Comments By Brian K.

For anyone heading to Stevens and staying at their designated motel, let me tell you a little about the Luna Lodge. It neither good or bad. It just what it is.

I will cost you $600.00 for 3 weeks. Stevens will cover the cost but you will have to pay it back once you start making money. They will take out ~25 – 30 dollars a week for 24 weeks or 6 months.

You will need to check in to the Luna by 9 am and then again, check in by 9 pm in the evening. The rest of this statement is here say but I kind of seen it happen. If you miss a check in, they will assume you picked up and left and give your room away. If you’re an hour or so late checking in, they sometimes forgive you but mention to you not to let it happen again. They seem very strict about signing in and out. Also, your roommate, all room are double occupancy, will have to relocate to a different room as well. I don’t way they do it this way but they do. I will know more of this process because my roommate is leaving late tonight, going home. Wasn’t for him. Tomorrow I will experience this phenomenon.

So, I will probably will run into you in at Luna. I am assuming you will have a car here and it’s totally fine. Actually, It’s an advantage. There are a few students who drove here as well don’t use the shuttle, so no waiting around for that.

Next week will hopefully be my last and after orientation head out with a trainer if they can find one. I’ve heard stories where students sometimes waiting a day or two or three until a trainer is available.

Well, I’m done, need to get something to eat. I will probably update on Saturday.

Brian

Hey Bunny, I read you Bio and since your from Dallas you probably will not be staying at the Luna Lodge. That alone is an experience in itself. So I will skip anything about the motel.

Although I am a newbie, I welcome you to Stevens and kudos for getting back into the driver's seat. For those who read this, I came to Stevens with my CDL and I am going through the Refresher Course. The recruiter said because of my experience, 1.5 million miles but all of it was pre-2000, I would most likely be here a week or so before going with a driver trainer. Wrong, There was about 7 of us who had CDLs in my group. The trainer interviewed each one of us privately. He asked us about our driving experiences and when he was done he said he would review his notes and let us know how long each of us would have to be here. Only a few minutes went by and he came back and said all of us will have to be here the full 3 weeks. So I am not sure if it will be any different for you but I would be curious to know what he says.

Roll call for everyone is at 7 am on the hill, a place in the back of the lot. In the beginning after our DOT medical exam, at least for my group, we spend a lot of time the first week on pre-trip inspections and the simulator. I was told CDL holders will need to go through the pre-trip motions and of course, know the subject but grading or passing would be different than students needing to take the state test to get their CDL. I haven't gotten to that point yet where the CDL holders will be asked to do a pre-trip test of some sort so I am not sure what to expect. I am studying the paper they give us just the same since there isn't much else to do in the motel.

This week, week 2, beside the trainer going over pre-trip stuff, we did some straight and offset backing. That was more fun and the days are going by quicker. One thing, wear warm clothing. It gets windy, gloves would be nice, and you will need a pen or pencil.

When you arrive I will be starting my third week. This week we will be doing more backing maneuvers and some student will be taking the actually pre-trip test. If all goes well, by the end of the week I should be in an orientation for a day or two and place with a Driver Trainer shortly there after. You need to do 240 hours with the Driver Trainer and then you come back, another day or two of more orientation, some road testing and if all goes well, they assign you a truck and you go solo. The 240 hours is official but the rest is what I hear from other student. The Trainers do not seem to want to tell you what your going to do, like an agenda. It's more like one day at a time for them. So I don't ask; I just go with the flow. It's supposed to be a 3 week refresher course and something is going to happen by the end of week 3. I'll just wait and see.

Well, that's about it for now. Maybe I will run into you at roll call on the hill Brian

Good Morning,

Short update on Saturday's school stuff. Saturday was once again pre-trip review. We all stood around the truck and trailer while the instructor explain how we are to point and say things in order to past the pre-trip. I'm getting mix messages about what we need to know for pre-trip vs what the students who are working to get their CDL permit need to know. Since my group has their CDL one instructor said will not be graded and we do not have to recite the pre-trip info verbatim. Guess I will know more in the days to come.

I was also told Monday will be more pre-trip and on Tuesday we will start with the driving maneuvers. Can't wait for that.

That's it for Saturday. FYI, Saturday was a half day, in at 7 am out by 12.

See you all next week. Brian

Sitting here at Stevens, lunch time, and thought I give you all an update.

Day 3, 4, and 5 that would be Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, has been really slow for my group. We were told the instructors are waiting for a group of student paper testing for their permit so we can join them. My group is small, remember we are in a refresher course. There was 7 but we are down to 4. One left, don't know why, one did not get past the physical, and the other had a family emergency.

Days 3, 4, and 5 have been basically just doing review of pre-trip and spending some time on the simulator. It's all good I guess, just taking one day at a time. Some of the my group and other students are getting a little frustrated and I can see why but you need to go with the flow and not let it bother you.

But what I can say is the stories some of the students have told me concerning why they are here makes me more appreciative of what I have at home and my financial status. I not wealthy, I just retire and my wife is still working and I could go without a job but I have one kid and he will be ready for college in a year and hopefully the money I might make here will help him out with a car, living expenses, and tuition.

Many of the students here come with very little money in hopes Stevens Transport will be the answer to their financial needs. Some of the reasons make me a little sad and I truly hope they all succeed here and get to where they need in life. Hope they all pass and enjoy life on the road.

