Follow me through Central refrigeration training 2.

Good luck Nottoway! Southeast VirginiaNorfolk always seemed like a great place to live.

 

Thanks Btraveler...We think so ... born & raised here in Southampton County!

 

Sorry - I didn't get to post anything yesterday...not that there wasn't anything to report on because yesterday, in a way, was epic. However, as I mentioned earlier, since I live in UT I am driving home each night instead of staying at the accommodations that Central has. So yesterday, being a Friday, was a huge traffic nightmare and...there was a college football game going on down by where I live (Brigham Young University). It took me almost 2 hours to get home (ouch) and then of course, I had to watch the game...which we won. On to the posts then...

Training Day 5, Oct. 5, 2012

As noted above, today was in a way, an 'Epic' day. Why? - well, we started our first day of driving!!! Ok, maybe it wasn't really 'driving', but it was close enough. Today we worked on backing - we did straight line backing and then off-set backing. We spent the entire day on that, taking turns as appropriate. To explain, our class was split into 3 different groups. Each group had their own truck to use for backing. We were shown how to back (for instance, straight line backing), and then one person from the group got into the truck and practiced that maneuver. When they were done, then the next person got their chance. The procedure was repeated for the next maneuver as well.

Those in our group all did great. For me, it was a bit of a rush to know I was actually driving a big rig...all by myself without anyone else in the truck (the instructors are usually walking alongside you as the trucks are only going at idle speed). Our instructor actually just kept an eye on us as we continued to go through the day as he helped others every now and then. Throughout the entire class, there were a few people having problems with their backing so there was a fourth truck that they used to keep practicing. Got a lot of reps in and got better each time I did it.

As a note, you are outside ALL DAY this day. If it is sunny, and if you are fair skinned, you better bring a hat with you are you will burn. Me...I'm half Hawaiian so I don't really worry about it. If you are here during late Fall, Winter, or early Spring, you better have some warm clothes and some gloves...because you WILL need them. Now, they do have some 'shacks' that you can take cover in...I think one of them may even have a heater in it (I saw propane tanks outside the building) to be able to get you out of the elements.

A good day though - being able to get into a truck and actually make it move and back it up - kind of cool.

 

Training Day 6 - Oct. 6, 2012

Well if yesterday was kind of epic, today was even better - today was 'Rookie Road' where we practiced shifting. Now, I've driven a clutch vehicle plenty of times so using a stick wasn't new to me or to anyone else in the group. However, what was new was that we needed to learn how to 'double clutch'. I have heard of this procedure before but never drove a vehicle that needed it. The instructors are really good though at walking you through how to do it so it really is NO BIG DEAL. They (the instructors) have been doing this for years, and they know how to get the job done...which is nice. By the way, the instructor will be in the passenger seat while you are in the drivers seat. Also, you are again broken out into groups of 4-5 and each group goes into their own truck.

So Rookie Road is a road that parallels I-80 on about a 10 mile straight stretch. The road goes right along the Great Salt Lake...for your info. Double clutching is not that bad...it's just the timing that you need to get done. We also learned how to downshift and that was cool too. We also got in some turns too...which was nice. The route you take is basically a circular route. Rookie Road (not the official name of the road - it is basically the frontage road which is a public road, but it isn't used so much - especially on Saturday) is where you learn the shifting and clutching, practice the shifting and clutching, and do so over and over again for the 10-mile drive (no stop sign along the route either). Actually, there is a stop sign - and as you stop there, you turn left which leads to an overpass which takes you to the on-ramp of the freeway (I-80). You get to drive on the freeway back to the original starting point in which you take the off-ramp, make a couple of more turns and then someone else goes through the same procedure.

My first time through, I got the hang of it pretty quickly. Given the size of our group and the more instruction we needed initially to teach us the what and how, you basically get one turn in the morning and then one turn in the afternoon. It's a long turn though so it makes for a good day. Everyone did much better the 2nd time through though even our first time was pretty good.

