Fail my CDL Road Test, so disappointed. Maybe CDL not for me?

And then it Snowed.....lol
Do the best to your ability. If it doesn't fly move on. Trucking isn't for everyone, certainly not me. But it took 38 yrs to figure that out. I'm a slow learner too. You'll find your nitch.

 

Its not easy to manage in cab issues and that of your body and stress.

I think for you automatic would the saving grace. Forget the manual. Normally I go for manual its what I was taught (Because there were no autos bigger than smaller buses in those days)

I do wonder how you are going to handle the issues people throw at you plus the needs of the weather, traction, terrain, dispatchers and so on. With that in mind, I would think if you cannot stand it in that cab even with a auto then find something else to do.

Believe me there are times where situations become impossible on say a Friday afternoon and yer it. I could go home and forget it or I can try to fix it and someone gets to yell at me next week.

The more I think about your writing about shifting issues with manual, I think with a automatic you will leave that problem behind until we find the next one that gives you a problem.

Finally you had a taste of how fast the time runs through your mind (Fingers) when forced or confronted with a decision such as the end of road coming up and you might be a tad too fast for turning. You would have to commit to slowing down to take the turn that is possible or have a pretty good accident that might hurt you or kill same. Or someone else. Some people are unable to have enough time to make a decision and see it through.

That's my flaw. If I cannot see it coming in time to already decide what i need to do, there is going to be a mess. Stand back. =) Everyone is different. Try it again with a automatic truck.

Also buy a toy tractor trailer in the walmart or some such. Pretend you are backing that trailer into the dock. You will see there is a fixed relationship and behavior to the whole rig. Move the wheel this much the trailer goes that much but no more. But if you move too late, too much or dither with it she will probably keep moving beyond the line of the dock. Easy fix. Move it the other way before the trailer gets away from you. Big trailers are EASY because you move the wheel and it takes a little time for it to react. The truck will tell you what you have to do next without thinking.

Finally instructors who yell scream or abuse you in some way don't help. Tell him if he is going to continue to yell at you pertaining to the botched docking, tell him out and do the yelling from the gravel. Or do not continue with this one at all. There are other instructors who are not yellers. Some of those don't hardly say anything. But they know what's up with you.

 

Autos don't magically make a driver, they may make it easy to pass a road test (maybe) even that depends.
But then is when the test begins, and you still have to deal with everything thrown at you every day you are driving the rig, which requires quick reactions and thinking. your foot and every other extremity automatically working with your brain..
There are other ways to make a living, even driving, if you must, than a big truck.

 

I failed twice but I kept after it because it was important to me.
What you decide will determine how important it is to you.

Good luck

 

If a goal seems unattainable don’t change the goal, change the action steps.

 

You might want to think about getting a Class B CDL...Drive a small box Truck for a while...Then you could get a class A CDL later if ya still like Truck ing..

 

Keep at it. Seems like you have impatient instructors that seem to think everyone should be an expert just by watching other people drive.

Wouldn't call yourself dumb, just inexperienced. Some people come into this with some knowledge in mechanics, backing utility trailers etc from when they were kids.

One of the things about inexperience is nervousness. We’ve all been there. Drive your own road knowing your capabilities are limited. With time everything will get easier.

Best of luck

 

Last Winter I was teaching a 11 yr old boy and his 6 yr old sister how to ski. He was a little over weight and not athletic. About half an hour into the lesson Sammy was giving up. So there he lay in the Snow. Are you going to let your little sister out ski you? Kid looks up at me and says. I'm a failure. This kid has used that line before. I said hell Sammy your not a failure, your a beginner. It takes years to be a failure. Kid was dumbfounded. Lets go get a hot chocolate kid.

 

Like truck driving, not being able to does not make a person a failure, but like driving not everybody can ski either. I taught my sisters and a lot of other people to water ski. some just can't get it. I have one sister that could sink the queen marie. It didn't matter how hard I or she tried.

 

I am in LA area, thanks for everyone. I feel so encouraged by looking all the feedback above. Wish I knew the this forum earlier. I will give it one more shot. I just contacted the other school who got god review and explained my situation to one of the instructors there who agreed to hook me up. I was trained with box trailer, they only have flatbed that looks much longer. The instructor will do 1 to 1 with me 1 hour a day every morning. I just bought the 2 hours with him. Let's see how it works out before adding more hours.
About why I want to be a trucker, no particular reason besides want little more cash than my current job. I graduated with my passioned major that really doesn't work out for me in the rear world, it takes time, talent and luck. I have tried to break into the industry while I was in the restaurant business to support my family(my cultural tradition) and my own living for the last 3 years. Me and my partner just sold the business 3 months ago due to our poor management(more like getting rid of it) and our partnership had begun to deteriorated. I might try other kind of job from bottom up until my new roommate told me about how he has done pretty well in trucking industry for the last 5 years. He said if long working hours OTR work for you, the paycheck is better than other job you just wanna living than passion, I should try. My major related to long working hours from day to night, I handed it pretty well before, so I decided to go for it. Who knows if works for me or not, I have to try it first. This maybe a reason I want CDL so much, worse case, try it and give up, not giving up before it begins. Time to do some good for the family before move on my personal passion.