RoadMaster Drivers School Dunn NC Review

dmarz · May 8, 2013

Thanks alot for your help, great thread. I wish I knew they were there before. Most of my searches for local jobs require a year or more experience.

Sal-XK · May 8, 2013

dmarz said: ↑

Thanks alot for your help, great thread. I wish I knew they were there before. Most of my searches for local jobs require a year or more experience.
Click to expand...

No I was just browsing threw the job listing and there was a company hiring local new drivers I can't remember the name. Also about once a month waste management posts for cdl drivers no experience needed. Good luck just keep your eyes on the market while you attend school.

dmarz · May 8, 2013

Thanks i appreciate the support. I actually filled out the form on their site and talked to them, i have an appointment this Saturday to talk to them on a refresher course and possibly going OTR.

I got the CDL, it's time to put it to use.

warmmachine · Mar 28, 2014

Thanks. I hope this helps me because I know zero about trucking.

dmarz · Mar 28, 2014

I was there 2-3 weekends (didn't go to week classes) and from what i seen these guys know what they're doing.

I went to trucking school in TX for 3 weeks and they just rushed us through like cattle, didn't care if we knew what we were doing or not.

At Roadmaster in Dunn, i sat atleast in 40 hours of classroom (multimedia) training. It covered everything from basic trucking to backing your rig. It may seem boring but i PROMISE it will help alot!

I been off the road for over 4 years and went to Roadmaster of Dunn for a refresher. I couldn't afford (at the moment) to take it, but the training i received before i had to sign paperwork was second to none!

They are a great choice!

RonD22 · Sep 25, 2014

Now I look in the Manual where is the Genaral Knowledge part, I saw the Air Brakes , Combination

Bigrednc88 · Jun 7, 2018

Sal-XK said: ↑

I just graduated this school on 8-30-12. This will be a review of the school and some advice to help you if you do attend.

Price:
Cash $5500
VA is charged $6450
Financed $5500+hotel+finance charges lands you around $11-$12k and the hotel is only paid Monday-Thursday

Schedule: They have two course times but I'm only familiar with the week day not the weekend only schedule.
Weekday: Monday-Thursday 0600-1800
1wk 0600-1800 Lunch 1200-1300 all computer class room work and paper work plus drug test and DOT physical. This is a week of torture sitting in that class doing E-Treads. The e treads can be done at home so study your NC CDL book and study for your test more then the computer you have to get your permits on Thursday and if you don't have them by Monday you can't continue.
2wk 1100-2200 Lunch 1700-1800 First half of the day in the field outside practicing 100' back up and 45 degree back up. Second half of the day is road time your first week is learning to shift using double clutch you have to double clutch period.
3wk 0600-1800 You will have field time one half of the day and road time the other half. Which half you do what, is random. You will also have one nigh drive this week you will come in at 1200 get off at 1100 you will do field work until after lunch break then drive when its dark.
4wk 0600-1800 This is your test week. You will have drive time Monday and start testing as soon as Tuesday. In NC you have three tests to pass the 100' and 45 degree back up is all in one, then your pretrip then you road test. Hopefully your good and graduate on Thursday or if your lucky retest Friday or see you next week. If you fail a test you cannot take it again that day your done you must wait till the next day.

Trucks: They have friegtliners and Volvo's the trucks are old but not as bad as I was expecting. The AC worked in all the road test trucks all the tires were new to newer on the tractor and trailer. They have there own mechanic so when we found something that was wrong we wrote it up and it got fixed.

Transmissions: You will test in a 9 speed but will also drive a 10 speed while you are there. All the trucks obviously shift and feel a little different so suck it up learn to shift and it won't matter. Learn the shift patterns before week two please.

Sleeper: All the beds have been removed and 3 air ride seats have been installed in there place. There the exact same seat the driver sits in so there comfortable and if your class mates are smooth you can nap LOL. They have seatbelts and the AC in the sleepers were also all working so we stayed comfy back there in fact I was cold a few times even in the 95 degree NC heat.

