The Complete Guide To A Career In Trucking
Company Training: What Should I expect during my company training phase?
Managing to get your CDL is just the first part of your truck driver training, as your CDL schooling will have taught you the barest of essentials.
New CDL drivers will almost always have to go through some type of company-training period, with an experienced trainer, to help prepare them for solo careers.
You will normally be living in the trainers truck for 3-6 weeks or so, as you learn not only the companies way of doing things, but how to handle real-world driving.
What is the company-training phase like?
Forum - Roehl Training for new driver with CDL
Trainer picked me up this morning at Marshfield terminal and after hunting down a empty reefer we headed off to our pick up about an hour away. Trainer drove to the pick up since we were behind schedule.
Forum - Schneider Bulk - Leaving for Training today!
Training lasts about 25 days. 10-11 days in the terminal doing paperwork, classroom training, range training, and so on; then another 10-11 with trainer doing OTR (no team driving).
Forum - First week out with my Swift Mentor
Got picked up late on Monday afternoon from the Ocala, FL terminal. My Mentor had just come off home time in Orlando and picked up a load on the way to me.
Forum - Sleeping situation while training
The trucks have bunk beds but i read nobody is allowed to sleep in the top bunk when the truck is in motion. Then i read one person sleeps while the other person drives?
Forum - And we're off on company training!
It's been one thing after another for my trainer. First off she was at home over the weekend and got delayed leaving. Then she got to nearly MO and the company tried to give her a load to Georgia. They forgot about me! She told them that she had to go to Kansas so then she had to wait on a load headed this direction.
What else will I learn during the company training phase?
Article - Training Time Is Over And It's Time To Test
Before I can get assigned my own truck I had to go back to the operating center and take a series of tests so the company knows I am knowledgeable enough and safe enough to go out solo in my own truck.
Article - It's Official - My Truck Driver Training is Over
After months of research, one month of CDL truck driving school, and 4 months of company training, I'm now going out on the open road as a solo company driver.
Will I be forced to participate in team-training?
For new drivers, your training will usually be over-the-road with a trainer, but not necessarily driving as a team. Meaning rather than 1 sleep/1 drive, you may both keep the same schedules as you are trained, depending on the company.
Forum - Team driving during training?
As I continue to research company training programs, I have noticed that some programs require team driving during road training and others run just solo. My first thought is that the solo training would be the best?
Forum - Oh How I Despise Team Driving
Just feeling the need to vent. Team driving sucks. I've only been doing it for 2 weeks now, prime tnt , but this is horrible. First off I hate being stuck on night shift when I was on days the day before.
Video - Phase 2 CDL Training: A Certified Driver Trainer's Perspective
How long is the company training phase? Will I get home time?
Generally, company training will mostly be in the 3-6 week range, with some programs lasting longer.
If the training is long enough, your trainer may take home time. Every scenario is different, but generally don't expect to get home time during training, as it depends on many things such as the flow of the freight and where your trainer lives.
Article - My First Two Weeks of OTR Training
In order to become a qualified driver with my company I must have at least 300 logged hours (for those who know DOT log books that's line 3 time - actual driving). The company estimates that it will take the average person 6-8 weeks to obtain these hours.
Forum - Question about training, dispatcher, home time, and pay.
Ok, first mistake. Never assume you'll be home exactly when you're supposed to be. It's not uncommon to get home a day or two late. So the next time you want to make plans, make sure you leave a day or two of cushion. Freight is random, ya know what I mean?
What to expect at truck driver OTR training
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