C1 Training in LITTLE ROCK, AR starting next Tuesday. I'm terrified!!!

I start training at C1 Truck Driving Training (LITTLE ROCK, AR) next Tuesday, as Monday is a holiday and they are closed. I'll be lodging there for the 3 week training program. I'm a guy and I'll be honest, I'm terrified. There is so much that I'm worried about. I've been trying to watch documentaries and YouTube videos on Trucking. I am hoping that by watching those videos will help give me a better idea of what being a truck driver will be like and hopefully a little bit of confidence of what to expect from training. I got approved for a WIA grant, so I won't have to commit to a trucking company for a year (please correct me if I'm wrong). I'm blessed that my training will not cost me a dime, or else I couldn't do it. I want to be home as much as possible (married with kids), so hoping to get a local driving job or at least something where I'm home every other night.

I've been a school bus driver for the past 7 years, which I have enjoyed. It was very easy, but part-time. No summer pay or holiday pay. And, I am tired of dealing with difficult kids, parents, and bosses. I'm sure that trucking won't be my dream job, but I do love driving. I don't know what other job I would do. I'm definitely lacking confidence in this new industry. I'm concerned about a lot of things, but mainly backing up and shifting (as I know its not like shifting in a car). I don't know what company to go with outside of training or what kind of endorsements I want or should get. I don't know which would fit me best, whether it being flatbed, tanker, or what. I'm 40, obese and have sleep-apnea and use a CPAP nightly, but still am tired everyday.

Any confidence boosters would be welcomed. Suggestions? Anyone have any tips about C1 in Little Rock to make my training/stay better and more comfortable?

Thanks and God Bless.

 

Thanks for the replies. 100% no-touch freight sounds great if I'm understanding it correctly. My understanding is that it is exactly as stated, I won't touch the freight at all. That sounds so simple. I've got so much to learn over the next few weeks of training. Can someone explain what happens after training? For instance, am I hired right away with a company that the training school sets me up with, or do I find my own company? From what I've been reading my training isn't really over after training school, but that I have more training once I get hired on somewhere. Is that right? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you.

 

Thank you for the encouragement. I started on Tuesday and got my Permit today (for passing the General Knowledge and Tanker tests). The Hazmat seems to be a test that the school doesn't necessarily push, even though they do have students study it. I'm not interested in doing Hazmat at all, so I'm glad that I didn't have to take that test. It's a LOT of stuff to absorb. Thankfully I did not have to take the air brakes test since I already had taken it years ago to be a school bus driver. The normal classroom teacher has been out so the school is having another instructor, named Al, substitute. He can come across a little tough at times, but he really seems to care and wants students to realize that they could easily kill or injure someone with a big rig. That needs to be said, even though it should be common sense.

The lodging on-campus is basically like a dorm room where most everyone has roommates (I had 2). Twin beds (mine was noisy, but I'm a big guy). The room I was in had 2 good sized boxes (weird that there were only 2 when 3 people shared the room) that can have a lock put on for safe storage. There is housekeeping. They don't provide food, but do have a kitchen (no stove) with microwaves, george foreman grill, sink, coffee pot, and a small tv. It's pretty much a combination of kitchen and "living room" for hanging out. Not very big. They do have a laundry room that is free to use, even with free laundry soap. The lodging is not fancy at all. Tv's are not in the rooms. No internet except in the classroom. It's probably about 15-20 minutes from Target, Walmart, Kroger, Walgreens, movie theaters, a mall, and many restaurants. Maybe this is enough of a description for other's coming to C1 in North Little Rock. I should have taken some pictures so that I could post them. Many of the students are from out of state. A roommate said that about half of our class (28) failed the permit tests today. Because of the holiday on Monday, the instructor said there would be Saturday (someone said maybe even Sunday) class. Both of my roommates said that on the website it says Monday through Saturday, but I only see Monday through Friday. The schedule that I was emailed before arriving on campus said Monday-Friday.

I've run into an issue that has taken out of school, but hopefully not for long. If I get to continue, I'll try posting an update when I can and maybe some pics to help others see what things look like on campus.