Bad CDL School Experience...need Advice Please...

Kinda looks to me like company sponsored school, you got your cdl but they fired you from the company cause you couldnt pass your company test in after 6 weeks on the road? Am I accurate? If so im not sure they can hold you liable but you should have a certificate and could get hired by another company that reimburses tuition.

OldSchool, thanks so much for the tips on the backing and parallel maneuvers and the school was a company-sponsored school. It is in one of the hardest states to take the test ( spaces are shorter and narrower. The skip pad range is where you practice backing and skills controls, and also where you take the skills control part of the test and the pre-trip. the rig was owned by the company and my teacher was leasing it from them. The way their program is set up, you are supposed to do the school part first then go on the road for training. and I asked the fleet manager if they had a different teacher or another driver that was available while they were at the terminal to help me practice more and teach me, but he refused . and all the trucks were either being used to teach the other students or in regular use elsewhere. and yes, I have not even attempted the real test yet but yes , I could probably pass it because I aced the pre-trip in practice and did okay on the skills control in practice. I just want them to let me finish my practicing so i can be sure that I will pass when I take the test. The company and I had a contract and they did not fulfill their part because they did not finish teaching me. My teacher spent too much time on the road and not enough on the range, but remember I said that his rig broke down for two weeks and we were in a state far far away from the terminal. I agree with you. I wanna try and just practice the last week or two and then take the test. I think that's reasonable enough. do you agree?

Studpuppy, I'm still curious, you keep referring to a fleet manager, so are you at a company sponsored training program? You said the person in charge of the whole training program still wants you to be there, but you also make it sound like there are no trucks available for you to train in - I'm just not getting it! If the person in charge wants you there why can't you be there? What kind of truck driving program doesn't have trucks for you to train in? I'm really not dense, but you're not giving me much to go on. I genuinely want to help you, but can't make sense out of the situation based on the information you're giving us.

But I'm going to stress again that you've got to have that training certificate. You're going to be up a creek without a paddle if you can't get that certificate.

I'm strictly going on assumption here, but if this is a company sponsored program I recommend that you get them to make you an appointment for your test. I think you can pass that test with ease based on the driving experiences you've told us about. If you've got your CDL then they will put you to work and you can move forward and get this behind you. Nobody feels they are fully prepared when they go test out and the people at the DMV know that they are dealing with people who are just barely getting started. They aren't looking for perfection, they are simply looking to see if you know how to be safe and have a little confidence in what you are doing. If you've been driving in the North East for two months you've got way more skills than you need to pass that test.

Don't let that parallel park thing hold you back. Unless you're testing in Texas you may not even have to do that procedure, but if you do here's some advice. It's not that hard to do, and the main thing is that you don't bump the curb with a tire. Even if you're truck is six feet away from the curb when you finish the maneuver it only counts off your score about 4 points. It's not a pass or fail issue unless you bump the curb. All you've got to do is get the trailer backing up and heading in the right direction (idle speed only) toward the curb, then straighten up the cab with your trailer so that you can take a peek in the mirror at the tandems and the curb so you've got an idea how you're coming, then you turn the wheel again to adjust based on what you saw in the mirror, then you will straighten up again and look in that mirror to see how it's coming, then you can turn the other way to get your cab and trailer lined up with each other somewhat parallel with the curb. Trust me, you can do it real sloppy and they will only take off a few points. You can also get out and look (G.O.A.L.) and you are also allowed three pull ups in Texas. You will hardly ever be needing to parallel park in the real world, but the reason a few states have it on their test is just to give the tester an idea about your understanding of how the trailer reacts in a backing situation, and I think you've got more than enough of that based on what you've told us.

No, they didn't exactly fire me, they said I was a good driver especially for a complete newbie at the time. they just told me that I couldn't stay and practice more because they didn't have a trainer available to stay at the terminal and like I said my teacher lost two weeks of time that he should have been at the terminal teching me because his rig broke down in a state far far away from the terminal. and no I have not even taken the CDL test yet. and yes, I've got a couple of companies wanting to talk to me about working for them. In fact, I'm about to go on the road again with one of their vet drivers and also another one also. so what I didn't learn from my company teacher, I am going to learn from these guys. and they are going to practice with me on a rented yard and then I will take my test they have their own examiner and equipment only 25/hour to rent the rig. I could also take my test here on my own like i just said and then go do a refresher up at that school and then they would give me my certificate does that sound reasonable to you?

Kinda looks to me like company sponsored school, you got your cdl but they fired you from the company cause you couldnt pass your company test in after 6 weeks on the road? Am I accurate? If so im not sure they can hold you liable but you should have a certificate and could get hired by another company that reimburses tuition.

