Our Journey Trucking- AMX

Welcome, we are Scarlett and Seth, both non-CDL holders girlfriend and boyfriend set to attend AMX Academy in Alabama.

We didn't select AMX lightly. We looked around at several places but came to select them for several reasons. Some of those are.

1-Direct contact with the director of the academy, Mr. Rankin who answered all our questions and even offered some great advice to us when we were just in the checking into things stage.

2- Potential employment with AMX upon graduation. AMX requires a year of experience but will waive if you attend their academy.

3- Proximity, we wanted to get away. So we weren't at home. We didn't want our day to day distractions. So we elected a school that was a few hours from us.

4- Small classes more individualized (one on one training).

We currently have been selected and accepted into the academy and set to start June 12th. We both obtained our CDL learners permit and have done our DOT physical.

We are very eager to get started and looking forward to this new experience. We will be doing team driving, and we hope with AMX upon graduation, but if that's not in the cards, we will select another carrier if things do not work out.

[I'll add more as this process goes on, maybe help someone or just give someone something to read. Any questions please ask away. If you made it this far, thanks for reading, and stay safe out there]

 

Week-1 is now in the books. I must say that for a smaller company, I am impressed.

Within the first 10 minutes there, I was in the truck, learning and driving. The instructors were right there to answer questions and show me what I needed to know. My anxiety was washed away, I felt a bit of ease, never being in a truck nor driving one.

Every morning, we start with safety lessons and then we move on to pre-trip.

After that, we would get into the two Volvo's the academy has and start with backing exercises. Supervised by the instructors.

On my first day, I got the opportunity to drive several times. (Currently, there are 5 students in the class, and 3 part-time) Yes, the academy works with those trying to get their CDL.

We started our models as they call them, and it is reading over information about the truck, etc, followed by an easy test just to make sure you read what was given to you.

So far, my first week, I have been impressed with what I have seen. Not a lot standing around, we are discussing items as they relate to trucking or working in the truck

My GF in her first 20 minutes was able to get an alley dock, and she had not backed a trailer of any kind up to this point. Today, 3 of us and an instructor went on a 3 hour road trip to get some time behind the wheel. Though it started raining pretty good and he had to take over, it made me much more at ease.

I will say week one has been a success, and I am looking forward to the challenges of next week.

GF said it was a bit overwhelming for her, but she feels it is attainable, mostly because it is out of her wheelhouse.
I think she is doing very well, and I would say she is probably doing better than I am.

 

Week -2

Tuesday, we went to watch two students perform their test. It was nice to get to see how the process works, even though the test is in Alabama, and we will be testing in Florida. It kinda astounds me that the states are all so different when it's a commercial driver's license everywhere. Would seem like 1 test across the country.


The week was focused on pre-trip, safety, backing, and some open road skills. I am proud that less than 2 weeks, and I'm driving in Dothan Circle in fairly congested traffic, nothing like Miami, Atlanta, or dare, I say, New York. I also, on day 8, was able to stand up a cone with the trailer tire, only being able to use the flat surface. I needed two pull-ups to adjust the trailer but managed to do it.

GF has jot had the best week she struggled a bit, but the instructors were there to assist and reassure her that she was doing fine. (She is a little hard on herself) She is having some trouble with off set backs but has the general idea of it. I am sure this week she will be doing with ease.

So far, week 2 was a lot like week 1, but building on the things we learned, instructors are backing out, letting us focus on getting ourselves out of trouble. As they said, they can't drive the truck for you.

 

Today my GF broke through, it clicked for her. She had a fantastic day today. I am still attempting to learn the parallel parking maneuver. I did great yesterday but seems I unlearned everything from yesterday. Yesterday I was 4 for 7, today I was 1 for 6. Good days and bad days.