Recruitment: Roadmaster has a person who does nothing but get you a job and there job placement is for life so you can always use them if you need to. She will want you to apply to every company the have relationships with so a dozen or so. I only applied to two companies and one was online so she bugged me time to time about my lack of prehires. She is a great person and good at her job of getting you one.

Recruiters: Oh boy! our first recruiter was a lease prime guy. He had most my class drooling mouths open like a bunch of 5yr olds on X-Mass morning LOL The recruiters will come in a lot and it doesn't matter if you have a job or not you have to sit threw it. Take everything they say with a grain of salt and throw half of that out the window. They are sales people selling you a product and maybe not lie but leave out any bad stuff and just play the good stuff. Some will show up with these fancy bran new trucks but not tell you only the lease guys get those.

Instructors: At first if your not use to being around x military or drivers, first impressions they might seem a little rough but there is a method to there madness trust me. Each instructor has his own style that goes with anywhere you go. All of them were great knowledgeable experienced people. The best part is they actually cared and wanted you to get it but they wouldn't give you anything you had to do it to their standard period. They have a scary job I know I dove looking for my seat belt a few times for sure. These guys are strict they might be friendly and chill and laugh and joke with you but won't blink an eye to fail you on your test. They actually took testing very seriously and it showed when every Monday I showed back up and half the graduating class was back for a 5th week to retest again.

Advice:

Intro: Just in case you new guys think my advice is full of hot air I graduated top gun except for the pretrip I got a 98% one guy beat me with a 99%. So with that said I don't know anything about being a truck driver for one or how to make money behind the wheel either. I know nothing about trucking, what I do know how to do is pass this school and excel at it and get everything out of it I could. I got to practice more and learn some extra stuff to take with me because I was done on Tuesday and passed all my tests the first time out. So take my advice for what it is or don't plenty at the school didn't so I really won't loose any sleep.

The meat and potatoes:

DON"T BE LAZY seriously this is adult education and you will only get out of it what you put into it so if you put little energy into it you'll get nothing back in return.

YOU DON'T KNOW CRAP! That's right you know nothing about anything super trucker. If you show thinking your good and you know what your doing then you will struggle and maybe even fail. Clear you mind go there with an open mind and willingness to learn so you can keep your mouth shut and ears open and maybe learn something.

TEAM WORK! My class stuck together and helped each other every step of the way. We graded each other and pushed each other to perform and learn. The class before us was fragmented and cut throat and it showed as they struggled all week to pass and most of them didn't.

DON'T BE LAZY!!! Yup this again its one of the biggest reason people struggle and fail. On the field they run two trucks doing backup training. They have a picnic bench under a canopy for shade and breaks but most students think its a hang out to sit and talk sports or what ever all day long. When in the field don't sit down stay on your feet and help the others who are backing up. Even if you don't have it down walk with the truck anyway you're still getting to see the relationship between the tractor and trailer and how they act so just standing there is building experience. The guys sitting down that are always talking and socializing are the ones that still can't get it in the box on week 4.

SUPER TRUCKER Yes we have them in school as well LMAO Stay away from these guys and if you're one stay home man or change your ways. This is the guy that is always sitting around doing little other then talking crap and telling everyone who will listen how great he is at driving. Then you watch him back up and he stinks or drive with him and he grinds his gears. Even though this person may pass trust me he left and passed with the minimum training and no regard or respect for how deadly this chosen profession can be.

DRIVING A CAR: We all have been driving our cars and have a lot of bad habits and laws we break that the leo's don't enforce but will cause you to fail your test. Old habits are hard to break so if your only trying to do it right during your road time when the pressure mounts you'll for get and blow your DOT stop. What I did was drove home and to school following all the laws to the standard. That meant doing DOT stops and safety stops. Not speeding 1mph over is speeding and that will end you test. Not pulling up for left turns sitting in the intersection again for cars no cop cares but sitting there when the light goes red ends your test. Testing is stressful were not truck drivers and were new at this Put the effort in and you will get it all back. Pretty much I got use to DOT stops so when testing that was one less thing I had to occupy my mind with and could devote more brain power to other things.

