Trucking School worth 6 months driving experience?

they taught you how to pass the CDL test...they didn't teach you how to pass the real life test...right now you have zero experience

good luck on your endorsements and be safe out there

 

Nope. Trucking school doesn't even cover the first week of real world truck driving.

Trucking school is exactly that. School. Controlled environment, opportunity to screw up without lasting consequences, with a knowledgeable (allegedly) instructor beside you every step of the way.

This is why you will go into training with your first carrier. As a trucking school graduate, you don't even count as an apprentice yet. Still a flat novice.

 

Think of it more like a computer related degree. Your schooling is only good for a certain amount of time. When you first get it, people are sure you know the basics, a few months and you may be rusty, a year or more and your skills are out of date and need refreshing...

 

As far as insurance company's hiring guidelines, it is.
I think what your instructor really meant to say is, to get hired by a company you must either have a driving school certificate OR have 6 months experience.
Are the two truly equal? No way in hell.

 

That's what the instructor meant. Saw an ad yesterday that had 3 mos. experience OR graduate from a cdl school.

 

1) No. 2) Not smart. You'd be lying on a job application and people will know.

How can having zero experience be equivalent to having six months' experience? You got your license TODAY, you test for endorsements tomorrow, and you haven't yet planned your first trip, driven your first paid mile, or bumped your first dock. What experience do you have? None, so be patient -- there's still a lot to learn, more than they taught you in school. Experience will come to you, but not in a day.

 

Come on, now.

Do you REALLY feel you have 6 months tractor trailer experience?

 

Tell them you've a school under your belt. Don't put that you've 6mo experience on your app. Good god.. that would get you rejected everywhere.

And seriously, take a look at your skills right now. Then, set a reminder for six months and when that alarm goes off, you'll look back at yourself and have a real laugh about the difference.

 

Yes! We just passed 6mo without a trainer in the truck. Such a difference.

Learning everyday...