CDL School starts on Monday!

Had a great half day today!

I got to drive the truck on the road today! Man, I was nervous!

It turns out shifting wasn't an issue for me which is cool.

I just need to work on staying in my own lane (which probably had more to do with nerves and the steering wheel on the truck has lots of play - gotta find the sweet spot!) and braking softly (which will take some getting used to because as most of you know if you hit the brakes too hard all the air will come out and that's not good!). I just need to trust that the pressure I'm applying is enough to stop the truck because from where I'm sitting, the truck doesn't seem like it will.

Again, the instructors are great here!

Back to shifting for a minute:
The instructors are actually teaching us to float gears instead of double-clutch. I asked if that would be an issue on the CDL Driving Test and he said that the test would be in the automatic and that they wouldn't put an "auto - restriction" on our license.

My question to you folks is this: When I get on with a trucking company are they going to want to see that I know how to double clutch or do they even care?

Hopefully tomorrow will be another great day!

 

Thank you for the kind words! I've been looking at jobs at many different companies in many different areas of trucking. Have no clue what I want to do - there is so much!!! I'm in the process of applying to all the LTL companies I can (even if I have to work the dock at first). I'm not 21 yet so some of the OTR companies won't let me even apply but that's okay. I'm kind of liking the idea of trying to stay mostly local at first to see if I like it before jumping to the OTR companies.

EDIT: The main reason why I'd like to stay local for a little while is that my great-grandmother is 92 and she just got out of the hospital again, but I have a feeling it won't be too much longer that she's here with us. I want to be here for my family when that time comes, not out on the road thousands of miles away.

 

First off, thanks for your service! I have the utmost respect for those that decide to serve America!


I definitely do want to create a career out of trucking! Every day I have class, I like it more and more!

 

Yeah, that's weird for me too when I heard him say it, but maybe Texas is different? Hopefully I don't get screwed.

 

I'll admit that sometimes "very weird dumbed down way" works for me!