Tag Archives: hard lessons learned

4 Mistakes That Cause Students To Fail CDL Training & How They Can Be Prevented

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Driver Solutions

While the majority of students have success during their time at CDL training, there are others who come up short in their quest to become a professional truck driver. So, why do they fail? And how can it be prevented? Let’s take a look at the four most common mistakes and how to prevent them. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Passing The CDL Test, The Trainer's Viewpoint | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Driver Trainer’s Perspective: Some Helpful Tips And Observations For Student Drivers

Posted on November 14, 2011 by TruckerMike

Being a CDL instructor or a driver trainer is a very unique experience. I learned more about truck driving over the past 4 weeks than I have in the previous three years combined. It was an amazing learning experience for me. Here are some of the highlights I learned along the way. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Great Stories, On The Road In Training, Stories of the Road, The Trainer's Viewpoint | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

CDL Testing Day From A Trainers Perspective

Posted on November 9, 2011 by TruckerMike

After four weeks on the road training my student, it was time to sit back nervously and watch as he attempted to take the CDL exam to get his license. My student and I were extremely nervous, and it didn’t go quite as well as we had hoped. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Great Stories, Passing The CDL Test, Stories of the Road, The Trainer's Viewpoint | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

OTR Training- Week 1: Patience and Perseverance

Posted on October 25, 2011 by lucky13

Becoming a solo truck driver is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life, and I have done some hard things. CDL training will test you in so many ways, and it will go far beyond your ability to drive a truck. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Great Stories, On The Road In Training, Stories of the Road, truck driving lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What’s A Tough Day Like In The Trucking World?

Posted on October 17, 2011 by JakeCat22

So what’s a tough day like in the life of a trucker? Well, if you survive it, it’s not as bad as it could have been. But let me tell ya, sometimes everything seems to go wrong! Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, First Solo Months On The Road, Great Stories, Stories of the Road, truck driving lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My First Time Driving A Rig Through The Big Apple

Posted on October 14, 2011 by JakeCat22

I have only been on the road driving solo for a short time now and I had to go through New York City recently for the first time in a big rig – and what an adventure it was! Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, First Solo Months On The Road, Great Stories, Stories of the Road | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Trying To Teach Proper Driver Forecasting

Posted on September 27, 2011 by TruckerMike

I’m about three weeks into being a CDL instructor now, working one on one on the road with my student. There’s a lot I can teach, but there’s a lot that can only come with experience. Forecasting what may happen next is one of the most important aspects of safe driving, and one of the toughest to teach a new driver. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, On The Road In Training, Safe Driving Tips, Stories of the Road, The Trainer's Viewpoint | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Types of Trainers and How to Deal With Them

Posted on September 22, 2011 by TruckerMike

While I’ve only been a CDL instructor for about a week now, I’ve already noticed that my training techniques could easily go in several different directions. Here are some of the more common personalities and traits a trainer might have, and how to deal with them as a student or new driver. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, On The Road In Training, The Trainer's Viewpoint | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Working My Way Back Into The Trucking Industry

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Rhonda

In October 2009 I posted a story called “I Want Out Of Trucking As A Driver”. The story was written with a lot of emotion, so I’d like to take the time to reflect on that a bit, and discuss the challenges I’ve faced trying to get back into the trucking industry. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Current State of the Trucking Industry, Great Stories, Women In Trucking | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Trainer’s Perspective On Teaching Students How To Shift

Posted on September 7, 2011 by TruckerMike

Today, I became a fully certified CDL instructor (woo hoo!). It feels very strange to be teaching students how to shift a truck when it feels like I just got my CDL license last week. Of course, I’ve had my license for over two and a half years now, but it sure doesn’t feel that way. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Great Stories, On The Road In Training, Safe Driving Tips, The Trainer's Viewpoint | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

My First Solo Run Went Better Than I Expected

Posted on August 31, 2011 by JakeCat22

Well, the time finally came for me to get issued my own truck and go solo. It’s a very exciting time, but rather stressful too. And of course, the problems and lessons learned started right away. Continue reading →

Posted in First Solo Months On The Road, Great Stories, Stories of the Road | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

On The Road In Training: There’s Been A Lot Of Ups And Downs

Posted on August 10, 2011 by JakeCat22

Well, I have been out with my trainer for a week and a half now and it has definitely been a roller coaster ride. I am learning new things every day, and every day our trainer expects us to do more and more on our own with little or no guidance from him. I feel I have progressed quite a bit, but feel as tho I still have a long way to go, especially since I only have 3 more days with my trainer. Continue reading →

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The Science of Truck Driving

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Philosopher Paul

From truck driving school to orientation to working with two different finishers and getting out on my own, I am not saying that I am anywhere close to understanding this complex science, but this familiarity was the place I was hoping to reach when I set out to become a truck driver in early April. I wanted to be alone and feel like I had some kind of base to work from. Now I am finally alone and I am very glad to be here. But there’s been a lot of tough lessons learned and near misses. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, First Solo Months On The Road, Great Stories, Stories of the Road, truck driving lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Beginnings

Posted on July 13, 2011 by TaoTrucker

A few weeks into the summer, after I finished my final exams, I decided that Optometry was definitely not for me and that truck driving might be a very palatable alternative. This is my story. Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming A Truck Driver, Great Stories | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

My First Ever Solo Run!

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Philosopher Paul

I finished my training and finally got my own truck and off I went…solo for the first time in a big rig. I was nervous as can be but excited at the same time. This is how my solo career started out. Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming A Truck Driver, First Solo Months On The Road, Great Stories, Stories of the Road | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments