Comments By Tom C.

Monday of week 3. Had to go in for a 2nd drug test, P.A.M. required the second one. I studied hard for it

After watching the others do their maneuvers till after lunch I managed to get an offset and an alley dock in. Would have passed those on the skills test.

I think all I really need now is some time on the road. I am happy with my progress thus far.

And once again, its two days worth of updates owed to you fine people. I am posting from home, the weekends are free and I took the 2.5 hour trip to come home to spend time with my wife. Thursday I did my ritual once more of doing my pre-trip, didn't miss anything, most of the day I was waiting for my turns in the truck, did the offset and alley with 1 and 2 pull ups respectively, 2nd pass I got into the truck with enough time to do both once more, 3 pull ups on the offset and the 90..... I go stuck, dirt yard and students are NOT gentle with the clutch and brakes so the yard is full of pot holes. Trued to rock it out but the power wheels on the drives were off the ground enough not to gain purchase. The trucks we use are freightliners, took me a minute and I reached over and flipped the diff lock, I do know what that does and got it moving and got it in the box, almost perfect with the IC bar between the required cones. as I was getting ready to head out I let the instructors know (it was 5 PM they shut the trucks down at roughly 4:45) And the one who takes the students out on the road told me he needs to get me on the road because my maneuvers are good, color me shocked, not even a full two weeks at the school, with 7 days of being at the range I am getting told I am doing good, I felt.... pride in myself (won't get ****y)

Today was.... interesting, I wound up having to go over to the main office for the school to do a basic competency test to make sure I know how to do math and read. I wound up not getting into the truck unfortunately, but come Monday and after my 2nd drug test, I plan to practice more. I want to pass on the first attempt on everything.

I will make a reminder tomorrow to give my opinions on the program from being in to it for two weeks, the hotel, getting to the school and range, and my opinion on the instructors ( will not name them but give a bit of an overview of them).

Okay, once again I have two days to post on. Tuesday I did my daily ritual of doing the pretrip managed to get in one set of maneuvers, offset and alley dock.

Today, much the same except I didn't get time to do the offset just managed the 90 ( alley dock ) with one pull up.

Even with the pack of time in the seat I do believe I can at the moment can pass the pretrip. ( including aibrakes ) and the 3 manuvers. I just really need time on the road and get used to double clutching, floating the gears would be easier I believe.

Oh I know that pull ups are essential, I will need the once I get to hauling freight. I have no doubt I will need both for the alley dock during my test. I just want to learn what I can do in a 'controlled' environment, I am trying to gain as much control over my trailer as possible during this phase of training. If I get somewhat decent control and can manipulate to where I want it to go I think it will make my life easier later on.

Week 2 day 1... Strait to the range like last week starting last Wednesday. Well today I did my pretrip as every other day and waited until after lunch till I could get into the truck again. But I think it was worth it.

Offset went off without a problem, no pull ups needed and then tried the alley dock ( we just call them 90s here) and 2 orb3 pull ups to manage it.... Still I have done all my maneuvers without an instructor talking me through them, this fact has me proud of myself.

More updates to come as long as I am in this school.

Congrats so far and keep up the good work!

Oh trust me I will keep at this, I WANT this. I will not give up. In fact the vehicle I am using I just replaced the brake pads and sway bar links, to make it safer to travel down I-476 from Scranton/Wilkes-barre area to Philly. Most of that is 70 mph, wasn't comfortable with that little blazer doing more than 60 it was so bad.

Okay I have two days to cover.

Thursday, More going over pre-trip, air brakes and in-cab, more strait line backing, the instructors are focused on the ones getting close to doing their tests. As I said its a small school only 3-4 instructors and a total of 4 trucks at the range. A pair of students that have been there for longer guided us through the inspections and got us doing more strait backing and then I got the chance to try the offset, took a few tries and a mangled cone but I got it in the box.

Friday, I got there early as I normally do, started going over the pre-trip, only missed 3-4 things outside. Eventually another senior student took three of my group ( have one guy thinking he HAS to be trained ONLY by an instructor and the female of our group was at her gandson's graduation) and we went over air brakes and in-cab once more. The three of us took turns doing strait backing and I was asked if I wanted to attempt the offset again, so I went for it, MUCH easier time of it this time, I took my time, watched what I was doing as it was explained to me and had to pull-up three times total to get it in the box!

On a side note, they had a cookout on Friday, grilled burgers hot dogs and chicken. I do like the instructors, great group of guys. Oh and considering I am going to PAM and the bonuses as they are right now, Friday meant I got my first $50 check.

Home for the weekend, took the 2-3 hour trip home to spend the weekend with my wife....... and to do some work on the vehicle I am currently using. Ill be headed back to Philly Sunday evening.

Okay, I seem to be posting in the mornings about the previous days, I'll keep going with that.

Yesterday my roommate had a family emergency and had to go home, I do hope everything works out for him, he does hope he can return Monday to pick up where he left off.

Anyway I got to the practice yard about an hour early and just watched. On a side note I do have to say AAA cold school in Philly is a little school and not enough instructors or trucks. But they had classes bigger than what they have now and apparently all of that class was successful in getting their cdls.

After lunch the group I was with started pretrip and took video of the airbrakes test to study. And we did a little bit of strait backing, for me it wasn't difficult.

So in a nutshell, other than my growing sunburn, I enjoyed my first day at the range.

Day 2, Had to go to the DMV to get my CLP, passed on the first try, The Highroad system works, best study tool I came across for the knowledge exams. Downside is my PA non-CLD license had less than 6 months on it and I had to renew that before I could get the tests for the CLP done.,

Even with the extra time needed to get money orders, I was still out of there within an hour and a half. 30 minute drive from the DMV to the school, wound up with an hour to spare so, I found myself a parking spot and went to get 'breakfast' (quarter pounder with cheese). Then in class we covered inspection and a few other things in detail with videos and a bit of book work.

Tomorrow we get our first day at the range which is at a separate location.

Okay, yesterday was a long day. Roommate and I woke up extremely early and got to class at AAA CDL school in Philly. Paperwork was what start ed she day off followed by physicals. Last part of the day was going over the written tests, finally went back to the hotel at around 10:30.

Ill post more about the school and hotel in a later post.

Today though my room mate and I will be hitting a dmv to get our clp.