Are there schools out there that do not pack up 5 or more ppl like sardines....

Not saying to not research nor am I saying to go to a Bottom Feeder, and yes luck plays a big part in life, but is usually preceded by a lot of hard work. I agree, don't be a sheep, research and work your butt off. remember, they need drivers, so the ball is in our court, not theirs. I wish you the best.....of luck!

 

When I got my CDL thru swift we had 4 people: me, the instructor and two other students, it felt like I got plenty of time to pass my CDL test there, we also bumped a dock and hooked a trailer and slid tandems.

I am not recommending them, because you probably wouldn't be happy working for them, but FWIW it didn't seem bad to me.

 

At Fort Scott Community College in Kansas City, KS. There were five of us in a truck. A driver, an instructor, and three of us in the back on a bench where the bunk had been removed.

One day while driving along, we spotted a very pretty blond whose car had broken down in a very busy intersection. I told the instructor to jump out and we would push the car. We did. White knights to the rescue. This left a student at the wheel and two other students as passengers. Traffic started blowing their horns and the student driver TOOK OFF. We had to run over a mile to catch up with him. Every time we would get close he would pull out again.

Driving School is just something to survive. It isn't real life.

 

Prime, Prime, Prime. Prime is 1 on 1. 1 trainer 1 trainee per truck

 

I also attended and graduated National Training in Orange Park. Four students per truck. Half the class was exMarines, including myself. The recruiter out of Camp Lejeune, NC is always sending Marines down there after we get out. A decent school, nice facility, shifting track is a big benefit. Good job placement service. Not ALL the instructors are great, but just stick to it and you can pass.

 

Just finished Swift Academy yesterday in Lewiston ID. Couldn't have asked for a better program. Hard working instructors gave me all the truck time I needed and I needed a lot. Never more than a couple of students on the road in a truck, was offered all the time I could take. Class sizes ranged from 1 to 18 each week. I floated between classes because I had to retake some tests. They had 4 road trucks going all day, 4 90 degree backing trucks, 2 offset backing, and 7 straight line backing.

 

Fozy is absolutely correct, I learned more watching other students than I did from the Instructor. Don't sit behind the driver, Sit behind the Instructor so you can watch the Driver double clutch. Watch them learn to go from 6th to 7th. lol/ 7th gear is the one always gives people trouble. Pay attention to how far their hand moves to the right when they come out of 6th. And don't worry about the road speed just watch the tachometer. when downshifting drop your rpms to 1200 clutch it out riv it to 1700 and clutch it in and repeat this all the way down. Unless your dropping a gear then its out at 800 rpm and in at 1700. so from 9th to 7th gear you would hit the brake and drop rpm to 800 clutch it out riv it up to 1700 clutch it in. And always say the gear out loud so it will stick in your head. you will always know what gear your in that way. Soon as you shift to 6th gear say 6th out loud/ then 7th out loud/ 8th out loud 9th/ and 10th say them all out loud/ same with down shifting. Plus all the students also know what gear your in and they will start doing the same where you can watch them. Before long everybody in the truck will always know what gear your in just by looking at the shifter. And don't get discouraged, once progress begins it comes fast. Once you stop missing gears your confidence grows and you got it whipped. And never ever laugh at anyone struggling. Its the worst thing you can do, It will mess you up next time you climb behind the wheel. I experienced this last week personally. I was missing 7th and I got nervous and couldn't do anything right. Another student who drove well was clowning me. The next day he could not even find a gear for crap and he got nervous because he knew I was watching and enjoying this moment immensely. He got even more nervous and stalled the truck 3 times in a rowe. He had the button up and thought he was in 3rd gear and he was in 8th trying to take off. I was sitting in the back behind the instructor and could see everything but I didn't say a word. 4 days later I tested and passed and hes still there. So don't ever laugh at a student ever, They may be the one that helps you learn how to shift. Ironically this was the case with me. I had watched him the day he drove well and figured out why I was missing 7th. And never press to hard on the clutch where you get in the clutch brake. just barely push down on it to shift. You only push to the floor when shifting to 1st gear or reverse. And always adjust your chair as if you were at home at the table thighs flat or horizontal. You don't want your seat so high your feet cant touch floorboard, or so low your knees are up in air. You want to be able to sit upright with feet on the floor flat and thighs level, and steering wheel about where your plate would be at the kitchen table. and when you push in the clutch use your thigh muscle and not your calf or lower leg muscle , In other words don't push the clutch in push it down just a little. It just takes a little. I wanted to share all this while its hot on my mind because I just got my CDL 3 days ago. If you do these basic things it will help you a tremendous amount. Also as soon as you shift say the gear out loud and think about your next gear and where it is. If you follow these basic steps you will be shifting in no time. In Oklahoma we have to parallel park both blindside and sight side/ and a 90 degree, and both offsets/ and straight-line. I have some awesome pointers and tips for this. I was trained by DJ Long at Arbuckle driving school. And when it comes to backing he is excellent.

 

Every engine / transmission is different with rpm's whether you are double clutching or are like me and believe that far left pedal is an evil minion that only needs to be touched to stop, start and relieve a skid. I agree with PChase in my research so far, look deeply into Prime. If you can afford a school then yeah it will improve your chances at picking the company and pay that you end up with, but what I have found is that even with private schooling, you are still going to get about the same pay as Prime offers starting out and with them you get paid a decent salary while you learn.

 

I hear you man, But I was answering a beginner like myself lol, And these schools use 10 speeds, And they make you double clutch or you dont pass. And they have governors on them so you cant over rev engine. Once they get a grasp on this concept I was describing they will find those sweet spots when to shift. Some instructors dont go in to detail. So all I was doing was really just trying to help beginners who feel they are running out of training time and still cant shift. I can understand this fear very well, I was one of these people myself just a week ago. I dont think many schools use the kind of trannys you pros have in your trucks lol, Thank God!

 

Yeah, I know they make you double clutch. Actually you are driving the same engines and transmissions that the pro's drive, and I wasn't complaining about your post, I was just simply pointing out that every truck and tranny combo is different. actually I have seen two trucks that were exactly alike in every way that shifted different just due to the way the drivers used the trucks. I was just pointing out that they can't walk into school using your rpm chart up there and expect the truck they are climbing into to shift the same. I guess it is really a mute point though because the instructors are going to give them that info for the truck they will be driving if the instructors are worth their salt. Sorry, didn't mean to sound conflicting.