Thoughts on community college school after a few weeks

I currently live in SC and I'm taking truck driver training through a local community college. Just some random thoughts for those thinking of following in my path.

WEEK 1....Nothing but book work and tests. We each picked up a book over at the DMV and we study it in class. Most of the time we would have a test on it the next day. The guys who are the "hands on" type of guys hated this part of the class.

WEEK 2....More book work. This time we studied the green book that concerns state laws and regulations. Again tests every day.

WEEK 3...This week we had off but we were expected to go to the DMV and get our permits. Everyone in the class got their permits.

WEEK 4....There is an old airport next to our school that we use to practice on. We practiced the following:
-weaving around cones
-up shifting and down shifting
-double lane changes and more
-Stopping the front of the tractor in a small box
We were tested in the trucks at the end of the week. We almost lost two students because they either had a hard time shifting or failing to weave in and out through some tight cones.

WEEK 5....This is the week that I am currently on. Half of the class is back at the old airport practicing backing up and the other half of the class goes out on the road with instructors. The straight line backing that we do is about 200 yards long. We use both vans and tankers. The DMV test on this we are told is about half this distance.

We have about 4 weeks to go.

COST....Not bad at all. About 2000 and the SC lottery picks up about half of that. So cost the person is right at 1000.

PERSONALITIES...We have many. One guy is disliked more than any other. He was a mechanic at one point. He also has his CDL but I guess he didn't use it. Monotone voice and a habit of asking weird questions make him stand out.

A bunch from this class have felonies on their record. These guys are worried that they will not find a job after the class is over. At the very least their options will be limited. Most of the trouble they caused is from years (decades) ago. One guy told me that he got paid 80000 for flying the weed per trip. He use to be a pilot.

Another guy has anger issues. The instructors love him but the rest of the class is having issues with him. I hope he makes it but I can see where the anger might hurt him in the future.

A couple of students have endless amounts of energy.

About 5 or 6 guys already have their CDLs. They either drove a staight van and didn't get OTR experience or they didn't get any experience at all. These guys have bad habits according to the instructors. As they say....do what you want after you pass the DMV/COURSE but until then you must double clutch.

I myself am a laid back guy.

BONDING...Most of the class respects each other. If you are having trouble with a part of the class the others in the class will try to help in their own way. If you are arrogant.....you will have trouble. People in the class who think they are better than others will be disliked. Not that it is important to be liked but just letting the ones who follow in my footsteps know that they need to check their ego at the door.

INSTRUCTORS.....We have some of the best in the world IMHO. I will do my best to describe them with out using their real names.

LEAD INSTRUCTOR....This guy comes across as a humble well mannored country boy. He will put students in their place if need be but is very helpful, demanding, intelligent and assertive.

HUMBLE INSTRUCTOR....This guy is soft spoken and yet commands respect. You would have to be an idiot not to get along with this person. He has patience beyond the rest of the instructors. If you lack confidence this is the guy that you would like to ride with

TALL INSTRUCTOR....I believe that this guy is the best of the instructors at driving a truck. He has won a few titles in truck competitions. He is smart and humble. He is also a very relaxed guy.

COUNTRY BOY INSTRUCTOR....He is a good old coutry boy who has some age on him. He gives you more freedom to use the truck. The guys who already have some experience driving a truck love to work with this guy. If you are unsure of yourself this might not be the best guy for you.

THE SARGENT INSTRUCTOR...This guy comes across as hard but I believe that he cares about the students more than any other instructor. He gives compliments sparingly but they mean a lot when you get them from this guy. This guy would make an excellent trainer.

THE ACADEMIC INSTRUCTOR...He has experience, is very helpful both in the classroom and on the road. I can see this guy as a good person to go to if you need help.

THE GAME SHOW INSTRUCTOR....Young guy. Helpful. Almost always has a smile on his face. Has energy.

THE PAPA BEAR INSTRUCTOR.....This guy over sees the program. While contact with the students is limited because he does so many other things he usually speaks to our class at the end of the day and gives us words of guidance. He has decades of experience and can tell you how to get anywhere in the USA (telling you what roads you will need) with out using a map. He has a calming effect but tells it like it is with out any sugar coating.

I hope I didn't leave any instructor out. They respect you as a person and they have patience. They are great teachers. I would hope that they stick with being teachers of wanna be truckers. I also hope that they do as they please and are not burdened by needless paper work in the future.

Out of a class of about 25 we have lost 3 so far. Two students missed a couple of days and they were out. I'm not sure what happened to the 3rd person who dropped out.


The course is long and money is starting to become an issue with some of the students. The upside is that the course is cheap for what you get in return. The downside is that while you are a student you are not earning any money. The course is 9 weeks. Some find it hard to pay out a grand and not have a steady paycheck for 9 weeks.


It is hot right now. 97 with a heat index of 105. If you are waiting in line to back up a truck for practice the heat does wear you down. Even the young guys admit to going home and straight to bed. Some of the trucks don't have A/C. The trucks that go out on the road have A/C which makes it bearable.

