt believe the stack of trucks (and trailers) in the boneyard at the home terminal, with flatbeds, companies do go a little crazy about ramp speed, you usually dont know that the trailer is going to roll over till it does.. just one of those funy things bout 2 long rails 2ft apart and 48ft long, ive lost 3 good friends that way, their not bein mean about ramp speed, but certainly, when it does go bad, it goes bad in a hurry w. no warning

 

..well I just finished reading this thread starting from page 1 & I think Mav lost a good recruit by letting Jax go; he seems like a very conscientious person & probably would have made a good driver from what I've read from his posts..

...now my take on this from what i have read from other threads relating to orientation & road tests, this rule of speed on exits is understandable but definitely not a reason to get bounced & sent home! Now u go off the road, damage the truck or trailer, commit a major traffic violation, then i send ya home, but for something as minor as this, being a new CDL grad, driving a new truck the 1st time, you get a 2nd chance & if u make the same mistake twice then you get sent home.. Some companies will give you points, others 3 chances to pass with different trainers before you get axed as long as it isn't a major safety violation the 1st offense..

..so IMHO no, this was minor & if I am the trainer depending on the guys attidtude I give him a 2nd chance. Now if in orientation they say you will fail the driving test if you do this, this, or this then yes, you have to fail them because they were given the rules for failing the road test & if they don't do what they were warned about, well they're gone.. but for me, if i am the one judging this drivers abilities driving I give him a warning at the end of the test & tell him look, you were going 5 mph over the recommended speed limit we told you to use leaving an exit ramp, do it again & we'll have to send you home..
..that's how I would handle that situation; and like I said before, it just depends on the drivers attitude & disposition, if your a rookie they're gonna be nervous so take that into consideration before I fail him on his 1st road test.

..I am also gonna use this thread as a 'heads up' for other future recruits to pay attention in class so they will be aware of how easy it can be to fail your 1st road test & be sent home.. and also do not bring up the subject of UNIONS at the Question & Answer meeting just to be safe!

 

How is freight # Mav these days..... I have a family member that has been driving local for going on 16 yrs and he is starting to feel the pinch at the place he works now. Terribly slow. I told him about Maverick and seems quite interested, in fact I think he has contacted them. I told him I would "feel" the drivers out on here. Any updates will be much appreciated. His hometime would be in the Twin Cities area, that seems to be a frequent freight lane so I would assume that would not be a issue. Thanks again

 

Maverick warns you repeatedly to be 10 mph below posted speed limits on ramps during your road test so evidently Jax wasn't paying attention.

 

I am headed to orientation hopefully in a couple of weeks.
This thread has been quite useful in what to not do.
Are there any other tips in what to watch out for during orientation ?