So I can officially say that I have now driven a big rig. Though I'm no expert, I feel confident in my shifting and clutching to allow me to continue on through the course. Again, this is an accelerated course...you must be able to get a handle on the shifting and clutching in order to move on since the rest of the schedule goes something like this:

Sunday - day off
Monday - more driving - this time in the industrial area of town giving us turning practice
Tuesday - I think more backing...all day as there are a couple more backing maneuvers to learn and do
Wednesday - City and Mountain driving - well duh, what better opportunity to learn how to drive in the mountains than in a mountain state.
Thursday - ummm, I forget what we're doing this day - oh, I think it's our 'Backing' test
Friday - our driving test to complete the CDL training and to get our license
Saturday - an additional 'backing' class called 'Extreme Backing' - you can never get enough backing experience.
Sunday - off

Monday-Wednesday - orientation days prior to going otr with trainer
Next 28 days (or something like that) - training with your trainer otr

So if you can't get down a particular skill, then you start to get left behind because you can't move on to the next skill without first accomplishing the previous skill...and they will not hold up the class to accommodate you if you are slower. Now don't get me wrong, they will do all that they can to help you to learn how to do what you need to do. But, they can only do so much - the rest is up to you.

Oh, we also did pre-trip yesterday and today - and we'll do it again on Monday because we'll be tested on it on Tuesday.

Anyway, I'm having a good time here...good as in I believe I am learning what needs to be learned - the skill needed to allow me to have a good solid career. No, I won't be an expert driver at the end of 2 weeks - but I will have my CDL and will have enough knowledge to let me move on to the next phase of training - going otr with a trainer. That's where the real training work comes in. So if you were to ask me if this is worth it - in a word - YES. As with anything else though, it's what you want it to be. If you feel that the training sucks and is worthless and you aren't getting a thing out of it and that it is a joke...well, then you are probably right. In my view, the training is organized, well thought out, very progressive, and accelerated. I don't have a problem with the training at all. My guess is that for those that think that they could do a better job training and that this place is a joke...but they still end up working here, would be the same ones that complain that they aren't making any money and aren't getting any miles. I admit, I could be wrong about that, but it has been my experience that in ANY profession, there are complainers and there are doers. The complainers don't like anything that is going on while the doers just get the work done. You can make any career a good career...and you can make any career a crappy career - I choose to make this a good career.

I've ranted on enough. Tomorrow is a day off though I will need to study. So until my next post......

 

Dinner Man, Your post are very helpful. I am considering going to Central but it might be January before I start. And you are right it is what you make it to be. look forward to the rest of your post.

 

Great posts diner man. Looks like I'll be picking up my next student from your class. Good luck with the rest of your training. It's nostalgic reading your posts. Keep it up and I may see you in a week and a half.

 

Thanks PSUMoose...after having ready yours and Big Rigg post along with an updated on KWS, I thought I would do the same. Your's and their posts have been very helpful to me...I hope mine will do the same. I hope to get the chance to meet with you - that would be great.

 

Training Day...8, since Sunday was an off day - which would have been day 7
Oct. 8, 2012

Today was turning day...and yes, it's exactly what it means...turns, turns, turns, turns, turns. All the turns are done in a couple of industrial areas...away from the city. Now, this doesn't mean that you are away from any traffic...you are in traffic both 4-wheelers and trucks. You will have 4-wheelers do many an odd thing...even in an area where they 'should' be used to trucks. However, if you listen, Listen, ListeN, LISTEN, you should do just fine. Don't just take what the instructors say with a grain of salt - they are helping you to get the skills you need to pass the course. If you drive the rig like you do a car, you'll end up with a surprise or two not to mention a bit of an earful from the instructor. Be patient, I know everyone wants to be out on their own doing their own thing - you've got to have the know-how first before you can run with it.

Picture this...in the tech world, you get hired to do a job. Well, you've worked with a computer at home and have played Xbox/PS3 for years...what could be so hard about working on computers...just let me get out on my own and start working - forget all the redundant training stuff. So, you forget about listening to your trainer about how the software works and such and you get on the phone with a customer and walk them through a problem they are having - cool. However, what you just did screwed them up and they not only lost a half day trying to get everything back to normal, but they also lost thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars...all because you 'knew' what you were doing.

Being in a truck is no different...actually, worse. A screw-up on a piece of software will usually not result in a death or anything where as a screw-up in a truck could result in the death of multiple people...including yourself. Look, you got into this business to drive for more than just a month...more than just a year (hopefully), in fact, maybe for a number of years to come. What is the harm in listening to the instructors for a few short weeks...literally, and then another trainer for another few weeks. Really...you'll be in your own truck inside of 2 months - is that too much to ask of your time and attention? Would you rather have a 4 week CDL class followed by a 6-month training? Give the instructors a break...from what I've seen, most if not all of them are pretty good.

