Comments on: CDL Training – Getting Ready for Test Day

By: Outbackflyer

Outbackflyer — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 23:16:53 +0000

Thanks for all the posts. This has been excellent. I am considering going down the same road soon and this is great info. Thanks again and keep up the good work.

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 12:27:57 +0000

This is per Brett’s news on your news on your first hire. Bummer! For you and your classmates. You and your classmates may have to go to your 2nd choice at this time and put in your year there and then so many more doors will open for you. If things happen like they did for me, at about month 9 I started to get calls & mail from other companies who wanted me NOW. Many I never heard of. Then at the end of my first year, the floodgates of mail were open and I had offers almost every day for many months. I even got one recently.

Your 2nd choice may turn out to be the best one for you. Things are unknown for us with this economy and some of the reaction is being done by fear. There are also business’s who are saying this is the perfect time to start up and hire. There are trucking companies out there who are hiring. There is freight to be shipped. And the first quarter in trucking is usually slow.

Keep us posted on your events as they make great reading and we are all pulling for you in this difficult time. You will succeed.

By: Tumbleweed

Tumbleweed — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:34:24 +0000

In addition to what Brett and Rhonda said in the previous posts, also pay attention to all the things around you. My driving test went extremely well, but the testor asked me a question that I wasn’t ready for. Even though I had driven a certain section of highway a gajillion times, he asked me what the height was on that last overpass. Ooops, since I had driven under that particular overpass a lot and knew that I could get under it, I never paid any more attention to what the sign said and didn’t pay the least attention to it. Do not take for granted that you will not be asked a question about something you’re familiar with! You’re going to do fine, this is a heads up, just in case.

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 03:08:41 +0000

Brett is right. Just keep on doing what you have been doing and you will be OK. The more comfortable/relaxed you are, the instructor will be the same. Basically if they feel safe, you show them you know what you are doing, you have passed! At least it worked that way with me. You have done an awesome job and you will do great for the final test! Soon you will be rolling down the highway at your new job and we will be cheering you on with your new adventures.

By: Brett Aquila

Brett Aquila — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:08:02 +0000

Man, totally do not sweat the testing. You’re gonna do great. You’ll pass everything first time. The idea that “one wrong move and they’ll fail you!” is way overblown. They realize you guys have only done this for a few weeks and if you pass, you’ll be going out on the road for many more weeks with an experienced driver. They don’t expect you to handle the truck like a pro.

What they do expect is to see some level of comfort and good control. You already know the basic rules of the road from driving a car. They just want to see that you have the basics down of handling a rig and the knowledge of how to inspect them and understand their mechanical function.

Acting relaxed and comfortable will be important. Notice I didn’t say “being” relaxed and comfortable – you won’t be. Nobody is. It’s a test! But you can help yourself relax by thinking positive, confident thoughts, smiling and maybe joking just a bit, and remembering that the guy doing the test is just a guy like any other. There’s nothin to it. You’re gonna do awesome!

And I think it’s good for you that they moved the testing up – you’re ready – you just don’t realize how ready you are.