Comments By Danny S.

Oops my finger hit the wrong button. I was saying that I was the only one in my Class that knew what the weight of fuel was and that's because I had studied the weights and balance section on the High Road Training course. It pays off so study it. Most of my class were 20 and 30 year olds and it makes you feel pretty good when you do better than most of them. I am 57 so I know that if you apply yourself and stay committed no matter what age you can succeed, don't settle for just getting by. Will keep you posted as I go through the next phase.

Just finished up second weekend of driving school (doing it on weekends) this week going to get my Class A permit also going to get my doubles triples endorsement and tanker, still waiting on my background check to come so I can get my hazmat endorsement. Next weekend start road and range training. Be doing that for the next six weekends hopeful graduate first weekend in December. Then in January headed to H O Wolding in Wisconsin to start my driving career. I want to encourage all of you that are considering getting into trucking to use the High Road Online CDL Training on here to study for your CDL. Start before you even decide on your school because it will help you tremendously in school. I didn't make anything less than a 94 on any of my test in school. I know that I am not going to have any problems passing the written exams at the state. In my class I was the only one who knew what the weight of fuel was a

I got a call today and I have a pre-hire from H O Wolding. This was my #1 choice for a company that I wanted to get a job with. I am very excited and unless something changes I will be headed to orientation in January. Right now focusing on finishing Driving School. I also have two other pre-hires and looking at one or two more companies. Continued thanks to all of you who are members of Trucking Truth everyone has been a tremendous help and encouragement. I will keep everyone updated as the journey continues.

Thanks Brett for the info I already knew about the practice questions and test and I have used them in my studying. I know I haven't done the testing part on Log Book and Weight and Balance but I have been reading them at least a couple of times a week. I want to get my test to get my permit over with and then I am going to concentrate on the Hazmat and those two.

Richard, Sorry I didn't see you on Saturday but I think you will see that the equipment that Katlaw uses is pretty decent equipment, my experience so far has been really good and I feel like I am getting my moneys worth. The instructor in the classroom is really good and he covers the Georgia CDL manual really thoroughly and he highlights all the sections that he knows that are on the test, he has been doing this for quite sometime and so he has good knowledge of what the test is like. He gives you all the possibilities of how a question can be asked and how the answers might be worded. We had a homework quiz we had to do Saturday night and I made a 99 on it. So studying the High Road Training program has help tremendously especially the repetitiveness of questions over and over. I still would recommend practicing from other sources too because they sometimes ask the questions in a different way which I thinks helps you maximize your learning. I learn from studying myself but the classroom is where I learn the best because you can ask questions when you don't understand something. I know I could pass the test even without the classroom but I just really like classroom learning. So with all that said I would highly recommend Katlaw Driving School if you live in the Metro Atlanta area great bunch of people and very professional. Next weekend will complete our classroom portion of the school and then everyone will be ready to go and get their permit so we can began the driving range and on the road training. Although I will only have to do the Combination Test to get my permit I am going to go ahead and do the Doubles Triples and Tankers Endorsements. If my background check comes back before I take the test I will also do the Hazmat Endorsements. I would like to get those all done before I finish school. I will post again after next weekend of my journey through Driving School.

It sounds like this guy needs to go back and re-read the rules and regulations regarding alcohol and having a CDL license. Our instructor told us today that if you use any kind of mouthwash that has alcohol in it and they check you, you could lose your license for a year. He also said that if your drank tonight and even though you sleep tonight and then tomorrow they checked you you could still have enough alcohol in your blood to be consider under the influence of alcohol.

1.2.2 – Alcohol, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, and Commission of a Felony It is illegal to operate a CMV if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is .04% or more. If you operate a CMV, you shall be deemed to have given your consent to alcohol testing. You will lose your CDL for at least one year for a first offense for: • Driving a CMV if your blood alcohol concentration is .04% or higher. • Driving a CMV under the influence of alcohol. • Refusing to undergo blood alcohol testing. • Driving a CMV while under the influence of a controlled substance

As I have heard it said, when you have a CDL the authorities hold you to a higher standard and expect you to be a professional whether you in the truck or not. That is why their is so many rules and regulations regarding these things. And I think this is the way it ought to be - just my opinion take it for what it is worth.

I started school today I was so wound up last night that I couldn't sleep. I was all geared up today. Today was the start of going through the Georgia Drivers Manual in preparation for the CDL Permit test. Our instructor was real good because as went through the various sections of the manual he had highlighted the material that he said would definitely be on the test. He spent much time on these areas and told us to make sure that we answer the questions exactly as the manual says not what might be logical or reasonable, but to answer it exactly by what the manual says. He ask us the question "What can a driver do to not be distracted?" I am not going to give you the answer see if you can find it in the manual. If you find the answer post it and let me know. The answer that he gave us that he said would be on the test was one that I don't remember reading and I have read the manual at least two or three times. He emphasized that the DDS wants to know if you have read the manual. It makes sense I guess. Anyway it was not an overly exciting time but it was very beneficial, had homework to do tonight hope I make a good grade on it. Well until next time good night to all I have to get up at 5:15 in the morning to be at class by 7:00 am.

Well I start CDL School tomorrow it has been a month since I made the decision to go to a private school. Tried the company sponsored and got turned down was very disappointing but now I see it has really work out for the best. I can continue driving a school bus and go to school too. I have applied with three companies and have gotten two pre-hire letters and the third looks good. I have three other companies that I will be applying with over next few weeks. Today I took care of applying for for my Hazmat background and got my finger printing done so hopefully before I finish school I can go ahead and get my hazmat endorsement. I plan on getting my other endorsements when I go to upgrade my CDL B to an CDL A permit. Things are beginning to move now and I am a sooo... glad. I have studied the High Road CDL training now for almost two months I do practice test at least two to three times a day plus I keep re-reading it and also reading the Georgia CDL manual at the same time and I also do a specific Georgia CDL practice test which goes along the Georgia Manual so I figure doing both of them reinforces the material even more. I still like the High Road Training better it is excellent. So if every thing goes as planned I may be on the road with a driver trainer by Christmas. I've invested so much time, energy and money in this it would a great way for me to end up the year. I will try to post my days at CDL School as I go along.

Thanks TT for the great articles on Driving Tips For Rookies, I found them very helpful and real. That's what I like about this site it gives a well balanced view of trucking. Everybody that contributes to a post adds a little more to bring clarity to the subject.

I want to get my hazmat endorsement but when I went on the government site for finger printing and background check it ask for your license number and the way I read the georgia instructions you had to have your CDL or permit which makes sense before you could apply. But I have my class B CDL should I wait and get my CDL A permit or can I apply with with my class B license and then it would transfer to my class A when I get it? Thanks for any help on this.

My question is this, if you get a trainer like this do you just stick it out or should you talk to someone to request a different trainer? Most companies say you can do that or is it best as a rookie not to rock the boat? It would seem to me that a person like that should be reported and should not be allowed to be a trainer. I can't believe that a company would allow someone like that to be teaching drivers such unsafe procedures maybe I'm just too naive to understand this but if a company allowed this type of trainer that would make me wonder how if safety is a high priority with such a company and what else would they expect me to do that might be wrong or unsafe. I hope I would not end up with someone like that.