just need to vent about this past week

Well dogchimp overall i agree to what is said about your trainer is doing is bad. But overall sounds like your doing okay. I didn't do the prime training i got my cdl though an independent school and then i applied to another company and did solo/team driving with a trainer who spoke Spanish but he was a considerate pain in my butt. Overall when u get done and have your own truck it be an experience to remember. Btw my trainer was a driving machine who didn't like stopping unless it was for food, gambling or sleep.

 

Yeah you should be, BUT your instructor should be reviewing them with you also. He should also have one over them with you prior, plus you should be doing your macro 45 at the end of the day.

Now let me ask you a question. Did you fill out a paper log for the 2 weeks prior when you got on the truck. Alot of folks forget this one but DOT is requiring you new folks to have 2 weeks of logs (paper) when you get on the truck after you get through the orentation.
Hope this helps you.

 

As someone who was in same class as dogchimp. Stan nor Terri said nothing about needing two weeks of paper logs. Either has my instructor..

 

I don't know how any student can drive even Phase 1 and not know the route details of where, how far, and when to turn. It would be like getting in a car and someone telling you to just drive. As far as the gps navigation on the QUALCOMM, the directions maybe different than what the route solution says, sometimes it goes along with the Rand McNally, sometimes not. You need to know what the plan of the day is going to be. Sounds like if even you aren't taught it, it is something to be more proactive in even if you have to do it on your own some. Husband had always liked his students to write all the info down on the load in a book, including the routes that are to be driven, fuel stops etc., because the QUALCOMM does and has been known to go down. Bad, bad trainer for doing what he is doing, but I guess it has been going on forever in any type business.

 

LOL, well you were supposed to have 2 weeks of logs completed prior to going to Elogs. May want to say something to your trainers about it, you can check with the folks in the logs dept if you think I am pulling your chain. But since it sounds like you have been on Elogs longer than 2 weeks, I would not worry about it now. Last time I picked up a student I brought up the fact that the Students were not being told this in class, was told it would get addressed. LOL Make sure you do have paper logs with you in the truck to.
Hope this helps you.

 

LOL, Yeah, I write the route down on a sticky and post it on the dash to include fuel stops. But while the student is driving I am in the right seat overseeing him, so I also remind them where to turn. Students the 1st week I find normally have so much stuff going on, ie multitasking, while driving that I try to take some of the load of them to assist them. 2nd and 3rd weeks if they really want to get int route planning, QC etc I let them, but they better have the Pre-trip down pretty good 1st as they have to pass that and they don't have to pass the QC, route planning, etc in order to get their CDL.
Hope this helps

 

They're non-CDL holders. STUDENT DRIVERS.

 

Your probably trying to downshift at to high RPMS, bring your RPMs down to 900 and then slip it out of gear, bring rpms back up to 1200 and then slip her back in. Make sure you go from 8 to 7 to 6.

Now if you want you can also downshift based on speed, so from 8th bring your speed down to 25, slip it out, give fuel, slip back in, to 6th bring speed down to 15, and do same.

You will have to make sure your RPMS are higher though using the speed method.

Also, if you are still having trouble, start taking as many off ramps as your trainer will let you to practice. Whats funny is once it clicks for you you will get it.