The Complete Guide To A Career In Trucking
Life at truck driving school: Will there be a lot of stress? How much driving practice will I get?
The fact is that there is a lot of stress that comes along with a career as a truck driver, and it starts in CDL school, and even before. One of the biggest reasons that new drivers fail is that they cannot handle the pressures of training, or the job itself. The number one rule, as always, is "Don't hit anything."
Most drivers attending private school will be commuting, so will have the comfort of familiar surroundings, as opposed to company-sponsored training.
The learning pace at company-sponsored training will be faster than at private school, but in either scenario they are going to teach you enough to pass the driving test, and that's about it.
What is CDL training like? Will I be able to handle the stress?
In most cases, you will be trained by experienced professionals, and your job is to learn, ask questions when applicable, and trust that they know what they're doing.
There will be a lot of stress to deal with, starting even before school and lasting throughout your truck driving career, so best get used to it.
Article - A Driver Trainer's Perspective: Some Helpful Tips And Observations For Student Drivers
Some new drivers are nervous about driving such a large vehicle on the expressway. Actually, this is the easiest part of truck driving. Yes, there are extra challenges when driving a huge vehicle (blind spots, merge points, dumb 4-wheelers, etc.).
Article - 4 Mistakes That Cause Students To Fail CDL Training And How They Can Be Prevented
One of the biggest problems that truck driver training students face is that they do not fully understand what the career entails. There are times when students come to school just looking for a better paying job without being fully committed to a new career.
Article - A Trainer's Perspective On Teaching Students How To Shift
The company didn't waste any time. I was immediately given three students who have never driven a truck before in their life. We first started out on the "training pad" simply moving the truck straight forward and straight back.
Advice For Truck Driving School Students
If you're feeling overwhelmed, that seems to be common. You may doubt your ability to get through it, or you may begin to question whether it was a good decision in the first place. This is a normal reaction, but it will pass.
What is the schedule like at truck driving school?
Article - Attending Truck Driving School Part I
The training format of the school put us in the classroom during the first week in preparation for the written tests, and the next two weeks introduced the road training for the driving portion of the test.
Article - The Structure Of CDL Schooling: Four Weeks To My CDL
The way my class is set up, we will be in the classroom for the entire first week. We are going through the DOT handbook and the goal is for us to pass the written exam for our CDL permit on Friday.
Where will I live, and do I pay for my own meals?
If you are attending a private school, chances are that you will be commuting from your home, and lodging or meals will be your responsibility.
Company-sponsored programs will usually provide housing and some meal allowances, though probably not 100% of your meals.
Article - Randy At Truck Driving School - Day 1
He said that the restaurant there is usually empty because most of the students have no money. But the place is rather isolated and they've received no information about how they're supposed to eat or any time to figure it out yet.
Article - Randy's Truck Driving School - Day 10
The "kicker" is still complaining about the snoring, which, apparently, they all do! (Ha, that's one thing I don't miss much!) They call it the "snoring symphony" and say it's worse than hearing a jake brake.
Is the learning pace different at private school than in company-sponsored programs?
Yes, it probably will be. The company-sponsored programs are going to try to push drivers out as quickly as possible. You will still receive proper training, but the private schools may allow for a slower pace, or more one-on-one training than the company programs.
Forum - Private CDL school starting
I've noticed that the instructors give positive reinforcement with each of the students rather than focusing on the mistakes. My reasoning for choosing private school prior to company school is that the learning is at a more comfortable pace for me.
How much driving practice will I get before taking the skills test?
Enough to pass the driving test, and it probably won't feel like enough, but the feeling of not being "ready" comes with the territory of being a new driver.
The schools make money by turning out drivers that can operate commercial vehicles, so you will be prepared to pass the exam, so that you can start learning how to become an actual truck driver.
Article - CDL Training - Confidence is Building and Another Pre-Hire Received!
I'm really starting to feel much more confident in my driving skills and the rest of my class is improving greatly as well. It's really fun to see how quickly we are improving!
Article - CDL Training - White Knuckle Driving on City Streets
One student started off driving, heading south into the busier suburbs of Chicago. We went right into the heart of some very congested, very crowded, very narrow roads. This was a HUGE challenge.
Article - CDL Exam Day: Hoping To Get My License - Not An Ulcer
The last week of school, everything started to fall into place. Alley backing fears became a thing of the past, no more grinding gears, no more popping clutches, it was great. For the first time in my life, I felt like a professional driver.
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