Starting training 8-24

Now THIS is how I like to see things start!

Good luck on your adventure, bud.

I'm pullin' for ya!

 

If you need chains, shut it down. Totally not worth being out there...

 

Agree. However if you're already out there and need to throw chains, better know how to.

 

Ugh, I gotta be honest - I hate this new "learn everything on the simulators & 2 weeks in a truck is plenty" training program. I personally chose Prime because their CDL school was just a little longer, and the on the job training was just a little longer, and I felt that would better prepare me for being successful in the long run.

Now, I'm not saying you, Poacher, will fail, but to me, the rate of failure for this current crop of students will likely be higher. I understand that Prime has to justify the cost of the simulators, but NOTHING replaces real world experience...

 

Yeah, a month without pay sucks, but we planned for it (saved and sold my pickup truck, so had enough for bills on my wife's pay alone) and were okay. You'll also find out after you get your CDL that a lot of what you learned goes out the window (floating, no shifting in intersections or turns, or hell - if you run tanker like me, you learn to drive a loaded tank since you can't do that with only a permit) once in the "real thing" too.

 

The PSD portion of it is just to get your CDL and some basic road experience. You learn your real driving skills in TNT and beyond, IMO.

The sims help you get use to some of the ideas and double clutching, but it's like explaining the taste of an orange to someone who's never eaten one. You may have a general idea of some of the qualities, but it's just not the same as actually doing it.

Beats only reading about it, but I agree that nothing replaces that real road experience.

And even with some of the changes, Prime still has one of the more thorough training programs out there, from what I've seen.

 

I wonder if Prime wanted to cut back on the trifecta bonuses they pay out.