Realistic: Don't drool over new trucks giant sleepers or what ever else people are talking about. Your first concern shouldn't be when can I go home or which TV to buy while you're still in school LOL. If all you worried about is new trucks and home time then good luck. I want training experience and money if you pay enough I'll push the darn truck across the country. Prioritize what's important you choose this to make money right?

Conclusion: I wrote this for two reasons. First to help new people like myself start out with some knowledge of whats going on. Two hopefully some new student will read this and listen and make the instructors job a little easier and less stressful. If anyone has any questions they don't want to post here PM me and I will be happy to answer the best I can but remember at this point I don't know anything about trucking so keep your questions about school or testing. If I think of anything else I will edit this post as I go.
Click to expand...

G

Bigrednc88 · Jun 7, 2018

Sal-XK said: ↑

I just graduated this school on 8-30-12. This will be a review of the school and some advice to help you if you do attend.

Price:
Cash $5500
VA is charged $6450
Financed $5500+hotel+finance charges lands you around $11-$12k and the hotel is only paid Monday-Thursday

Schedule: They have two course times but I'm only familiar with the week day not the weekend only schedule.
Weekday: Monday-Thursday 0600-1800
1wk 0600-1800 Lunch 1200-1300 all computer class room work and paper work plus drug test and DOT physical. This is a week of torture sitting in that class doing E-Treads. The e treads can be done at home so study your NC CDL book and study for your test more then the computer you have to get your permits on Thursday and if you don't have them by Monday you can't continue.
2wk 1100-2200 Lunch 1700-1800 First half of the day in the field outside practicing 100' back up and 45 degree back up. Second half of the day is road time your first week is learning to shift using double clutch you have to double clutch period.
3wk 0600-1800 You will have field time one half of the day and road time the other half. Which half you do what, is random. You will also have one nigh drive this week you will come in at 1200 get off at 1100 you will do field work until after lunch break then drive when its dark.
4wk 0600-1800 This is your test week. You will have drive time Monday and start testing as soon as Tuesday. In NC you have three tests to pass the 100' and 45 degree back up is all in one, then your pretrip then you road test. Hopefully your good and graduate on Thursday or if your lucky retest Friday or see you next week. If you fail a test you cannot take it again that day your done you must wait till the next day.

Trucks: They have friegtliners and Volvo's the trucks are old but not as bad as I was expecting. The AC worked in all the road test trucks all the tires were new to newer on the tractor and trailer. They have there own mechanic so when we found something that was wrong we wrote it up and it got fixed.

Transmissions: You will test in a 9 speed but will also drive a 10 speed while you are there. All the trucks obviously shift and feel a little different so suck it up learn to shift and it won't matter. Learn the shift patterns before week two please.

Sleeper: All the beds have been removed and 3 air ride seats have been installed in there place. There the exact same seat the driver sits in so there comfortable and if your class mates are smooth you can nap LOL. They have seatbelts and the AC in the sleepers were also all working so we stayed comfy back there in fact I was cold a few times even in the 95 degree NC heat.

Recruitment: Roadmaster has a person who does nothing but get you a job and there job placement is for life so you can always use them if you need to. She will want you to apply to every company the have relationships with so a dozen or so. I only applied to two companies and one was online so she bugged me time to time about my lack of prehires. She is a great person and good at her job of getting you one.

Recruiters: Oh boy! our first recruiter was a lease prime guy. He had most my class drooling mouths open like a bunch of 5yr olds on X-Mass morning LOL The recruiters will come in a lot and it doesn't matter if you have a job or not you have to sit threw it. Take everything they say with a grain of salt and throw half of that out the window. They are sales people selling you a product and maybe not lie but leave out any bad stuff and just play the good stuff. Some will show up with these fancy bran new trucks but not tell you only the lease guys get those.

