How come NO ONE talks about the importance of weight scales?

The school I went to was also 3 weeks. If i remember correctly, 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.

Week 1 - Classroom. General Knowledge, Air brakes, and combinations.

Week 2- Yard week. Learn how to do the 3-4 manuevers that the state may test you on

Week 3. Road week. Prepare for the state road test.

I paid 2500 for them to give me the knowledge to get my CDL. I did a lot of research before paying for school and none said that they'd teach me to be a truck driver. They all said they'd get me to the point where I could get my CDL.

If it's the schools responsibility, why isn't weight distribution anywhere on the state test? Why isn't weight distribution/tandems mentioned during the road test, or Pre-trip? The only time tandems are mentioned is during your pre-trip inspection. It's ridicules to think the private school are supposed to teach you to be a truck driver in 3 weeks. The schools base their schedule, and class plan on the state test. Not driving a truck for a living.

If I went to a company school, I'd expect to learn about more specific aspects of the job such as weight distribution.

 

Failing that it should be covered in the time spent with your trainer>

 

I spent $5k on my school. 3 weeks, you did all the classroom work online before going to the school.

After you pass all that with a minimum 75% then you get setup for a training class.

At school, 7-5, 5 days a week. You were in a truck either backing or on the shifting track practicing shifting until 330. 330-5 was classroom work that involved weights, log books, and a few things the instructors would give us tips on.

I honestly liked it a lot. Learned a ton. Out of 23 people in my class only 15 passed. The rest washed out.

 

That's a ripoff right there. All you have to do to pass the state test is sit down and read the manual for an hour. I would know.

 

Unfortunately, my trainer did very little to teach weight distribution. I really liked my trainer, so I hate to say this, but I've learned more from random drivers than I did my trainer in 30 days, or school. I asked my trainer a lot of questions, but it's tough when you're teaming from day 1. I'd drive my 11, then he'd drive his. He was a cool guy, just not a consistent trainer. There are two kinds of trainers, those who love to teach, and those that love the extra money more than teaching. I think a lot of these companies are too liberal in who they let train.

It's absolutely the OP responsibility to teach himself whether it's through reading, or asking fellow drivers.

 

Good luck getting a job without the certificate. No starter company will talk to you without one.

I have a lot of experience in the grading business/dump trucks, so I could have passed the test without the school. I paid for the certificate more than I did their "training".

 

Really? 7 years since I got it and nobody ever asked about it. Oh, you said starter company. Who would want to work for one of those?

 

Unfortunately, I have to put aside what I "want", and do what I "need" to do until I get enough experience to get a better trucking job, or buy my own equipment. Due to my record, I was lucky to get the job I got. The company that hired me was the only one out of over 100 companies I applied to. Even then, they originally turned me down. It took a lucky break to get in touch with the right people.

From my personal experience, speaking to other drivers, and people here, a certificate from a private school is required, or you'll have to go through the companies school. If you didn't get a job right out of school, you sometimes have to go through a refresher. Trust me, I'm not the type to hand over 2,500 if I don't have to. My certificate was the most expensive piece of paper I've ever bought.

 

There was 2 guys in my C1 class that had their class A CDL. They were only there according to what they said because no carrier would hire them with no recent driving experience. One washed out that first week because Pam did not like something.

 

That sucks. I had the same kind of experience with dump trucks and equipment. I fudged it a little to make it look like I hauled the equipment and the tankers a bit more than I really did. That was enough to get me on with a year experience.