Another almost rookie question please

Most companies will know what to expect when hiring a new driver.. You will not know much other then the basics.. I don't think anyone knows a lot to be honest.. Some people know more then others that's just life.. The more you read and the more involved you are with this industry you will get more knowledge as time goes on... Once you find your part of this industry you will get to know more of it and next thing you know you go into something else and you learn more.. I used to do flatbed mostly (various loads oversized, stretched, legal etc..) I knew what I needed to know for what I was hauling.. Now I am in the waste industry, more to learn, new knowledge.. I have been at trucking for about 12-13 years which is a fair amount of time and I am always learning and I will continue to learn as I get more years, as I get older and if I go into other fields...

Anyhow what you learn in school is different then in the real world... You said about double clutching.. Most drivers that I know and work with do not use the clutch... If I used my clutch for every downshift and upshift in Toronto traffic (which I am stuck in all day) I wouldn't have a left knee... If you learn how to float gears great, if you can get it no big deal just use the clutch.. Just hope you don't see as much traffic as we get in Toronto...

Here is another thing you probably were shown in school (and had to do with ministry)... As per ministry rules your suppose to back up to trailer, check pin alignment, hook up the lines.. Then get back into truck pull spike, release tractor brakes then pin up... Real world is hook to pin, connect lines, roll dollies and go... (check pin is locked is always a good idea).. This ministry way as I know it was because when they came out with this hook up procedure trailers didn't have spring brakes parking brakes so if trailer was hooked without it the trailer could roll away..

Don't sweat it.... Even the 20+ year driving guys are learning new things everyday.. Heck we all have to be learning new things since industry and vehicles are changing..

 

Don't stress about not knowing much. I got my CDL about a month ago and went OTR with a trainer the day after. It was VERY stressful learning how to move these big pigs around but after a couple of weeks of sheer madness and you thinking you're going to kill yourself and masses of people with your 80,000 LB weapon, you begin to settle in and drive. You're right. They only give you enough knowledge to pass your test. They don't show you anything about navigating through tiny lane construction zones, moving through cities like Jersey, New York, and Baltimore, or how to use the Qualcomm. It's a lot. And you're going to feel a lot of pressure. But push through it and learn. Once you feel confident, things get much better.

 

Henderson out of Caseyville IL. Love it. Headed back to the yard to get my truck now. Finished with training. Kind of a smaller company with around 400 drivers but we haul Prime freight. So there is a small company mentality with big company freight. Best of both worlds. So far everyone had been very professional and courteous with me.

 

Companies know exactly what they are getting in new drivers, Schools Teach drivers to pass the mto road test. Once your hired onto a company and paired with a trainer you will be taught the way it works in the industry. It will be a little stressful at first but after a few months you will be much better and have way more confidence. Don't feel bad if you make a mistake.Just learn from it. we all were new drivers at one point.