Do you have to go to driving school?

I never went to a truck driving school, I started working for a local trucking company when I was 18, I started shunting trailers in their yard. I got the job because I knew how to back up from being on the farm and they needed a shunter, so I got the job. I did that for a long time until I was old enough (21) to go get my licence. I learned more from that job, (backing, manouvering, learning to drive different types of trucks, learning how trucks work) than I ever would have at a driving school.

By the time I was old enough to drive on the road, I could blindside back better than most people could sight side. I have seen these people who have finished their couple weeks training and they can't even back up. Most of these people taking these courses have never driving anything bigger than a car before and I really don't see how a couple weeks of training prepares you to go out on the road. You can't even learn to back up in a couple weeks.

Back when my dad and uncles started driving, most of the guys out there came off the farm, so backing up and driving big equipment was no big deal. Now all kinds of people want to be truckers, and most of them have never driven anything bigger than a car so of course it's not going to be easy for them. I'm not sure how many of these people who take these courses actually make it but I bet it is not a lot.

I have been driving and owing trucks for ten years and I never had any formal training, so it can be done if you want it to. I think it is a great idea to take an apprentiship with a company, I think that's a much better idea than these driving schools.

 

Understand what you're saying... Back when, anyone could get a license. But for those who don't have someone to teach them school is the only answer. Very few carriers are taking completely green people these days.
As for the graduation rate, I would think it's the school you attend. The community college I went to really worked at making sure we were prepared to pass the exam. Just like any other college, they were preparing us to pass our final exam. Thank God I had a little experience driving though.
It's become a "catch-22" you have to have that certificate to get into some of the companies that will take a person with little or no experience.
I certainly don't know the answer but I'm sure someone out there does.

 

ronrdr congrats on passing your test that great. I personally feel that it s not wether you ve attended a school or been trained by family but like anything else in life it s what you put in to it while you are learning. If you halfa@# it then you are going to be a halfa@# driver. But if you take what your doing seriously and know that if you don t it could kill you or somebody else or at the very least cost you your career then your two steps ahead from the start. Like i ve read in so many of these post just because we have our CDL does nt make us truck drivers that comes with time and experience. If you were fortunate enough to train with a family member then I think thats great. For those like myself that had to attend a school it s all in the research and finding a good school W/ one on one training and not passing you until you pass your skills & 3 to 400 mi of road skills. Best of luck on your skills test!