FFE Training Academy....My Journey Continues

Day 13. Today was the end of our training at the Academy. We started the morning with a class on safety, then practiced more alley docking on the range in preparation for our final backing evaluation. For the eval in the afternoon, I was graded on my straight backing, parallel parking and alley docking, fortunately passing all three. Only one student in our final eleven struggled and failed, but they worked with her one on one and she eventually passed. We had an afternoon class on railroad crossing safety, and we were done. Tomorrow, the students that did not come in with their CDL's already which includes me will go to the Texas DPS location in Dallas and do our road test, parallel park, straight back and alley dock. If we pass, we will be proud holders of a Class A CDL. We actually finished with one day less training than normal because of the Labor Day holiday.

We are the first class through the academy that will benefit with a new company mandated one day only orientation instead of the usual two to four days. If all goes well, I should be meeting my trainer and hitting the road as early as Wednesday. I am looking forward to that, as I intend to make the best of the time with my trainer and learn all I can in the six weeks with him.

Hey that's awesome! You'll have your CDL in hand in no time!

You're almost ready to head out on the road! Let us know how the testing goes.

I just want to say thanks to Brett, Starcar, Old School, and all the other mods. Their advice, encouragement, knowledge and High Road Training went a long way in helping me to make it through the FFE Academy and TEST AND PASS MY CDL-A DRIVER'S TEST!!! Woohoooooo! I am the proud holder of my CDL-A and a good job with what looks to be a very strong company. With the recent merger between FFE and KLLM, we were informed that we will be the second largest reefer transport company very closely behind CR England.

As for the road test today, I have to confess I was a bundle of nerves, but I did my best to appear confident to the examiner. I got some points deducted here and there, and my parallel park could have been better, but I did not hit any curbs during the entire test, which is automatic failure. Those who did not pass will still have the chance to pass again tomorrow. They will even get a third try if necessary, but that is it. BTW, I mentioned earlier that the DPS exam would include an alley dock, but that was not the case.

Tomorrow, those of us that passed the test have the new one day orientation, then it is possible I will ship out with my trainer on Wednesday. I am looking forward to learning all I can while under his tutelage. It may be tough, but I will persevere no matter what. I will continue to post my experiences, so that I can hopefully be of help to others

Hey Tim - congrats!!! That's fantastic news! There's no feeling in the world like passing that CDL exam and getting your license. It's a huge relief and super exciting. Glad to hear it.

Definitely keep us posted on how things progress for ya. Looking forward to hearing how things go for you on the road with your trainer.

Day 7. Today we were given our evaluations for PVIM, straight line backing, and parallel parking. A couple of students excelled, but most everyone graded average (me included), and nobody failed.

It was incredibly hot today, with the temp in Fort Worth hitting 106 degrees, and I am sure it was much hotter on the asphalt range. Today was the first day the heat began to bother me some, but I made it through the day and felt better after a cool shower. Most of the day is spent spotting for your team of three per truck, so you spend a lot of time in the sun awaiting your turn.

Tomorrow we have the day off for the holiday, and FFE is throwing the students a barbecue. I thought that was thoughtful of them. The day off will give my aching left leg time to heal. Feathering a heavy spring clutch for three straight days will make it ache until you get used to it.

On Tuesday, we start learning how to shift using double clutching. We will be taken out of the road for the first time. I am really looking forward to the challenge.

Hello Tim, How is it going now? I,m 50 and about to start my journey. Looking forward to it.

Hey Tim - congrats!!! That's fantastic news! There's no feeling in the world like passing that CDL exam and getting your license. It's a huge relief and super exciting. Glad to hear it.

Definitely keep us posted on how things progress for ya. Looking forward to hearing how things go for you on the road with your trainer.

Thanks, Brett. I will do my best to post my experiences during time with my trainer.

It turns out that the new one day orientation still has some bugs to work out, but we should be finished tomorrow. Hopefully, Thursday I will be heading out. We had a driver pull up into the Academy bobtailed this afternoon in a 2013 Pro Star all nice, green and shiny. We thought he might be a trainer here to pick one of the graduates up, but it turned out to be a company driver just stopping in to rest and catch a shower before going to a nearby shipper to pick up a load for New Jersey. He gave us a lot of good info, and let us climb in and check out his truck. Nice for sure, but I don't care whether Cascadia or Pro Star, I just want to be rolling.

Congratulations Man! I really enjoy hearing the success stories as they come in. I know it's silly, but you feel like your kid just graduated or something. I think it's because of all the misinformation out there for new people trying to get into trucking. When you realize you've managed to help someone find their way through the confusing maze and see them get that CDL and start out on the adventure of a lifetime, well, it's just downright gratifying.

Again, Congratulations! I'm really excited for ya! Can't wait to hear some more about your journey and about FFE.

Day 7. Today we were given our evaluations for PVIM, straight line backing, and parallel parking. A couple of students excelled, but most everyone graded average (me included), and nobody failed.

It was incredibly hot today, with the temp in Fort Worth hitting 106 degrees, and I am sure it was much hotter on the asphalt range. Today was the first day the heat began to bother me some, but I made it through the day and felt better after a cool shower. Most of the day is spent spotting for your team of three per truck, so you spend a lot of time in the sun awaiting your turn.

Tomorrow we have the day off for the holiday, and FFE is throwing the students a barbecue. I thought that was thoughtful of them. The day off will give my aching left leg time to heal. Feathering a heavy spring clutch for three straight days will make it ache until you get used to it.

On Tuesday, we start learning how to shift using double clutching. We will be taken out of the road for the first time. I am really looking forward to the challenge.

Hello Tim, How is it going now? I,m 50 and about to start my journey. Looking forward to it.

Darrell, I am great. Are you going to the FFE Academy, or if not, who?

Congratulations Man! I really enjoy hearing the success stories as they come in. I know it's silly, but you feel like your kid just graduated or something. I think it's because of all the misinformation out there for new people trying to get into trucking. When you realize you've managed to help someone find their way through the confusing maze and see them get that CDL and start out on the adventure of a lifetime, well, it's just downright gratifying.

Again, Congratulations! I'm really excited for ya! Can't wait to hear some more about your journey and about FFE.

Thanks, Old School. I appreciate it.

I was just mentioning the driver for FFE that stopped at the Academy today. He is just entering his third year, and getting a ton of miles. He let us know that it can be a little slow in Jan and Feb, but the rest of the year he is really rolling. I was very impressed with what he is getting. He also mentioned that he loves working for FFE. That is solid information right there straight from a drivers live mouth, and, he is a company driver and not a lease operator. Also, there has been no indication whatsoever that the staff here at FFE has mislead us in any way.

Congrats on the CDL Tim! By now you may be on the road with your trainer while I am finishing up (actually already finished but I need a ride home lol) with mine. I will tell you now on top of my posts that you will have times where you will want to flip out on the dude (or lady) in the jump seat. Don't. There is a method to their madness. I read somewhere here that trainees will be tested on much more than the driving. That is true. All you need to remember is keep your cool, know that there is an end and every day gets you closer to it, AND no matter how bad you screw up, keep telling yourself that you will improve and be driving your own truck real soon.

good luck and make it fun.