Recent RDTC grads

I went through a few months ago, graduated on march 2. I had Bob as an instructor, he is really good, but from what I saw they are all good guys. Its a Monday through friday 7 to 5 and be ready to have alot thrown at you. You will take your cdl test at the end of week 2 and the third week is phase 1 training now. You will get your own room through school and I think it was $400. And best thing to do is drive your own car, you will have Saturday and Sunday off so its nice to get out but the hotel is next to alot of fast food places and walmart.

 

Congrats! Where do they do their school and phase 1 training?

I've spoken with a recruiter and (even though I am perhaps a year or so away from driving professionally) got answers to several questions I had about the phase 1/2 training.

 

Just recently graduated this past April. It was a good course all around. Brian was my instructor and he prepared everyone well. The hotel is decent for the money you pay. It's located right next to a 24 hr. grocery center. They give you a 500 page book that you have to read with questions at the end of each chapter (homework). We had that done by the beginning of the second week. You'll drive on country roads and city roads with plenty of railroad tracks. Head checks for railroad trax/intersections/turns/lane changes etc.. I'd advise checking out some pretrip vids on youtube to get familiar with the components on the truck. Roehl will give you a detailed pretrip list when you get there but you'll be ahead of the game. Hope that helps.

 

Hey Rick, sorry for the late response...I just got parked for the night..the school is in Marshfield WI which is there home office, that's where you will also do phase 1 its just the 3rd week of school. Phase 2 is otr with a trainer, phase 3 is by yourself in your own truck.

 

Appreciate your answering my questions.

Did you feel you got enough phase 2 training? How about the assistance in Phase 3?

Everything I've read thus far about Roehl is pretty positive. I guess you always run into the possibility of having a trainer who is in it more for the $$ and not the concept of passing along his experience.

I hope to have my CDL prior to getting a company training program, even though there may be a possibility of my needing a "refresher" between CDL school and company training. We'll wait and see.

The only thing I see (thus far) negatively is that they don't have a terminal or even a drop facility in Colorado; that may impact home time and may create an issue of what to do with the truck when I do get routed near home.

Time will tell.
Thanks!

 

My phase 2 was 5 days...but there all different, just depends on where your routed with your trainer, and the trainers wont run like a team, and just my advice, I would go through roehls school because its a great school and its only 2800 dollars, and if you get your cdl somewhere else and wait awhile on comeing to drive, roehl will prob make you go through there school anyways, and one other thing about school, you don't have to pay upfront...you do 120000 solo miles to pay them back, which will take about a year. Phase 3 training or just anytime you call your fleet manager and they will help you...and you have a driver reference guide that you keep with you at all times.

 

Where are you in CO? I live in Centennial, just southeast of Denver. I drop my trailer at Denver Mattress, (on Havana, about 1.5 miles north of I70), and take my truck home. I used to get home with no problem. The past few months I have been late every time getting home. I do have a new FM and he is just getting used to having a driver who lives in the Denver area. He says he will let the planners know 5 days before my home time so they get a load lined up for me to get to the house. I guess I'll see how it works the next time I'm out. I'm at the house until Tuesday.

 

i went through phase one with roehl in Gary, In. I liked the instructors. The only thing you gotta get used to is the Roehl way. they drive differently than i was taught so i had to relearn shifting their way. It's not hard though. i graduated on may 14, but i had to leave phase 2 for drill in louisiana. if i could suggest, dont leave phase 2 for anything unless it is absolutely necessary. they make you pay for your way home, even if its for a military obligation. not that i can blame them, they spend a lot of money getting you there and feeding and housing you. just sucks to have to pay for that trip lol. still waiting on my trainer information though, they had to change things because i had to come home.