I have a goal which I will share late in the blog but first I want to see if i can make to getting a truck and running solo. I will explain more later.

Have a nice weekend and I will be back next Monday or Tuesday with more updates.

Brian pre-Stevens driver, lol

Thanks Old School,

That's how the first day at Stevens made me feel. So I am taking your post to heart. Today was very uneventful. There was a computer glitch which caused me and a couple of other student to have to redo some medical info online before they could continue with the physical. One student had to redo the online form 3 times. I start at 7:30 and finally finished the physical around 12:30. Did a little more paper work after lunch. They did not have much else for us to do so the trainer put us on the simulator for a couple of hours and then off to the motel.

That's it for day 2

See you all later!

Brian

Hi All,

Well I'm here at Stevens Transport. Arrived Sunday afternoon and the Stevens van picked me up at the airport. When I got to the Luna Lodge, where Stevens keep there drivers, the motel was full and they had to put me in an overflow room. Monday after coming back from my first day of training I was assigned a permanent room. Here are few facts I know for sure:

1) They do not pay for your travel to Stevens

2) They do not pay for your room.

3) They front you $70.00 a week for food.

They will front you the money for travel, food, and the room but you have to pay it back a little each week when you start driving. Since I am doing the 3 week refresher course It will cost $600.00 for the motel. I paid for my own travel and will not take the food advance money.

So what did I do on my first day, mostly paper work and waiting around. Complete half of the physical. Tomorrow morning I will finish the physical. That's about it for day one.

What did I think about the place so far? They seemed a little disorganized. They kind of make you feel like you in 5th grade. How, they would say things like stand here, don't leave this spot, what did I just tell you, things like that. I have to admit, there had to be at least 50 students or more in the school and each group of students were at different levels. It reminded me of a factory but for students. So I would imagine, at least in the beginning, the trainers needs to keep a short leash on the student or it could get out of control. Covid wise, there was lots of Plexiglas between seats or chairs are set apart. Everyone pretty much kept their mask on as well.

I haven't got anything other companies to compare it but for the first day I would say it was just OK. Nothing to write home about. Hoping as each day goes by and trainer gets to know you the 5th grade attitude will go away.

I keep updating the page when I can.

Brian

Off to Stevens Transport on Monday the 10th, after 20+ years off the road

First of all, for those who thought you may be to old to start a driving career, go for it. I am in my late 60's. I drove during the 70's, 80's & 90's but had a desk job for the past 24 years. Now that I am retired, I going back on the road for a few years.

I know there are a couple of people in these forums that suggested I might want to keep looking for another place to start and I appreciate your opinion. But Stevens was the only place in the past 2 to 3 months that would take me with no recent experience and since since I have my CDL the recruiter said, if you can believe him, the refresher course would only be a few days to maybe a week depending on my skills training.

I have to find out if I can still do it. Not all the bull crap stuff the company may ask me to do but the driving, dealing with the traffic, the hours behind the wheel, waiting to get loaded/unloaded, working with dispatchers, truck stop parking etc... those kind of things.

So I am leaving this Sunday and starting orientation on Monday. If anyone is interested, I'll try and update the blog with my experiences objectively while at Stevens. I'm excited and apprehensive at the same time,

Brian

Thanks for the update but I need to get some recent experience. I have been politely turned down by many companies because of not having any recent experience or they tell me they are not hiring from my area, I dare not turn down a job offer after looking for the past 3 months. I know money is important to everyone but right now experience is more important to me right now. I'm easy to get along with and will see how things go. As soon as I get past the prelim and not being sent home for any reason, I'll start a blog on the "CDL Training Diaries" with my experience there. I'm excited and hope things go well!

Brian

I enjoy reading all your comments and this old trucker is learns something new here every time. I say old trucker because I haven't driven OTR or any semi's for over 24 years. I kept my CDL current during all that time. Now that I have retired from a desk job after 24 years, I started searching for a driving position a couple months ago but no one would hire me because of my lack of recent experience and those that might of did not hire out of my area, Fort Lauderdale. Even offer to buy a truck and lease to a company and was refused as well for the same reason.

After a few months of searching and not getting anywhere, I was offered a job with "Stevens Transport, Inc" today. I spoke to the recruiter a couple of times but today, over the phone, we discuss my application and he said everything looks good. A few minutes later he sent me the official "Welcome to Stevens Transport, Inc" letter via email. I have a start date of January 11th. There will be some training involved and a few weeks with a driver trainer. I am excited and nervous at the same time, but feel confident I can so this. I'll probably be the oldest student driver there at 67 years old but hoping my past driving experience of 18 years and racking up 1.5+ million miles during the 80's and 90's will come back to me like riding a bike. Hope so!

Thanks for all the info and keep an eye out on the "CDL Training Diaries" section. I may start a blog there to let drivers know what Stevens training is like in 2021.

Brian

That's some good info to know. I been reading a lot about the emissions controls and getting conflicting information. The one common theme is it can cause your engine to fail prematurely. I been thinking about buying a used truck, nothing soon, but it would be a real bummer if the engine had to be rebuilt in the first year or so due to the emissions on the truck. I am also assuming you can idle, trucks without emissions controls or deleted, in all states except Ca. to say warn or cool without the police citing you in a truck stop. I'm really not concerned with ELD's. I believe they are here to stay and doubt I will buy older than 1999 if I even go that route.

Thanks for the info