Comments By Large Marge

No, you won't "hopefully" pass, you will pass. Don't let your mind restrict you to thinking "if I only had this I'd be able to do that." I'm glad you're taking another crack at it.

Thank you, Jessica. I'm not giving up.

After failing my cdl test in my home state, I went back to AZ to get a cdl permit. Knight Squire in AZ is letting me come back for a little more training and I get to test in the yard where I learned. I am hopeful that I will pass the cdl test this time around. I am happy to be testing in the same yard where I learned. Not to mention, AZ is more lenient with GOAL and pull ups than my home state. Feeling positive.

Well, high security not so much. I was starting work for Wal-Mart! Haha. Thank you all for your information.

As far as getting over the anxiety, it's not something I've been able to conquer and it's been like this the entirety of my life. I'm a private person when it comes to the bathroom and having someone openly stare at my crotch is just way above my comfort level.

The Knight terminal I tested at didn't watch me. I had privacy.

For anyone who cares, ...

We do care, Sme88. That's why you get all these replies and they say "Snap out of it!". Be successful on your own account.

I will. Thank you for your advice.

Sorry Sme88 that it seems we are being brutallly honest with you, we certainally want every truckingtruths members to succeed. The issue at hand is that you choose the wrong style school to train at. As you are aware many of these company sponsored schools are very fast pace (either sink or swim). Its a hard lesson when you require more training than the company usually allows. So many people go through these accelerated programs and find themselves without a CDL or a job because they just needed more training to get the hang of driving a truck.

I am glad you are sharing your story because it is a good lesson to other people who are trying to decide how to enter the trucking industry and what route to take. As you are aware their are other pathways to succeed in getting your CDL. You still have an opportunity to apply to another company school. Since you are requiring more time to get acclimated driving you should perhaps apply at Celadon or Prime. Both companies have fantastic reputations of taking there time with new students. Before I selected Prime I was in the same boat as you were when I looked at my options, even though I was accepted to other Company schools that were faster pace I decided Prime was my best fit because of the longer training period. Even though my ego wanted me to get in a solo truck ASAP.

And in a nut shell there is the reality of the accelerated company program. These companies are only interested in people they can fast track on the road. The people who are naturals at it and pick up the lessons very quickly. You and I both know its a dollar and cents issue. When a company sends you home and you aren't able to get your CDL they don't want to invest anymore money in your training. Not when they have 50 or more people coming into the program the next week.

Of course you knew all this when you selected Squire so that is why we are being hard on you. Squire only gave you the training they offered no more no less. So now you have the opportunity to decide if you want to take on another Company school or pay a trucking (vocational)school to complete your training. This time do as much research as you can to make sure its the right fit. Your last lesson was obviously an expensive one that you couldn't afford.

One last thing about the testing out part. I don't think it would have mattered where you tested out at you probably would have failed no matter where you tested. 3rd party testers have to go through rigorous training themselves in order to do their job. They are audited quite frequently and are suppose to keep their personnal feelings out the window when testing. They are not going to give their job away by handing out CDLs to people that didnt pass but they believe will get the hang of it. When I went for my skills test my tester was being audited by the DOT ( we had a state trooper in the cab with us the entire time). Talk about nerve racking.

So in reality we do understand, many of us walked in your shoes. We just want you to pick yourself up by your bootstraps and do the best we know you can. Remember leave the ego and blame game at the door and make better decisions for yourself. This is tough, no one said it would be easy, otherwise their would be no one working at Mcdonalds and a ton of people driving. There is a reason for the high demand for truck drivers because if it was so easy everyone would it!!

Now go get that darn CDL and gloat to us when you do!! Also read Peppers Journey when you feel lifes got you by the shorthairs. She is truly inspiring and extremely humble shes been through so much and yet is still out there trying to break into the industry,

I really wish you the best Brian

Thank you, Brian. I appreciate the time you took to write to me. I had a rude awakening from this experience but I'm not giving up. I guess I just needed to vent. But you're right, let it go and figure out what to do from here. I'll check out Peppers story.

Sme88, you're not going to get any love here, if you haven't noticed. You make it clear you had a decent office job, which Squire knew. How does that affect your training? The school training (not just Knight/Squire) is aimed at getting you behind the wheel, knowing enough to pass CDL tests. Every state is different, and your school should prepare you for your state of residence. (I know not all work this way, though.) So that's what they did. Also many states are using 3rd party testing. Easier on the state, more costly for you - facts of life.

