Who needs trucking school.
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Highway Hypnosis, Apr 12, 2014.
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GasHauler said: ↑I'll grant you that schools could be much better and self taught is not far behind. I would say that going without school and learning by someone else all depends on how much that other driver knows. Schools are now the best way to go simply because of insurance reasons. Every once in awhile there comes along a school that starts the driver in the right direction. But most teach how to get a CDL and that's all they care about. I personally did not go to school because they didn't have them when I started. But I was taught by a group of drivers that had many years hauling gasoline and they made sure that I did not embarrass them or give them a bad name. In other words they all watched me like a Hawk and taught me the right way which turned out to be just like the Smith System of today. But those days are gone and there's no more head slapping. So schools are in the best interest of the driver if they want to go on to be successful. When I say successful I mean you retire with a proud record and plenty of cash to live the way you want to.Click to expand...gpsman Thanks this.
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gpsman said: ↑But how hard is it? Guys loaded up on weed, whites and wine managed to not crash, probably some still doing it.
Rookies manage to not crash straight out of the box, most of those do their 6 months or a year w/o crashing.
Can we not assume most OTR drivers on the road today have 1 crash or fewer...?
Can we not consider the empirical evidence? Can we not agree the truck that is not speeding and following too closely will be... ASAP?Click to expand...
As far as most OTR drivers having 1 crash or fewer IDK...I would say that the number is fairly low , if you figure all levels of experience together , but again , without the numbers I'll not even begin to guess.
Yes I can agree that a tail-gating truck , even one that isn't speeding is only a breath away from being involved in a terrible , possibly life threatening accident. -
GasHauler said: ↑I'll grant you that schools could be much better and self taught is not far behind. I would say that going without school and learning by someone else all depends on how much that other driver knows. Schools are now the best way to go simply because of insurance reasons. Every once in awhile there comes along a school that starts the driver in the right direction. But most teach how to get a CDL and that's all they care aboutClick to expand...
I personally did not go to school because they didn't have them when I started. But I was taught by a group of drivers that had many years hauling gasoline and they made sure that I did not embarrass them or give them a bad name. In other words they all watched me like a Hawk and taught me the right way which turned out to be just like the Smith System of today. But those days are gone and there's no more head slapping. So schools are in the best interest of the driver if they want to go on to be successful. When I say successful I mean you retire with a proud record and plenty of cash to live the way you want to.Click to expand...Tonythetruckerdude Thanks this. -
gpsman said: ↑To be fair, that's all they offer to teach. And, the basics of truck driving are included in basic Driver's Ed. The states assume motorists will have enough regard for their own safety they can take their education from there. Instead, they get motorists who teach themselves by experience what they can get away with, and to measure a 20 mile/30 minute trip in seconds and feet if not fractions thereof.
Let me tell you about the typical CDL mill student IME. They arrive overconfident, naturally, but many expect to teach the class, and more than a few expect to teach the instructors. If I had a nickel for every time I was told "I just need to learn to log, shift and back", and that student deliberately learned no more than that than was absolutely necessary, I'd have a lot of nickels.Click to expand...gpsman Thanks this. -
Tonythetruckerdude said: ↑Please enlighten us as to how the drivers that drive for sometimes a couple million miles and some even more , just how dumb luck has anything to do with them doing it. And how by driving with the proper attitude and and professionalism has nothing whatsoever to do with it.... Luck may enter into the equation , but I'd wager that it's the smallest denominator by a long shot.Click to expand...
2. How on earth can you look out your windshield and conclude those people are cautiously avoiding crashing? How can you examine your own internal monologue and not conclude the natural state of the motorist is "distracted"?
The unavoidable crashes; animal strike, being rear-ended, the unavoidable L-turn across the nose crash. That's how luck enters as a factor. Seems significant to me. -
Tonythetruckerdude said: ↑No sir....When it comes to driving safely , I assume nothing. The folks that abuse drugs and alcohol or both while driving trucks have always been around and will continue to do so...they are accidents waiting to happen , and til someone shows they're aren't in a higher risk group than those drivers that don't , I'll stand by that.Click to expand...
As far as most OTR drivers having 1 crash or fewer IDK...I would say that the number is fairly low , if you figure all levels of experience together , but again , without the numbers I'll not even begin to guess.Click to expand...
Yes I can agree that a tail-gating truck , even one that isn't speeding is only a breath away from being involved in a terrible , possibly life threatening accident.Click to expand...
I'm saying if they're not speeding and following too closely it's only because they can't at the moment. -
Tonythetruckerdude said: ↑Agreed...lots of wannabes , think that logging , shifting and backing are all there is to trucking. Once they get out into the real world , they tend to get their feelings hurt. One reason for the high turn-over rate....trucking no matter what kind you do is WORK..some of the most physically and emotionally demanding work you'll try a hand at.Click to expand...Tonythetruckerdude Thanks this.
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gpsman said: ↑Let us agree on something. I grew up on a farm, did 7 years in combat arms, maintained 2 MOSs (11B/13F). Truck driving is the hardest job I've ever had.Click to expand...
Not saying you're opinions are wrong , not at all. Just different. Again said with all due respect. TTTD....
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