Tag Archives: getting your CDL

Randy’s Phase 1 CDL Training – Part 9 – He’s Done!

I talked to Randy sooo much today.  We discussed EVERYTHING about trucking, the school, our experience so far, every aspect of our future, and how we’ve both been sort of “cracking under the pressure” lately. Continue reading

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Randy’s Phase 1 Training – Part 8

I keep reading that the 2 most important factors for a successful marriage, especially in OTR trucking, are trust and communication…this week, we had neither one.  I suppose the added stress of all this didn’t help, and we both had a major thinking/behavior relapse.  This career truly does test a relationship, and any weakness that existed before WILL be magnified 1000 times. 
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Randy’s Phase 1 CDL Training – Part 6

We’re about half way through with CDL training and Randy is hardly making anything out on the road with his trainer. He can’t wait to get done with training. He’s been through a lot already but unfortunately there’s still a good ways to go. Continue reading

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Randy’s Phase 1 CDL Training – Part 5

Another day stuck at the school, another interesting story…don’t know if it’s true, but it’s interesting. Supposedly, a student took a bottle of liquor on the truck while with an instructor and other students. They got 30 miles away at a truck stop, the safety manager and cops were called, and he got a D.U.I. If it really happened, it’s incredibly stupid! A lot of odd things happen at that school. Continue reading

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Randy’s Phase 1 CDL Training – Part 3

It’s been a few days for Randy on the road now and I think he’s getting a bit wacky :-) He’s struggling with some things but doing quite well overall. Being apart this long is not getting any easier for us. Continue reading

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Randy’s Phase 1 CDL Training – Part 2

Yesterday I forgot to say all the states Randy’s been in, just since the beginning of the week: Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina. Before he went to school, he’d only been in 2 of those states. I know this is super-exciting for him so far! Continue reading

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Randy’s Phase 1 CDL Training – Part 1

Randy just started phase I training out on the road. It’s a lot of pressure but very exciting at the same time. Continue reading

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Advice For Truck Driving School Students

This is a summary of what I’ve learned from many experienced truckers on TruckingTruth, plus the perspective I’ve gained as my husband went through the classroom training during August-September, 2009.
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Randy’s Truck Driving School – Days 20 & 21

Randy was SO excited the last time I talked to him because after a change of plans, he and his trainer are now going to Mira Loma, CA first. And they get to drive past Las Vegas at night, which sounds really cool! He knows he’s going to be working really hard and be busy learning new things, but there is a “vacation” element to this, for him. Continue reading

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Randy’s Truck Driving School – Days 18 & 19

I have to admit there have been times, during the first 3 weeks of this experience, where I began to feel that the entire trucking industry might be orchestrated by a bunch of mad scientists conducting some kind of evil psychological experiment. And we (the students, drivers and their families) are their human guinea pigs. ;) Seriously though, it’s been a wild little ride so far, and I’m sure that will continue. Here’s more…… Continue reading

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Randy’s Truck Driving School – Days 16 & 17

Truck driver training usually involves a lot of pressure. The intensity of the experience is part of what made it so special for him. He quickly formed a very close bond with many of his fellow students, and they are a diverse bunch of characters whom he never would have come to know so well under other circumstances. Continue reading

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Randy’s Truck Driving School – Days 13, 14 & 15

Randy sounded a bit odd when I talked to him today. For the past several days, he has mentioned feeling trapped and restless, and anxious to begin training. I suspected it was just a reaction to all that he had been through, combined with elation from his success, which can be just as overwhelming as the constant anxiety and tension. Continue reading

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Randy’s Truck Driving School – Day 12

Wow, what a day. I stayed up all night to email some last-minute requested unemployment records and Randy called me from school today with the results of his driving test…. Continue reading

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Randy’s Truck Driving School – Day 11

I felt a little tense today, wondering if Randy passed his pre-trip test. He’s been doing so well up to this point that I hardly even feel nervous about his road test tomorrow, but students have been dropping out of school like crazy, so I’m still rather concerned. Continue reading

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Randy’s Truck Driving School – Day 10

A week and a half into training and the fast pace continues. They are out driving more, which is great, but the quizzes and the pressure of their CDL training remains a constant. Continue reading

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