Comments By Michael S.

I got a lot of good advice to get over my examiner anxiety from family, friends, and other students and drivers and the good folks here. I am using a combination of several things I heard. I stayed up till midnight last night handwriting the whole process word for word(8 pages). Got up this morning and while doing my laundry I recited the whole thing out loud twice. Then hand wrote the whole thing again. Just got done with lunch and a good workout in the gym to clear my mind. Now back to studying again. So, my approach with my trainer and the examiner will be to proceed in a friendly manner, as though I'm just having a conversation with them and sharing my knowledge with them, and just doing what I know. I WILL beat this, and I WILL suceed! A big thank you to all who gave advice, it is really appreciated!

I have read a few post on Prime and the hustle during orientation, it would seem to me that they need to slow down instead of "cattle herding" people , idk...maybe they have a heck of a system in place that allows them to process people in this fashion. I just hope I don't get lost in the shuffle and I am able to keep up with the pace that will be in place.

I'm there now, beyond orientation and working with my psd trainer. While the first two days may seem a bit like "cattle herding" while waiting in lines for drug test, physical, and file review, I am very impressed with the whole process at Prime, thorough, efficient, and everybody really is interested in you succeeding. They do this same cycle weekly and they are good at what they do. I came here in a similar situation of having previous experience but not held a cdl for the last ten years. I'll just say that I came here with the attitude that I'm a new driver, a student just like the rest of them. Your previous experience will come into play after orientation once you get a psd trainer and may even shorten your training time, I say may, because it's not a guaranteed, depends on how you do. I think you made a good choice choosing Prime and wish you luck!

How much driving experience did you have in the past??? hmmm??

You got this. Build your confidence. You probably been driving longer than your trainer, so now is the time to harness that experience and be proud and authoritative.

Remember, it is a points system...you get points for everything you say and nothing you dont. So if you say shock absorber...PMS, not CBB. you will get credit for all that. if you forget "not leaking" it isnt a big deal..you got credit for the PMS and CBB.

soooo calm yourself. you know the parts much better than any new driver, right???

Thank you Rainy, I really appreciate it

It's common for the coach of an underdog team who is getting ready to play against a much better team to remind his players that you're only playing against the man in the uniform, not the uniform itself. Don't be intimidated by the uniform or the history of the team or anything that doesn't affect the game itself. Focus on the man and the moment and nothing else.

Forget about the uniform or the title or the authority or any of that. You're just in front of a person, a person who is no different than you. They have dreams, fears, and insecurities just like you do. They're trying to make a living and provide for themselves and their loved ones just like you. They want to be successful in life and their job now is to help you be successful by making sure you're ready to safely inspect a truck, which you already know you are.

Remember that it's just a person who wants to help you succeed, and you know you will because you've worked hard and learned the materials well. So that person is going to be happy to pass you when they see what you've done. Be excited for the opportunity.

Thank you Brett!

Hey man, I honestly don't have any great advice but if you can find a way to channel the same determination you have been using for everything else into this you will find a way.

I think it's important to give yourself a break in the sense that it's ok to be nervous. Sure, they're examiners but they want to see you do well and pass. I know I would, if I'm testing someone I'd enjoy seeing students displaying their knowledge.

I would try to approach them much the same as anyone else when testing. I've talked to you several times, you are a very respectful person. My point is, act the same as you do with others, your demeanor is already polite.

My point is, try to humanize them. Just keep at it I know you'll find a way.

That's great advise, and I really appreciate it coming from a fellow trainee, were kind of in this together, thank you!

Well after everything going great so far on the road and in the backing pad with my trainer, today was kind of a rough one. Even though I've got my pre trips streamlined, memorized and confident performing them out loud by myself or with another student, as soon as I try to do it in front of my trainer I get examiner anxiety and I stumble badly(not a new thing, have had public speaking issues all my life) Got a lot of good advice to implement from people here and from family and friends. Just need to turn this issue around and overcome it. I WILL SUCCEED!

