Preparing for Training

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by daniphoenix, Aug 13, 2019.

  1. daniphoenix

    daniphoenix Light Load Member

    Hey, Everyone!

    It’s going to take me about a year to finish up some leases and other things where I’m at before I can realistically start applying for trucking school, or a company with a student driver program.

    What are some things I should be reading up on to become a driver in the State of Arizona? Any particular manuals or other training guides? Any place I can learn everything I would need to know about the truck itself?

    I’m a woman, and everyone normally jumps to telling me how to be safe. Which I appreciate. But I’m much more afraid of failing the training and being stuck here in my current situation, or being so unprepared that I mess up on the road.

    Any advice would be real appreciated

    Thanks
     
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  3. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    I encourage you to get the CDL A on your own not company paid training. Because this industry is not secure enough. If you did training via company contract and failed to stay employed with them, they will send you to collections or try to get a judgment against you for the full amount owed.

    If you were to be hired by a company you probably will need a female trainer. Not too many of these around but they do exist. Provided you are able to leave certain issues at the door and get along, you will learn quite a bit.

    Sure many tell you to be safe. Unfortunately there are areas around the USA who are predatory towards female. It's something that goes along with the work.

    That's all I have. Anything else will just be a repeat from me. Good luck to you.
     
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  4. starmac

    starmac Road Train Member

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    I am willing to bet that just about any company that offers training anymore has some female trainers.
    Don't let the predatory comment scare you off, it isn't any worse than anything else, hell us guys have big ugly lizards chasing us at a lot of places, we survive.
     
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  5. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Scroll to the top of this page and click on "CDL Practice Tests" and memorize as much as you possibly can.
     
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  6. daniphoenix

    daniphoenix Light Load Member


    Thank you!!!
     
  7. TugHillRider

    TugHillRider Light Load Member

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    Go to an accredited truck driving school. You might pay quiet a bit but the knowledge you have going into your company is invaluable.

    You will have more knowledge than most people in orientation. Good luck.
     
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  8. TugHillRider

    TugHillRider Light Load Member

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    Also, make sure you learn your pre trip inspection. Here in NY, you have to learn 92 items on the truck and trailer and you have to go through different portions of the truck at DMV and name off the items and tell them not bent broken, etc. pain in the ###.

    And the in cab inspection is where most fail the pre trip up here. Static brake check, etc.

    Not sure where you are but I’m guessing the pre trip is relatively the same across the country.
     
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  9. Espressolane

    Espressolane Road Train Member

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    While your working out the other things you mentioned, one option is to look at the local community colleges. They may have a CDL school that is nights and weekends. It will take longer than a CDL mill, but will be more thorough and potentially cost less. Also look into what the state may offer for funding training. Usually the employment department has information on that.
     
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  10. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    I recommend you do the practice tests on TruckerCountry.com. They have a CDL Test section with every question on every endorsement. Take General Knowledge, Combination. Air Brakes. I prefer the classic versions. Start a test. On question #1 DON'T pick an answer. Then scroll down and click GRADE MY TEST. This will give you a zero score but produce a report with the correct answers. Now take the same test and ONLY LOOK AT QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWER. Do not read wrong answers. The goal is to RECOGNIZE the right answers, not memorize.

    The test at the DMV is pass/fail multiple choice. It is not essay and it is not a seminar. The above technique is what very expensive airline pilot training schools use for their students. I did some of that training of future pilots in a past life.

    The skills for CDL are pretty simple. Backing videos on YouTybe are very helpful. Search until you find some that make sense to you. Backing is the skill that is make or break for drivers. Learn it. Do not avoid it. Shifting is a much easier skill. But it's not very common anymore. It would be nice to learn it but you can easily never ever use it unless you go into sections of trucking where it is common. Very few people these days have dialed a rotary telephone. They do just fine. BTW, it is easier to train someone to shift gears in trucks if they have never shifted gears in automobiles. They don't have to unlearn those habits. Cars and 18-wheelers use the clutch pedal in VERY different ways. Shifting in trucks is easy but intimidating. Anyone can learn it once they stop trying to do it like they did something else.
     
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2019
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