In the future........We are told that a new night class starts Monday. A week after that a new day class comes in. I know the instructors will be at their limit. I also know that their time will be limited. I will see soon how this affects the program.

This is intended to be a glance to help those who are thinking about going my route.

 

Well, the class will be over tomorrow.

The last few weeks went by quickly. In the last few weeks we were tested on ally docking, off set backing, pre-trip, road test. We currently are doing DMV skills test along with pre-trip practice.

I have a pre-hire from a decent company and will work for them as soon as I pass my DMV test.

INSTRUCTORS
As far as they go, there are some that you will like and some that you will not. Just like life, there are people who you like and some that you don't. All however, in their own way, will try and make you the best driver you can be. Have they taught me everything? No. No course can teach you everything. They have done a mighty fine job. I feel as though I have gotten more than my money is worth. I got along with most of the instructors but it is not about getting along, it is about listening and learning.

FELLOW STUDENTS
Most of them were fairly decent. Most of us have bonded. There is a core group of students that have each others numbers and web pages. I would say that their are some who I would consider a friend. At the very least I would be glad to see them on the road and doing well.

There will be a few students (one or two) that will test you. These one or two might be the 'know it alls' or just plain odd in how they act. They might be just different from you.

To get through the course with the least friction it is best to encourage other students as much as you can and avoid the ones that are difficult to deal with. Some may disagree with that last statement.

HOOPS
Some hoops were too high for some. We started out I think with 25 and there are only 16 left of us.

I will not discuss things that might be personal but I will say this to help out future students:

-Relax in the truck. We had a couple fail out because their nerves got the best of them. If you are super tense then you might not make it.

-Practice is a good thing. Read or have someone read the material to you. Get in that truck as much as you can. Don't sit on the side lines. Trucking is full contact. Unless you are 'doing' you will not do anything.

-Put your ego on hold. If an instructor tells you something the last thing you want to do is to argue with them. Talk to them afterwards and have them explain something to you after the drive around town. Do what the instructor tells you to do unless it is unsafe.

-Keep things in perspective. I had a student make me mad. I let it go.

-Always be safe but have some fun while you are out there. Joke about a football team, tell a joke, share a story or two.

-Help yourself out by helping other students out. If you teach a concept to someone else, that is when you truely know it yourself. If a student is having trouble with their pre-trip then jump in (in a humble way) and help them out or show them how it is done once or twice. Quiz each other on stuff you all should know.

I am looking forward to being a driver and I know full well that it will take me a few years to fully be one. I have a lot yet to learn. I am looking forward to:
Being out on the road
Not being stuck in an office
Not having someone looking over my shoulder every five seconds
Doing a good job
Being depended on
Developing a good reputation
Making a good name for the school that taught me
Making money
Many other things.

 

I think they would be easy to find but let me talk to the powers that be and ask them permission before posting their name. I personally think that it is a good suggestion.

 

I got the ok to post the name of the college. It is Greenville Tech College in Greenville SC. The number there is 864-277-8140.

I took my DMV road test today and scored decent on the pre-trip, excellent on the skills and excellent on the road test.

I was a bit nervous and it showed.

If you have the ability to go to this school I strongly encourage you to do so. They cover everything you need to know to pass and to do well on the DMV road tests. Their tests are actually harder than the DMV road test was. They even go over over how to hook and unhook your trailer the right way. They give you plenty of practice on what you need to be able to do in truck. The course was 9 weeks long.

 

I got a pre-hire agreement from the first company that I applied to. I got a response from them with in 3 days of filling out their forms. Another student in the class was also hired by them. I could be wrong about this but I believe that they called the school and found out that I was a good student and that didn't need a lot of attention.

We had guys from various companies visit and try to recruit us. A guy from Schneider that was suppose to come out but he was a no show.

Swift was claiming that they needed truckers in the worst way but their starting pay is very low.

One company tried to sell us on their lease program. The students in the program are wise to the lease/fleece program. I don't think anyone is going with this company.

Another company was honest and actually didn't try to push the lease program. I believe that due to the honesty that a couple of guys signed up with them.

Another guy who came out and talked to the class was fairly straight forward with the class about what to expect. I think he was Crete.

Most guys in the class were trying to find something local. Family and kids tend to hold the drivers to the local routes. I do know for a fact that one company is going to get one very good team. The two best drivers in the class IMHO are teaming up and will go over the road. Not sure what company they will hire with.

For the rest of this week the rest of the class will be going through their paces at the DMV. I hope they all make it and get their CDL. I have a feeling that they all eventually will.

Side note,
Some of these guys in this class had a past. A few guys were honest and said that they once were not someone who you would not want to meet. In talking to them I found this hard to believe. Most are friendly, talkative and enjoy joking around. There is an old saying that if you find yourself in a hole that you should stop digging. These guys buried their shovels and are trying to turn their life around. One guy said to me "I tried the wrong way for to long. It wasn't working for me. Took me ten years to figure that out. Now, I am happy. I've got a job, making money and staying out of trouble." I respect that guy a whole lot.

For me it is time to head to the company, get use to the way they do things, get a trainer (God I hope to get a decent one) and turn & earn.