Going through Central Refrigerated Services affiliated trucking school and struggling

Here is what you do If you can find a truck stop near by when you are not in school, go there grab yourself a big cup of coffee sit down in the drivers room and ask some of the drivers who come in if they could give you some pointers, most drivers would be willing to help you out.

 

Always a pleasure to give someone my experience. But double check your contract/agreement that you signed. I'm not sure if they changed the contract since I went. I attended their school in november, and there's been a lot of changes since swift transportation started taking over.

 

I am in a similar position as the OP. Swift owns Central Refrigerated and they use Truck Driving Academy to administer their 'training'. I was sent to Fontana as opposed to the Sacramento facility for reasons unknown to me; but I didn't question it as all expenses (except food/incidentals and DMV fees) were paid under the scholarship they offer veterans.

Ok, I attended the training academy offered by Swift / Central Refrigerated (one and the same). Let me say that I was not pleased and could not complete the course successfully. Here is why:

The academy that is in place with Swift is operated by Truck Driver Academy on their behalf and, had I been asked to pay for it, I would be upset thinking I did not get my money's worth: the charge for the training was $4900 including costs for housing PLUS round trip transportation costs via Greyhound between my home location and the school site. I was there under the scholarship they offer veterans, had I successfully completed the course, I would have needed to stay on as a company driver for 13 months. Since the school accepts money from the VA in some situations, I HAVE contacted the VA to complain in the hopes that they investigate and pull future funding. I do not want the VA to pay for an unsuccessful program.

The class size was so large, there were 4 students per teacher for driving on the road, and 8 students per teacher in the finer skills (straight line backing, parallel parking, offset parking, and alley dock). Despite repeated attempts on my part to ask for more time and practice on the skills that I knew I needed, I was denied and was dropped. Looking at my notes, the first week was spent as follows:

Day 1: drug screening and DOT physicals, some videos and not much else.
Day 2: 'study' and practice tests for the DMV written exams (which I passed, with no help from this as I had purchased a CDL study book published by Barron's and was reading that instead of the materials given).
Day 3: DMV for the whole group, due to a number of issues, and the class size, it was six hours before I got to speak with a DMV employee that told me that 'Oh, your license is on hold, sorry we cannot do anything'.
Day 4: after resolving the issue with the court (the court failed to lift a flag on my license), I had to return to DMV and did not finish there until lunch; so nearly 12 hours was spent with DMV!
Day 4 and 5: some more videos, and practice with logs.

After that, we spent 2 days with the Air Brakes test and pre-trip / post-trip inspection.

The second week was spent behind the wheel as follows:

AM: on the road 3 students to a truck per instructor; I spent 1 hour driving (for a total of 6 hours in the 60 hour week!)
PM: parking lot practice on fine skills (10-15 minute intervals for 4 hours per day, giving MAYBE an hour per day behind the wheel on these).

In comparison, when I take a motorcycle safety course, which is usually an 8 hour DAY, we spend more than 7 of it on the seat riding the range! In order to maintain the insurance discount and keep my skills sharp, I typically take this course at least every other year.


One of the road sessions was interrupted with a need to return to the site for gas and all of us had time taken that day; another one was interrupted by the need to 'regen' the engine and all of us had more time taken on that day as well. A third road session was cut short when the keys to a working truck could not be found (WTH???)


Since my problem is not with SWIFT, just the school they use and how it is operated, the door was left open for me to complete the training I need elsewhere and return as a licensed, yet inexperienced driver (assuming I do not find a better offer elsewhere for inexperienced drivers in the process). The good thing is that I left with a Class A learner's permit and a DOT physical/long form. That said, I found a local school here that I can get into that maintains a 4-1 student teacher ratio and gives more behind the wheel hours. Their 'range' is set up almost identical to what the DMV uses to test on. This morning, I went to a local one - stop career center to inquire about VA or Workforce Investment Act grants for this (the VA has no program currently that I qualify for since the VRAP program expired without extension); I should be able to get a grant through WIA.

Since the school accepts VA funding, I reported my experience to the VA, hoping that the VA pulls it's certification from the school and stops funding them for GI Bill / other VA benefit recipients.

I will say that, of the group I went with, those that succeeded had prior experience driving, those that did not have the experience, were released; yet the senior instructor claims an 80% success rate..... BS!!! The course, the way it is taught / operated, is better suited for someone with prior experience driving anything larger than the typical U-Haul or as a refresher.

That said, unless you have prior driving experience, STAY AWAY FROM TRUCK DRIVING ACADEMY (http://www.tdadrivers.com/), OR ANY EMPLOYER SPONSORED TRAINING OPERATED BY THEM!

 

I know you said that you asked for help, and it didn't help, but it could be your trainer. With only 6 months experience as a trainer, he may not be able to teach you the way you need to be taught. Everyone learns in different ways. Not saying he is a bad trainer, or you are a bad student, but it doesn't sound like he is the right trainer for you. You need a trainer that will not get frustrated with you. When that happens, you in turn get frustrated. Maybe you can ask if you can spend time with a different trainer than may have different training methods or maybe just one that is a little more patient? I am sure that once you "get it", you will be fine. It is just a matter of finding the trainer that can make it click for you. Good luck to you!

 

I went through rd via central.started in Atlanta one week then was sent to West Valley Utah for almost two weeks. Some people made it but many didn't. If you fil a total of 3 Times combined .....pack your bags. When backing my best answer is to take the points because you can get up to 12 on all 3 manuvers.

Honestly it's too many people and not enough trainers and trucks. We had over 100 students from Atlanta Memphis Portland and west valley and only 49 got to get their cdl and through to orientation. Its not easy but rewarding afterwards. Good luck

 

Get a toy truck to get a top down veiw on what the trailer does when the tractor turns, and it cant be stressed enough turn in SMALL increments! A little goes a long way.

 

This thread is old. OP either sunk or swam by now.

 

I am aware that this thread is old; but if it is still being talked about by others, then it is a small consolation to the OP and myself that there is something wrong with how Central / Swift operate their school with TDA. It's not a problem with the carriers, just the school administration.

 

This is why you don't go to a 4 week school.....