Comments By Robert V.

Today we have our phone interview with Schneider. They told us to look at the job board for our area and there are two open positions. I will have some questions about these positions.

We have narrowed our choices to Schneider and Werner. We want to OTR and travel the country so not much interested in local companies that don't use team drivers. However Windy Hill caught our attention. Werner has a major center in Lakeland and Schneider has a center up in Jacksonville.

Ok passed my tests and can go get my license. Will start working on endorsements and take those tests next Monday. My wife will have to retake the driving part. She stalled the truck in an intersection when she had the splitter on and was in 9th gear instead of 4th. So A retake in a couple of days. The one inch rule helped to confirm a move on my third maneuver so your advice was useful. Thanks.

Passed the pretrip then got lost on my second maneuver. Turned right instead of left. I should have just reversed the wrong move but I tried to correct it and made a mess. We get a practice session this weekend and retest next Tuesday.

Is this a backing move?

If so, make a "one inch back" test. Turn your steering wheel the way you want, then plan to back up only one more inch. Watch the front of the trailer in your mirror. Nudge the clutch that "one inch" only. Did the trailer move like you wanted it to? Yes: keep going. No: now you see the mistake, so turn the wheel the other way. By moving that "one inch" you only lose a tiny bit of your back-up space, not 6-8 feet.

Sounds like good advice. Thanks. Another teacher worked on the maneuver and showed me a simpler way to make the move. I believe I am ready now.

Passed the pretrip then got lost on my second maneuver. Turned right instead of left. I should have just reversed the wrong move but I tried to correct it and made a mess. We get a practice session this weekend and retest next Tuesday.

My wife and I will be taking our CDL drive test after four weeks of school. Very few who have not gone to school pass the test. Many come here and just pay the testing fee and fail miserably. We feel ready but our last drive practice day was full of mistakes. I guess my wife and I were nervous and made mistakes we weren't in earlier drives. We hope tomorrow we will do better and do as well as we did during our practice drive times. I have enjoyed the school and we were constantly challenge now its time to prove ourselves.