How can I practice in a truck before I take the road test.

Any reason why you can't attend company sponsored training? How old are you?

 

Try the WIOA Program in Florida then. The state will pay for a full 160 hr. cdl school, which is what most trucking companies want plus their insurance companies want to see.
Contracts aren't a bad thing; some new drivers just feel entitled and don't want to follow the rules or honor the contract they signed.
Gainesville is a good location and many companies will hire you from there after you complete a160 hour school.

 

Trapped your getting paid & trained to drive a 80,000lb vehicle with other inexperienced drivers on the road. Be patient & wise

 

Someone else might have already posted this, but I'm pretty sure there are some fly by night companies that will let you "rent" their tractor/trailer for x amount of hours and they will run through the basics with you and then you take the truck to test. When I was in CDL school, there were a couple of cats who showed up with one of those types of companies. They paid their money, ole dude took em out, showed em the basics of shifting etc and then he drove them to the testing facility and then they did their road test. No idea if they passed or failed but I know that's an option.

 

A CDL is like a parachute.

There are just some things you really don't want to try to save money on because in the end it may cost you your life.

Driving a semi is not something you will learn in an afternoon. I'd say it takes years of practice to get really really good. A few weeks is enough to get you by to get a license and into a truck to start learning.

I have been driving for a year and every single day I learn something new.

 

call cypress truck lines

 

Any beverage distributors in your proximity? Get paid while you train. You go in as a helper and a good route driver will let you get some good practice and give good tips and advice while you're out on the route. Stay long enough to obtain your CDL then find what you're looking for.

 

Grab a broom. Tie a rope around the handle end and then tie the rope around your waist. Now, walk backwards around the house pushing the broom around corners and such.