Stocker's RDTC experience

Hey all,

I had been posting in a fellow student's thread, but I wanted go out on my own with this update. I quit RDTC on day 4 of training, and I'm back home now. This is solely my experience and my thoughts.

Day one was spent in a classroom and out in the yard examining the tractors. We would have practiced our left turns in the yard that day, but a snowstorm Sunday night prevented a trainer from making it in to work. It was nice to get to know the other three students, and it was fun to finally get up close to the machinery.

Day two was spent out in the yard all day practicing our shifting and left hand turns. It's a rectangular track with a couple stop signs, and we got up to sixth gear, which is about 20 mph. It was stressful at times learning the double clutch and having a trainer who liked to grumble, but I dealt with it and started to have fun.

Day three was practicing right hand turns in the yard and more shifting. I've driven manual transmissions for 15 years, and I can say you had might as well forget everything you know because double clutching is totally different. Clutch once to neutral, then clutch again to gear, and downshifting includes revving the engine as well before gearing. I was having loads of fun though, and only came close to hitting a stop sign once (I know, once is too much).

We breaked for lunch, then the trainer took my partner and I out on the road course, which is basically 'around the block', meaning four left turns or four right turns and you're back to the yard. The first street is 25 mph, but then the others are basically highways, so 45 and 55 mph traffic. You don't have to maintain the speed limit, but every other vehicle out there does. You'll maneuver through a traffic circle at one intersection, which is more complicated than 90 degree corners in the yard. Everything about the road course is real, obviously: pedestrians, cross traffic, road signs, etc.

I was not prepared for the jump from the yard to the roads. My trainer offered no encouragement to me at all on the road, it was just everything I did wrong. I'm trying to not run over anybody, and he's complaining about my downshifting. I'm not going to give out my trainer's name. This experience affected me a great deal, and waking up Thursday morning I just did not want to get back in that truck. I called my trainer and told him I was quitting. We had a short, civil conversation and I turned in my gate pass as I headed out of town.

If getting out on the roads on your third day of training excites you, then by all means come up to Marshfield. If you feel apprehensive about that, you might want to consider other options for your schooling.

 

There is a six week program at a community college here in Des Moines that I'm investigating. I do think Roehl would be a good company to drive for, so I'd be open to it. I caught trucking fever during my short stay in beautiful downtown Marshfield, and even driving my 4-wheeler now I try to look 12 to 15 seconds ahead. I guess I've had my trial by fire now, so the next time I'm on the road course it can only be better.

I do see how some people might love an accelerated program like RDTC, and I realize I might still be up there if I had been paired with a trainer who gave me the encouragement that I needed.

Thanks for your feedback, TexasPhoenix.

 

Thank you for your feedback, Techno. I did know before I went up to Marshfield that we would be in the truck on day one and on the road soon after, but I guess I didn't understand what that meant. I had never been inside a semi tractor before, never rode along with a friend or family member, so I was naive about the whole thing. I wanted to create a thread about my experience to get it off my chest, and also help prospective students understand that they really will be on the road after just a few days of training in the yard.

I've looked at a six week community college program here in Des Moines, and I was surprised that after two weeks of classroom, students only get a couple days of concourse training before they hit the roads. I assume it is standard among driving schools to push students out of the yard while they are still becoming accustomed to the truck and trailer. I do see how trainers have a tough job, and there is only so much time for them to give instruction before the student has to 'get it'. I see how my trainer's negativity wasn't personal, but I also know he didn't give me the patience and encouragement I needed. Kevin was not my trainer, but I did meet him and I'm glad he was able to give you what you needed to pass through the program.

I've enjoyed following your posts, Techno, along with your fellow students' updates. Stay safe on the road.

 

Thank you for the perspective on driving schools. I think I understand now how they work, and that I should expect stressful situations that I will not be prepared for. Thanks also for explaining the CDL hierarchy; I thought I would have to take a separate class B exam even if I had a class A license. I've tried searching for class B schools on the web, but nothing ever comes up that specifies class B training. I am considering earning a class A license and then starting out in a straight truck job. This might be overkill, though, so I guess I should contact straight truck employers and see what they say I would need for training.