90* alley dock tips?

Their typical course length is 20 hours total - very short, I know! Luckily it's all one-on-one training and for 2 hours a day you get a truck all to yourself. Since I'm doing weekend classes it'll be 5 weekends total, 2 hours every Sat. and Sun. It's $1200 for the entire course with "unlimited" DMV test attempts.

They showed me their DVD and gave me a study guide for the pre-trip inspection but they haven't physically showed me how to do it. I used to work in an auto shop doing alignments and work on personal vehicles so I'm pretty familiar with most of the different parts of the truck that need to be inspected. I've also been watching a lot of videos on YouTube. I will ask them to physically show me, though! Mainly the tractor-trailer specific stuff like the fifth wheel/air brakes/etc.

They told me the DMV is doing some new stuff so I really appreciate you letting me in on the details. Hopefully I catch the DMV tester on a good day!

 

And I already got my permit/endorsements before I signed up for classes so that gives me more time to practice in the truck. That should pay off since I'm only given 20 hours.

 

Yeah, a lot of companies want people who obtained 150 or so hours from schools like Roadmaster. I plan on driving for my current employer to build my experience as he wants to upgrade to a semi truck from a straight truck eventually. If anything I'll try to find a smaller company to start - or if worst comes to worst - just go through a training course with a mega carrier such as Swift/CRST.

 

If I didn't already have a driving job - I would've done the same or just bit the bullet and went with Swift for training/work. I really want to stick with my current employer so I took the cheaper route to obtain my CDL, but if I'm really jones'in to get in a tractor trailer then I'll sign up with a mega carrier and give them the 2 years of my life to gain the experience.

 

Oh, and since you attended the same school what company(s) ended up giving you an opportunity to work?

 

Dang, sounds like you went through a lot of trouble. I drive a flatbed for a small metal distributor that deals with military and aerospace applications. If I end up not staying with my current job or finding a local job with a smaller company then I'm going to have to go the OTR route with someone like Swft/Werner/CRST like you are. I'm already certain I'll end up having to go OTR but I REALLY want to try and stick with my current employer. I'm their first and only driver so that puts me in a good position if the company happens to do very well as my boss is very generous. He's also a pretty cool dude on a personal level - he's a four-time national longboard surfing champ so he has that laid back personality most of the time.