Newbie

The Close Quarters Test (CQ-Test) is backing and maneuvering in a confined space.

 

Myth Busting time:

All I hear on this forum is that the trainers are top notch.

So lets examine the job of a trainer. He/she starts off the day with a cup of coffee. Meets the class and says good morning. Opens his book and starts a presentation on a projector. Then they start rambling on word for word out of the hand book. (don't misunderstand this stuff is important). Then you go to lunch. You come back in the afternoon and do a pretrip a tractor/trailer. Amazingly your instructer appears. Then you and 2 or 3 other students jump into the truck. Your instructor tells you what you are doing wrong and now you need to get it right.

Sounds like any other school, so I ask you future truck drivers. How can you say the instructors at Roehl are top notch.

Open your eyes to your future. Ask a difficult question, and be preparred for this answer.

I am not sure of the answer to that question, let me get back with you.

My chime from the high turnover rate suggest you are not being fully trained.

Theese were all observations from talking to junior drivers.

 

I can't say that my days have gone like this. Granted, there is the morning routine of presentations, yes we read from the book, but MY instructor always adds to it with his 30+ years of experience. I can't speak for the other instructors, I just know what mine does. I haven't been able to stump him either, he always has the answer to the questions we ask. Class takes two hours, max, and the rest of the day is devoted to driving; save the hour for lunch. Mine instructor doesn't just appear. He is there. We aren't told what we are doing wrong unless there is a major safety violation. He lets us work it out and figure it out. If we ask, he helps, but there isn't a lot of pressure to be perfect, every time, right away. This training is accelerated, yes, but not impossible. I can't speak for other people's experiences. I know how mine is going, and I can't complain. Yes, everything should be taken with a grain of salt, but let the experience be your own, not what any of us are telling you.

 

Ok lets see how great this instructor is.

I am 2 days away from my delivery appt in Scranton Pa.

How soon before my next delivery should i expect a preplan in order to properly prepare for my next load?

Ask if you like but remember your training does come first as always.

 

Just so we are clear, we are learning to drive trucks; shifting, cornering, backing, etc. We ask questions about the fundamentals of driving trucks. Once we get with our trainers on the road, then it would seem more appropriate to ask questions about planning and preparing for our loads. Remember, this coarse is condensed. Three weeks is all we get to learn the basics. Now, what I am saying is that for basics, the instructors seem to be doing a great job and I feel comfortable with the progression of the training. When Evo I and Evo II come around, we'll see how the trainers do.

 

Yes but aren't they also there to assist you with your transistion to the Roehl way?

Well anyways will give this a rest. I truely hope you do well and good luck with that road test

Ohh and By the way, use the weekends to practice your backing. Not just the ones needed for the test, try to put yourself is some realworld situations. You are paying to use that truck and the instructors time, don't sell yourself short. Practice some blindside, and ask your instructers to demonstrate how to parallel park, then practice it. If going van, ask to hook up to a 53' van to practice with that. Try setting the tandems at different locations to see and feel how the trailer tracks differently. Don't waste your saturdays (Sundays too) sitting around the dorm rooms.

Ask your instructers how to properly install tire chains should you ever find yourself in a situation that requires them. (West coast states). Have him demonstrate how to fasten them, then try it out yourself. I know Roehl does not want us useing them and wants us to shut down instead, however you could very easily find yourself in a must move situation.

Try to remember this I am not against Roehl, just tired of the hype is all

Hope them extra tips help you and other soon to be truck drivers out

 

2500 miles per week seems to currently be on the high end since they removed the controll from the dispatchers to the planners.