Hey Britton, good luck on the road, I went on a couple loads with my trainer this weekend and everything went great, even did some real world backing. Have fun, be confident, and be safe! WE WILL SUCCEED!!!!

Repetition repetition repetition repetition.

Seriously, do it over and over again repeatedly. Find your pattern, start from the same place every time, like front to back, left to right, rinse, repeat.

I must have done the pre-trip a couple hundred times during orientation and PSD. No exaggeration. They even nicknamed me "pretrip". By the time I took the exam, I could do it in my sleep.

Admittedly, all of my PSD was spent in house at Sprimo so I had lots of time to practice.

You'll get it pal. Don't sweat it.

Thanks turtle I've been doing it hundreds of times, and I really do have it memorized, it's just the act of speaking and being verbally tested, I've always had a public speaking issue. I'll figure it out and I WILL succeed somehow, thank you very much for your help.

Hey Michael, I had your issue but on the opposite side of testing. I aced the pretrip cause I followed the same sequence every single time. Muscle memory. I wrote the speeches over & over again until it just flowed.

Where I got knots in my stomach was on the backing & the road test. I failed each twice so I had my back up against the wall both times. I just had no other option but to pass or go home. I was 55 years old at the time & hadn't needed to prove myself since my teenage years. That was huge for me. Failing taught me humility & perseverance.

I guess the best advice I could give you is to keep repeating it with your trainer present. Over & over until you get past this.

I memorized the sequences by connecting the components. Sort of like this bone is connected to that bone. The speeches also follow a sequence so it's about doing it with an authority figure in your face every time until you mentally get past it.

This just came to me, when you do it alone, do you say the words out loud? If you do, do you listen to your words? What I mean is, are you saying them robotically or are you projecting your voice from a place of authority? Saying them for the world to hear rather than the person standing next to you. My examiner stood well enough back so I just followed my routine & said it for the world to hear. Good luck!

PS, I've stayed away from posting for personal reasons but your topic hit home for me & hoped I could be of help as many others were there for me when I was in your shoes.

Hey there splitter, I'm also 55 years young. I've got the whole thing streamlined and memorized, when I go through it by myself or teamed up with another student testing eachother, I'm loud, confident, and efficient at delivery. I think when I do it with another student it's like we are teaching eachother so it doesnt bother me, but when im under the pressure of actually being tested by trainer I falter badly. Thinking I just need to get it through my thick head that im just doing it with another student, after all, the trainer and examiner are former students, right?

Repetition repetition repetition repetition.

Seriously, do it over and over again repeatedly. Find your pattern, start from the same place every time, like front to back, left to right, rinse, repeat.

I must have done the pre-trip a couple hundred times during orientation and PSD. No exaggeration. They even nicknamed me "pretrip". By the time I took the exam, I could do it in my sleep.

Admittedly, all of my PSD was spent in house at Sprimo so I had lots of time to practice.

You'll get it pal. Don't sweat it.

Thanks turtle I've been doing it hundreds of times, and I really do have it memorized, it's just the act of speaking and being verbally tested, I've always had a public speaking issue. I'll figure it out and I WILL succeed somehow, thank you very much for your help.

For a while I taught pre-trip in Swift's Academy. One student really impressed me with his pre-trip. He explained everything add if it was HIS:

My alternator is securely attached, no cracks or breaks. My alternator belt has less than 3/4” free play, ....

My tire rim is not dented, has no illegal weld repairs, and all my lug nuts are tight. ...

If you take possession of your truck, you should be proud to show off its good condition.

Actually, I do say my for everything and that does help, it's just a psychological thing in my head, not with the driving and backing parts, I'm doing great at those with my trainer, it's just the verbal pretrip, I basically have them memorized but just freeze up speaking. They want us to say "mr examiner" several times(I know it's just a sign of respect) and I really think that's part of the problem, because it drills the fact that I'm being tested into my head. Like I said absolutely no problems with actions, just speaking