Two things are clear in your story: you decided to drive yourself and to pay for your hotel yourself. I believe all company schools pick up the check for transportation (even if you drive) as well as the hotel. You did save yourself some grief, I suppose, for getting your own room. We here have heard complaints about lousy BBQ sauce at some company paid hotels.

As for your office job, Sme88, rest assured that people from all walks of life have gotten down and dirty with pre-trip inspections: teachers, office workers, retirees, even a guy who puts horseshoes on horses.

In the rest of your story you seem to continually bump into closed doors/"no"/failure situations. That is a symptom of having a feeling of entitlement (means somehow the world owes you something). Driving school & CDL is not an easy project. You, Sme88, need to invest your own blood and sweat in your new career.

The Trucking Truth forums are really here to help people get through the training, and then support each other as the new drivers hit the road.

Do, please do use the great study material here. If you have problems understanding something, or can't "get" offset backing down, these forums can't be beat on getting you straightened out.

Do not go away, complaining we blew you off over your sad story. Knuckle down, focus on what has to be done, and above all take responsibility for your own life.

No, they told me they weren't gonna pay for my transportation or lodging but that's not really the point. I did invest my blood sweat and tears. So I don't get where you think I feel entitled but thank you for reading nontheless.

So let me get this straight. You decided to go to Squire for their Company Training Program. You agreed to drive there and get your own hotel room since none was provided. Then fully knowing this was an accellorated program you didn't retain enough of the information to pass your CDL. Now that you've finished and aren't prepared to test It's all squires fault. When do you take some ownership in this? Obviously Squire wasn't the right choice for your needs but you made the choice to attend knowing all this before you went. Maybe trying a company with a longer training program would be better suited for you. Blaming Squire is silly though.

They knew I was coming from an office job - drastic career change - assured me I'd be golden in two weeks. My gut told me otherwise but I quit a good job and decided to trust them and take a risk. So far, it hasn't worked out in my favor at all. After I failed in my home state (due to nerves, unfamiliar yard and people, and more training required), I asked them to let me come back to the yard to test because I know in my heart I would fare better with the person who tested everyone else because he is familiar to me, and it would help me to test where I was trained. They agreed to let me come back and test (but denied me this option during school). I was so happy they agreed. Now that I've got all my eggs in this basket they won't let me test with the person who tested everyone else. They decide to drop this bomb on me while I'm in transit back to the school. In fact, they made it a point to tell me over the phone that he won't be testing me. Why not let me test with a tester I feel comfortable with so I can move on to training? Why make it harder for me? I busted my butt during school. I was determined to get those skills down and most of the time I did it. But my error rate was still high when I left. I had trouble recovering gears at least twice during each road trip. But they sent me home anyway and assured me I was ready to test. Obviously not. So help me out. Don't make it harder for me.

I'm a little surprised about this as Knight's Squire program is what I'm looking at. Why did you end up driving there and paying for your own lodging? Did they not offer that? Were you planning on driving for them after schooling or were you just attending school for your CDL A and then planning on another company?

Forgot to mention they do pay 400 a week during school so that offsets the expense a bit. However, if you're like me, you can't really afford these kinds of expenses.

I'm a little surprised about this as Knight's Squire program is what I'm looking at. Why did you end up driving there and paying for your own lodging? Did they not offer that? Were you planning on driving for them after schooling or were you just attending school for your CDL A and then planning on another company?

No, they said I had to pay my own way. I signed up to drive with Knight. They evaluated me and I passed after the two weeks of training but test time came in my home state and I bombed. I would have rather tested where I learned. Essentially, I left school and didn't feel ready to test. I was very vocal about that. Maybe it will click for you better than it did for me. I don't know your background. I came from an office job, which they were well aware of. Fyi you aren't officially a Knight employee until you get your cdl, train with a trainer, then you have to drive 30,000 miles solo for squire. Upon completion of the 30,000 miles, you officially graduate the Squire program and are then considered a Knight employee. That's when you get your certificate of completion . Good luck in what you decide. Maybe Squire will be right for you. If I don't pass next time I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Well I thought they would prepare me to pass. Otherwise I wouldn't have left my office job