Things they should teach you in Trucking School that they don't.

I think there are some good schools out there... there are also those that are nothing more than CDL mills.... if you are a wannabe driver who wants to succeed then put in tne time and research and go to a good school...

However, even if your school sucked, and your training worthless.. there are many good self taught drivers... if you want to succeed you will..

 

They need to teach this isn't rocket science and to not act like your doing something they can't teach a monkey to do. Don't take yourself so seriously and have more fun!

 

In addition to good education in truck driving schools, I think there needs to be an initiative to recruite young drivers/students. I have noticed the average driver is about 45yrs an older. (this is not an accurate statistic, just my observation and opinion. I reserve the right to be wrong) Which means in 15-20 years there will be a shortage of drivers. maybe things will have changed.

 

When I went through class, I had 3 kids all under 25 with me. (Yes I say kids, cause I'm 43)

 

Former trainer for flatbed company here, Students need to remember that school taught them how to get a CDL, I;m here to teach you how the real world operates, so shutup and listen. I don't care if you graduated at the top of your class. I've got more miles in reverse than you have driving forward.

 

As mentioned the purpose for the school is to get you past the exam and get that CDL. BUT people today think that it is all you need, not thinking that the cdl is the license to learn more.

At the same time it isn't the schools job to force a student to learn beyond what it needed to get their license.

I met a lot of instructors who for the most part are washed up drivers because they could not handle being a professional, a few trainers I met in the past I wouldn't even let them back up my pick-up let alone a tractor. many don't realise their bad habits are passed onto the student, like tail gating.

On the road I have been hit a couple times by students and a couple "experienced" drivers who happened to be trainers, while during that time I have seen a bunch of poor behavior of drivers who couldn't even back up which is a direct result of their training. Once I was told to move by flying J (don't remember where) in the middle of the night because my truck was on the end and a student could not pull into a parking spot with a 48 foot trailer and 100 feet of space ahead of it. Even after I moved to the empty space, it took the guy 20 minutes to get his truck into the end spot.

The issue for people like me is that most don't want to learn beyond taking the exam, they think that driving a truck is just that - driving the truck - and know enough to get by. Most even if they pass the pre-trip can't do a proper one after the fact or explain what the difference is in brakes or can replace a headlight.

It matters to many of us that they know how to do more than to drive the truck, as I was taught by old school people, any idiot can drive a truck they are easy to drive but it matters when something happens and reacting to that situation properly that makes the difference. I came to a conclusion a while ago that I don't care what happens to the idiot who is driving recklessly, but I do care about the people around him/her and myself. One reason why I am critical is because I've seen too many preventable accidents and too many marginal drivers.

I recommend to those who want to learn or are learning to take a smith safety course as one of the things that will help. The other is listen to other people, learn how to ask questions and don't think that because you have had a year or two or three behind the wheel, you know everything - you don't.

 

It's been a really long time since I tested. I don't remember it being particularly difficult. But I do remember, based on my first license picture, I looked like I had just gone through the ringer! LoL.

How did you pass the air brake test without the manual? Wasn't the test filled with air pressure questions and such? Not difficult info to learn, but certainly a couple rungs up the ladder from fogging a mirror...

 

I should clarify - It was the practice tests available on this site. Some of the material I was completely unfamiliar with, but the multiple choice format combined with logical elimination made it simple.

BTW, I wouldn't want anyone thinking I was tooting my own horn. I just feel the test should be hard enough that I would fail miserably, since I know so little on the subject.

 

Yep, You got it. Eliminate the wrong answers and with some familiarity the right answers will be more obvious then not.

They just want you to have a grasp of the material. They aren't trying to keep anyone out of the truck drivers club.

I have heard of some real hard nose examiners out there. But in general they know issuing the CDL is a starting point, not a journeyman exam. They aren't looking for perfection, just don't hit anything.

You will do fine because you are putting in the effort. I see drivers out there everyday that obviously only put in the bare minimum of effort. Yet there they are... out there.

 

^^Maybe they should be though?^^

From some of the stories I'm hearing on this site, some folks are better suited to...I don't know...laying down, or maybe watching tv.

After being a smart &%%, I suppose it would be funny if I don't make it myself.