Studpuppy, at this point I wouldn't dwell on worrying about that contract and whether or not they did their part or not. It serves no purpose at this point - it will only get you into a legal fight with them and one you probably can't win. I know it's hard to accept that feeling that you've been wronged, I've been there and done that. I'm old enough to know that feeling many times over. You've just got to move past it and realize that you've got to do what it takes to get that CDL and that certificate. It sounds like you can still do it.

I say jump on the chance to go take your test. If for some reason you fail (and I seriously doubt that is going to happen) it's okay, it's not the end of the world - you just schedule a new time and go do it again. If you fail, it shows you which are the things that you need to concentrate on while you're waiting for your next test date. I tried to explain it before that they are not looking for perfection on that test, so don't overburden yourself thinking that you've got to execute everything flawlessly. With the driving you've done in the Northeast I'm pretty sure you've got what it takes to get this done even if you are in a difficult state for testing.

I seriously want you to let us know how this turns out. I don't know why but I took a keen interest in you from the moment I read your first post. I want to see you get past this and move on into your career. It appears to me you've got what it takes to be a great truck driver and I'd like to see you get in there and start making some money at this instead of heading back to whatever it was you were doing before this all got started.

I'm saying whatever you have to do to get this behind you, I'd do it. If they want you to do a refresher or whatever, just get it behind you. There's a rewarding career ahead of you just waiting for you to step in and enjoy it, and you don't want to waste too much time on worrying whether or not you got cheated or not. It's simply not worth the time and effort when you can go ahead and do what you've got to do to get it behind you.

Thanks for all the encouraging tips and advice and you are right. i will try to see if they will let me come back and do a refresher and try the test but I actually wanna get the cdl here on my own and i just wanna finish the school to get the certificate and the head of the program likes me so he has the say he told me to take my time and come back when ready now i just need to find a vet driver up there to help me in the refresher and then im done and yeas the fleet manager teacher and dispatcher all agreed that I am a good driver on the 2nd day i was driving the truck all by myself and i drove the northeast and midwest like IL IN OH etc and pulled mountains in W VA TN and KY too I drove all over 23 states and so I just need to practice my backups and i will be ready i could prolly pass the test now but i wanna be for certain i can when i try it for the first time and if i ace the pre-trip like i did in practice i can have points to spare when i do the skills control and road test and im not gonna miss many on that i know the 8 or 9 things you must do on the road test like for example when we pass a bridge the examiner WILL ask you what the height sign said and I know what to do at RR crossings and not to shift in turns etc etc and we can make 28 errors so i should pass and if not yeah i will retake it til i get it and yeah i am ready to make the money my job now is bland but it pays the bills i am also an armed guard now bodyguard too i just passed my gun license test with my 38 calibre revolver i bought. so i have jobs i can do as backup but with a cdl you can do many things so thats one reason i wanna

Studpuppy, at this point I wouldn't dwell on worrying about that contract and whether or not they did their part or not. It serves no purpose at this point - it will only get you into a legal fight with them and one you probably can't win. I know it's hard to accept that feeling that you've been wronged, I've been there and done that. I'm old enough to know that feeling many times over. You've just got to move past it and realize that you've got to do what it takes to get that CDL and that certificate. It sounds like you can still do it.

I say jump on the chance to go take your test. If for some reason you fail (and I seriously doubt that is going to happen) it's okay, it's not the end of the world - you just schedule a new time and go do it again. If you fail, it shows you which are the things that you need to concentrate on while you're waiting for your next test date. I tried to explain it before that they are not looking for perfection on that test, so don't overburden yourself thinking that you've got to execute everything flawlessly. With the driving you've done in the Northeast I'm pretty sure you've got what it takes to get this done even if you are in a difficult state for testing.

I seriously want you to let us know how this turns out. I don't know why but I took a keen interest in you from the moment I read your first post. I want to see you get past this and move on into your career. It appears to me you've got what it takes to be a great truck driver and I'd like to see you get in there and start making some money at this instead of heading back to whatever it was you were doing before this all got started.

I'm saying whatever you have to do to get this behind you, I'd do it. If they want you to do a refresher or whatever, just get it behind you. There's a rewarding career ahead of you just waiting for you to step in and enjoy it, and you don't want to waste too much time on worrying whether or not you got cheated or not. It's simply not worth the time and effort when you can go ahead and do what you've got to do to get it behind you.

Go get em man! I can't wait to hear the outcome of all this.

of course i will still have to shell out the money for what they DID actually teach me and thats fine so long as i get my certificate and even if they challenged me a jury would agree or a judge those kinda cases almost always end in an agreement that is a win-win for both parties but like i said i just want everyone to be happy and my teacher could not help that his rig broke down that was a fluke that time down shot up our practice time see what I mean? but yeah i will practice with these driver friends i know they said they would go to an independent yard and practice with me and im riding over the road with them in late sept i think everything will work out and i will keep you aprised although it may be December until im on my own I've got several companies trying to talk to me about coming on board with them I already have my permit and aced that the first day I missed 2 questions out of all 3 sections but I wanna know the exact techniques of backing so that i can eventually become a teacher myself i have a Masters Degree in Secondary Education already and am a veteran teacher but i wanna teach CDL school in the long range future maybe as one of my side jobs If we ever meet on the road, me and you gotta sit down for one of those nice East Texas catfish dinners somewhere and maybe a game of Friday night football too

Go get em man! I can't wait to hear the outcome of all this.