Instructors: At first if your not use to being around x military or drivers, first impressions they might seem a little rough but there is a method to there madness trust me. Each instructor has his own style that goes with anywhere you go. All of them were great knowledgeable experienced people. The best part is they actually cared and wanted you to get it but they wouldn't give you anything you had to do it to their standard period. They have a scary job I know I dove looking for my seat belt a few times for sure. These guys are strict they might be friendly and chill and laugh and joke with you but won't blink an eye to fail you on your test. They actually took testing very seriously and it showed when every Monday I showed back up and half the graduating class was back for a 5th week to retest again.

Advice:

Intro: Just in case you new guys think my advice is full of hot air I graduated top gun except for the pretrip I got a 98% one guy beat me with a 99%. So with that said I don't know anything about being a truck driver for one or how to make money behind the wheel either. I know nothing about trucking, what I do know how to do is pass this school and excel at it and get everything out of it I could. I got to practice more and learn some extra stuff to take with me because I was done on Tuesday and passed all my tests the first time out. So take my advice for what it is or don't plenty at the school didn't so I really won't loose any sleep.

The meat and potatoes:

DON"T BE LAZY seriously this is adult education and you will only get out of it what you put into it so if you put little energy into it you'll get nothing back in return.

YOU DON'T KNOW CRAP! That's right you know nothing about anything super trucker. If you show thinking your good and you know what your doing then you will struggle and maybe even fail. Clear you mind go there with an open mind and willingness to learn so you can keep your mouth shut and ears open and maybe learn something.

TEAM WORK! My class stuck together and helped each other every step of the way. We graded each other and pushed each other to perform and learn. The class before us was fragmented and cut throat and it showed as they struggled all week to pass and most of them didn't.

DON'T BE LAZY!!! Yup this again its one of the biggest reason people struggle and fail. On the field they run two trucks doing backup training. They have a picnic bench under a canopy for shade and breaks but most students think its a hang out to sit and talk sports or what ever all day long. When in the field don't sit down stay on your feet and help the others who are backing up. Even if you don't have it down walk with the truck anyway you're still getting to see the relationship between the tractor and trailer and how they act so just standing there is building experience. The guys sitting down that are always talking and socializing are the ones that still can't get it in the box on week 4.

SUPER TRUCKER Yes we have them in school as well LMAO Stay away from these guys and if you're one stay home man or change your ways. This is the guy that is always sitting around doing little other then talking crap and telling everyone who will listen how great he is at driving. Then you watch him back up and he stinks or drive with him and he grinds his gears. Even though this person may pass trust me he left and passed with the minimum training and no regard or respect for how deadly this chosen profession can be.

DRIVING A CAR: We all have been driving our cars and have a lot of bad habits and laws we break that the leo's don't enforce but will cause you to fail your test. Old habits are hard to break so if your only trying to do it right during your road time when the pressure mounts you'll for get and blow your DOT stop. What I did was drove home and to school following all the laws to the standard. That meant doing DOT stops and safety stops. Not speeding 1mph over is speeding and that will end you test. Not pulling up for left turns sitting in the intersection again for cars no cop cares but sitting there when the light goes red ends your test. Testing is stressful were not truck drivers and were new at this Put the effort in and you will get it all back. Pretty much I got use to DOT stops so when testing that was one less thing I had to occupy my mind with and could devote more brain power to other things.

Realistic: Don't drool over new trucks giant sleepers or what ever else people are talking about. Your first concern shouldn't be when can I go home or which TV to buy while you're still in school LOL. If all you worried about is new trucks and home time then good luck. I want training experience and money if you pay enough I'll push the darn truck across the country. Prioritize what's important you choose this to make money right?

Conclusion: I wrote this for two reasons. First to help new people like myself start out with some knowledge of whats going on. Two hopefully some new student will read this and listen and make the instructors job a little easier and less stressful. If anyone has any questions they don't want to post here PM me and I will be happy to answer the best I can but remember at this point I don't know anything about trucking so keep your questions about school or testing. If I think of anything else I will edit this post as I go.
Click to expand...

Great Read man. I Am going to the Dunn location next friday to set up my VA paperwork and get whatever started to begin in 3 weeks hopefully. Have the CDL manual and am reading through it, focusing on the 3 sections my friend who graduated recently and your suggestions.

Nervous as hell, hopefully that will carry over well.

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