We also did a pre-trip inspection in the morning before we started driving - our PTI test is tomorrow morning (Tuesday). I feel good about what I'm doing though I will continue to study tonight. By the way, that is a key thing...study - don't take things for granted. Again, if you are choosing trucking as a career, then treat it as a career. If you don't want to treat it as a career, then why are you here (sorry, on my soapbox again).

Side note...you may notice after having gone through some of the other posts from others recapping their training experience, some of the days aren't in the same order. Don't worry about it - you will cover everything, it may not exactly be in the same order as other classes.

So, I believe we still have everyone (with exception to the one that left for whatever reason as noted earlier). With some of the testing this week, that may change...time will tell.

 

Training Day 9 - Oct. 9, 2012

Today was PTI test and City Driving.

PTI test. Ummm, not sure what to say about this other than - you've got to know your material...and it's not that difficult to learn and to know. So far, Central Training gives you EVERYTHING you need to be successful through training. Yes, it is an accelerated course and some people don't do well with having to pick things up quickly. But then again, everything you need is literally given to you...in the form of handouts and instruction. Now, I don't want to say that I find that this training is too easy because really, you don't have to go and search all over the place to get the information that you need. If you LISTEN (as someone stated in one of their posts about training) and if you go through the material that you are given (I know, there's that "S" word..."Study"), you should do fine.

Everyone in our class passed the PTI test with the exception of one person...they failed it twice today - bummer. The still have another chance to pass, but if not, well, 3 strikes and your out. Now the bad thing for him now is since he already has 2 strikes, and let's say he passes the PTI test tomorrow, he still has 2 strikes and will need to get through backing and the final drive test...running on thin margins he is - hope he pulls through though. Some of the guys are helping him study tonight.

City Driving - two words here (well, three really)...SLOW and EASY!! At this point, you already know how to shift, you know how to downshift, you know how to turn - that's all it takes to drive in the city. Yes, there are more cars, there are more people, there are more bikes, there are more people, there are more trucks (delivery and such), there are more people, and oh, there are more people. Now Salt Lake City is a major city (well, ok...somewhat) - but it is NOT like LA, NYC, Chicago, or anything like that. No big hills (in the portion of the city you will be driving in...which IS right in downtown Salt Lake) like Seattle would have...let me say this, and for those of you who know Salt Lake City...the streets have plenty of room - they are LARGE streets!! You still have stupid people doing stupid things - you'll never get away from that 'anywhere', but very few really tight turns, very few really narrow lanes...go SLOW and EASY, listen to your instructors, and know how to do your turns - and DON'T...I repeat DON'T get freaked out just because there is a lot going on around you - just take it SLOW and EASY and you should do just fine.

Let's see...tomorrow is more backing - will learn to parallel park and the ally dock (as we've already done the straight and off-set). Thursday is backing test in the morning and then mountain driving in the afternoon. Friday will be the final driving test. Saturday will be a fun day of 'extreme' backing (as they say), Sunday will be off (again) and then Mon-Wed will be orientation. Not sure when we'll find out who our trainers will be, but they say that anywhere from Wed. afternoon to Sat., we should be on the truck with a trainer.

That's all for now......

 

Training Day 10 - Oct. 10, 2012

Well, schedules may change...we did parallel parking in the morning and then did mountain driving in the afternoon.

Parallel parking - not sure when you would really use it, but you gotta learn it. It's really not too bad to do - almost like the off-set backing. We got to practice all morning as our backing test is tomorrow. Mountain driving...no big deal...I mean, well, I am alive being able to write this post - hah. Seriously, you're in a big truck, you are going to go up slower when going UP the mountain - no big deal though - just put it in gear and keep climbing. Be smart, use your 4-ways if going slow. Going downhill, use the jake brake - makes things much much easier. I'm used to a jake brake as my PU truck has one (they call it an exhaust brake - same thing - 2010 Dodge Diesel). When pulling my camper (32'), coming down the mountain on I-15, just set the jake brake and didn't even have to touch the brakes...same thing in the big truck - set it right, and you should be good.

Not much else today other than I'm tired so that's all for now.