Hey studpuppy28 - I've been following along with the conversation but Old School was doing an awesome job with you so I was just waiting for an opportunity to contribute. I've been thinking that you're obsessing about knowing and practicing all you possibly can before testing and now I see why:

I wanna know the exact techniques of backing so that i can eventually become a teacher myself i have a Masters Degree in Secondary Education already and am a veteran teacher but i wanna teach CDL school in the long range future maybe as one of my side jobs

Trucking is a trade and 98% of everything you'll need to know to be a true professional driver you'll learn on the road. Practicing at the range and studying the CDL manual is going to do very little good at this point - you're holding yourself back tremendously. Getting your CDL really only means the very first part of your training is complete but even the states know that you'll be on the road with a trainer learning a lot more after that. And trust me - a few years from now when you really know your stuff you'll look back and realize almost none of it was learned before you got your CDL.

You're looking at getting your CDL as you would a Master's Degree - something that symbolizes you've mastered a certain subject area. You're looking to master the knowledge and techniques to ace the test. In trucking, getting your CDL pretty much means you know enough of the basics that they'll allow you to drive. But it's only the beginning.

You should have taken the test when they told you to. The reason they won't let you practice any longer is because they know you don't need it. All you're doing is wasting time and burning fuel. They wanted you to get the test over with so you could get out there and be a productive driver.

I would suggest trying to get the "academic approach" to learning how to drive a truck out of your mind and take a "tradesman's approach" to learning - you learn by doing it in the real world. Get on with it. Get that CDL and move forward. If you fail the test, so what? You just take it again. No big deal.

And sitting on the range practicing or driving around town learning to drive is doing nothing toward giving you the knowledge to become a teacher at a Truck Driving School. You have to get out there in the real world and learn that kind of knowledge.

So stop wasting your time on practice ranges. Take that test, get your CDL, and get out there doing it. That's how it works in trucking. The CDL isn't the pinnacle of your learning experience. In fact, it's barely the beginning of it.

Thanks Brett I will spend only a couple days on the practice range here on my own and then do my test maybe they will let me fall in with the training part and i can pick it up from there. the head of the program said that would be fine my extra seasonal job ends in another week and a half so i will have only 2 days of work after that and thats when i will use the 5 other days of the week to practice and test out I think i have the principles of backing down now so I'm gonna do what you said and go ahead and test out do you know if there is a time limit on the skills control part of the test in Florida ? and how much time do they generally give you for each backing maneuver if there is a limit?

Hey studpuppy28 - I've been following along with the conversation but Old School was doing an awesome job with you so I was just waiting for an opportunity to contribute. I've been thinking that you're obsessing about knowing and practicing all you possibly can before testing and now I see why:

I wanna know the exact techniques of backing so that i can eventually become a teacher myself i have a Masters Degree in Secondary Education already and am a veteran teacher but i wanna teach CDL school in the long range future maybe as one of my side jobs

Trucking is a trade and 98% of everything you'll need to know to be a true professional driver you'll learn on the road. Practicing at the range and studying the CDL manual is going to do very little good at this point - you're holding yourself back tremendously. Getting your CDL really only means the very first part of your training is complete but even the states know that you'll be on the road with a trainer learning a lot more after that. And trust me - a few years from now when you really know your stuff you'll look back and realize almost none of it was learned before you got your CDL.

You're looking at getting your CDL as you would a Master's Degree - something that symbolizes you've mastered a certain subject area. You're looking to master the knowledge and techniques to ace the test. In trucking, getting your CDL pretty much means you know enough of the basics that they'll allow you to drive. But it's only the beginning.

You should have taken the test when they told you to. The reason they won't let you practice any longer is because they know you don't need it. All you're doing is wasting time and burning fuel. They wanted you to get the test over with so you could get out there and be a productive driver.

I would suggest trying to get the "academic approach" to learning how to drive a truck out of your mind and take a "tradesman's approach" to learning - you learn by doing it in the real world. Get on with it. Get that CDL and move forward. If you fail the test, so what? You just take it again. No big deal.

And sitting on the range practicing or driving around town learning to drive is doing nothing toward giving you the knowledge to become a teacher at a Truck Driving School. You have to get out there in the real world and learn that kind of knowledge.

So stop wasting your time on practice ranges. Take that test, get your CDL, and get out there doing it. That's how it works in trucking. The CDL isn't the pinnacle of your learning experience. In fact, it's barely the beginning of it.