Comments By J R.

Well, I haven't written to update on my training for this first week. These days have been busy, especially with the JJ Keller videos that seem to be never ending. I have finished them today though! While not having class today was a bit of a downer in that I didn't get the chance to make a fool of myself once again with shifting, I was able to use the time to get those videos out of the way so I can really focus on pretripping!

As for the rest of this past week, it has been lots of classroom time for days 1 and 2, and some driving practice for days 3 and 4. We did some backing yesterday, and I think I actually did better on that than on going forward! The shifting is giving me issues due to deep clutching and the occasional forgetting to flip the high/low switch. Focus, focus, focus!! I think I am stalling it a lot less now, though :)

Tomorrow is classroom time, and our day off on Sunday will be taken up by more driving practice which I am REALLY grateful for. I don't know what I was thinking training on a manuel! As if I didn't have enough to learn already. (I know it is about future possibilities, but I can't help but wonder why I always seem to take the more difficult path.)

Good luck to you. Bring warm clothes. Measuring a balmy 12 degrees currently and I am 30 minutes due north of Milwaukee. Most likely a bit cooler in Marshfield.

Anything above about 5 below is great as long as there is no wind! I don't foresee that being the case, however. Layers it will need to be! Thanks for the weather update ... I almost forgot how cold it got up there!

Two days until both my birthday and the day that I start out toward WI and my new life. Excitement and anxiety will mark these next couple of days. I know that there are large numbers of people who have successfully completed Roehl's training, so there is no reason I shouldn't succeed as well, but the unknown has always been a bit anxiety producing.

I can't wait!

Hotel Marshfield it is. I couldn't imagine they would have more than one.

I am enjoying the whole "don't forget your mask" combined with the "You will be sharing a room..." stuff. I understand it, but is just seems like mixed messages, and I can't help but smile at such stuff.

Any idea when you may be rolling in?

I recall someone here mentioned another hotel. Actually, I am surprised that they are putting us in this hotel, would expect something cheaper and simpler, this one has a sauna! Hopefully they will not be too strict on masks, I hate breathing through a mask... I plan to make a stop in Cleveland, it is right in between and only about 600 miles, so most likely I will check in the evening.

My recruiter said that this is a different hotel than they used to use. It is closer to the terminal than they other one, though a little further from town, so going into town takes a little longer. I am also surprised they went with this one given how nice it is, but I definitely am not complaining!

I also hate breathing through a mask. My recruiter said a face covering is required, which could include a bandana, gator neck, or other type of cloth. It sounds like it is fairly strict in that you need something that covers, but not strict in the sense of it being a mask per se.

Had a conversation today, and it appears all is still a go!

Same hotel - Marshfield Hotel?

Hotel Marshfield it is. I couldn't imagine they would have more than one.

I am enjoying the whole "don't forget your mask" combined with the "You will be sharing a room..." stuff. I understand it, but is just seems like mixed messages, and I can't help but smile at such stuff.

Any idea when you may be rolling in?

So after a few more conversations, I think I am good to go to Marshfield, WI this weekend, and start school next Monday. Has anyone stayed at Hotel Marshfield? Do they really have a sauna as their website says?

I will keep an eye out for you, assuming nothing bad happens in the process for me. Had a conversation today, and it appears all is still a go!

Good morning!

I start with Roehl in January. Which terminal you going to?

Good luck!

I will be going to Marshfield, WI. There wasn't room in GA, which would have been much closer (I live in GA now), but getting back up to the northern Midwest will be great as well :)

Welcome to Trucking Truth, J.R.~!

Wishing you the best with Roehl . .. excellent choice!

Have you seen all of our awesome links, and pretript tests, and whatnot?

Thank you!

I have been looking over the various resources here and reading the blogs, etc. I have done much of the High Road CDL Training Program. It helped me to pass my tests for my CDL permit including the tanker endorsement. I have seen the pretrip study guide, but I haven't really looked at it yet. I have read Brett's book which was quite interesting.

Right now I am just excited, nervous, and raring to go! I should be getting information on what to bring to training next week, but I have been worrying about it all week! Time to relax and let happen what is going to happen! (That is start looking at a couple of those other resources you linked!)

Things are in the works for starting GYCDL with Roehl later this month! I have been looking at getting into trucking for sometime and started reading this site for that reason. It has been lots of help thus far, and I am sure it will continue to be as I get into training and beyond!

Thanks for everything so far!

That would be a deal breaker for me. Plenty of companies pay for or provide transportation.

I didn't get my CDL there, but Roehl was the first solo driving job I had in 2016.

It almost was for me. But then I decided that I could either get paid transportation to training or get paid during training. I figure I come out ahead financially this way, and I since I prefer to drive than to have them pay for a bus ticket, this works for me as well.