Already started, Alexandria MN

I am almost done with the program I only have two weeks remaining. I will give a rundown of the program. Prior to starting the program you will have to get your CDL health card and a copy of your driving history. The license and it's endorsements are all in class. I will keep the teacher nameless, he knows his #### and wants you to succeed. He tells you who to work for and who not to work for.

The first couple of weeks were strictly in class, the teacher was trying to weed out the people that didn't want to be there and just generally open your eyes as to what's expected in the business of trucking. After your first couple weeks you start orientation on the trucks, pre-trip, post trip, en route. After that we starting driving and aligning to the trailers parked on the pad, after he feels confident in your aligning skills you start your couple and uncouple procedures. The next I was out trying to shift, he does daily checks on your shifting, helps you correct what your doing wrong. The school has a track with a slight incline, backing range, and left and right turns.

One you get the somewhat of a feel of the tractor trailer combination he puts cones up simulating corners, he will force you to get out and look, and rightfully so. We have an arrangement of trailers to use so you can see the difference in turning radius, drop deck, flatbed, spread axle van, tanker, etc. Once you start to feel more confident with driving straight you will get checked off on straight line back and positioning for it. I am kind of drawing a blank during this time I am sure I have missed a few things. Later on you start sight side back and off-set alley, positioning, etc. You will be towing some loaded trailers at this time just to give you a feel of what it feels like.

More classroom, studying for CDL Permit, HAZMAT, Doubles, Triples, Combination, Tanker. After this portion and you have your permit, it starts getting real fun. You start taking trips out with the teacher starting with rural areas, then slowly working your way back to Alexandria, MN. He takes you depending on how you do, I went out four times some people that have fallen behind are still taking these trips to get their confidence level up for the road test. I took my roadtest and passed with only two lane violations, the teacher is the tester and he is a different person when he is with you during your road test. I scratched a couple gears but it went well. During this time we have whats called the Roadeo Course, which is an asphalt parking lot. This is the backing exam course we are required to complete this course prior to getting our certificate from Alex Tech. This course consists of close quarters maneuvers, blindside(yuck), sight side to a loading ramp, offset alley, serpentine backing with barrels to go around, and depth perception. It's all scored as you go thru, blind side kicked my ### for about 3-4 days. Teacher pointed out what I was doing wrong and I poked it in there the first time. I will spend more time on blindside since I had the most trouble with it. We start taking trips next week to various places, we have logged our HOS for about two weeks. Map reading, and trip planning is classroom work during this time too.

This is the BEST program in Minnesota, that's my opinion the students that excel sit with the students that fall behind and with shifting, positioning, etc. Whereas some people might view this as not a good way of learning, it works. Little tricks that I have learned I passed on to the struggling and it works. The teacher really helps the struggling students and the ones who are on time or ahead fine tune what we know already. I passed the Roadeo course today with flying colors I had to make one pull up of sight side. Amazing program with amazing teachers, companies come and recruit people all the time local and big name companies. We have a shop for all the trucks, we have various trucks new and old, Volvos for the Roadeo course since the power steering pumps get beat on every semester, 10, 13, 9, 18, and semi auto for the transmissions you use. Simulator for keeping it between the lines, dump truck, straight truck, forklift orientation. This program almost has it all.