already on the highway

This is so true. My husbands first day on his first load was today. He woke up full of nerves but 550 miles later, he was sounding so much more confident and relaxed.

He also expressed much of the same things that the original poster did. Just take it one day at a time and celebrate the little victories.

 

They tell you to shift by rpm's and that's ok I guess but just remember to watch the road more than that tach and learn to listen to the engine. Personally I can't shift by the tach and learned and have always used the sound of the engine to shift both ways. I think most drivers that float gears do this sooner or later because it becomes second nature. You can force yourself to learn to do it by paying attention to what you hear and practicing. Good luck.
I already had twenty years driving every kind of truck in a straight truck class b configuration and I was still a bundle of nerves at the school I attended. Hell, throw a boss in the truck with me now and I will miss gears like crazy for a while till I get comfortable with them being there. I hate switching companies just because of the stupid driving test. So just keep your head up and listen to what they tell you and don't get in a hurry and you will do ok.

 

How many hours is this school?

 

So you never had class learn logs just the driving part?

 

Sounds like your school isn't the typical trucking school so in this case its normal you get out on the highway right away.Your school wants to hurry up and get you all qualified and start the next class of students.

 

You really need to know the air brake tests and Pre-trip test. I studied with note cards and my wife holding them. All 100 of those little things to recite. Lame! In my opinion that is the bigger hassle than the driving. I failed my whole first test because I didn't remember and state out loud the exact correct PSI on the brake "leak down" exercise. That was devastating to me to fail. I can't describe. But 2 weeks later I retested and passed. 2 days later I was in a plane to my company's orientation.

Getting my CDL was the most difficult process I've ever been through. I honestly probably could not pass the test right now. And I'm a "top 100" of 1400 drivers with a near perfect company rating. Never late, careful, courteous, competent. So if you can learn those test items and pass 1 time, that's all you need. It's not an indicator of how you will do out here.