Starting Classes Tomorrow

Alright, I start classes Monday, June 4th, Headed to Philadelphia for training through Driver Solutions, I live near Scranton PA, about a 2 hour drive and Ill be staying in a hotel on the NJ side, daily $5 toll to get to the PA side where the school is. I am almost finished getting packed and stuff ready for the first week ( will be coming home on the weekends ). I will do my best to keep posting here to let everyone know how it goes and for others behind me to know what to expect.

Congrats Tom. I am sure the weeks will fly by. I look forward to reading what you are to post.

Safe travels

Okay, yesterday was a long day. Roommate and I woke up extremely early and got to class at AAA CDL school in Philly. Paperwork was what start ed she day off followed by physicals. Last part of the day was going over the written tests, finally went back to the hotel at around 10:30.

Ill post more about the school and hotel in a later post.

Today though my room mate and I will be hitting a dmv to get our clp.

Day 2, Had to go to the DMV to get my CLP , passed on the first try, The Highroad system works, best study tool I came across for the knowledge exams. Downside is my PA non-CLD license had less than 6 months on it and I had to renew that before I could get the tests for the CLP done.,

Even with the extra time needed to get money orders, I was still out of there within an hour and a half. 30 minute drive from the DMV to the school, wound up with an hour to spare so, I found myself a parking spot and went to get 'breakfast' (quarter pounder with cheese). Then in class we covered inspection and a few other things in detail with videos and a bit of book work.

Tomorrow we get our first day at the range which is at a separate location.

Continued good luck and congrats on being in training.

Day 2, Had to go to the DMV to get my CLP , passed on the first try, The Highroad system works, best study tool I came across for the knowledge exams. Downside is my PA non-CLD license had less than 6 months on it and I had to renew that before I could get the tests for the CLP done.,

Even with the extra time needed to get money orders, I was still out of there within an hour and a half. 30 minute drive from the DMV to the school, wound up with an hour to spare so, I found myself a parking spot and went to get 'breakfast' (quarter pounder with cheese). Then in class we covered inspection and a few other things in detail with videos and a bit of book work.

Tomorrow we get our first day at the range which is at a separate location.

Congrats on passing on the first try. I passed all mine in one sitting as well thanks to the Highroad program. Only a few of us in the class passed on day one. Keep us posted on the training. I'm a week into mine. Keep us posted.

Okay, I seem to be posting in the mornings about the previous days, I'll keep going with that.

Yesterday my roommate had a family emergency and had to go home, I do hope everything works out for him, he does hope he can return Monday to pick up where he left off.

Anyway I got to the practice yard about an hour early and just watched. On a side note I do have to say AAA cold school in Philly is a little school and not enough instructors or trucks. But they had classes bigger than what they have now and apparently all of that class was successful in getting their cdls.

After lunch the group I was with started pretrip and took video of the airbrakes test to study. And we did a little bit of strait backing, for me it wasn't difficult.

So in a nutshell, other than my growing sunburn, I enjoyed my first day at the range.

Okay I have two days to cover.

Thursday, More going over pre-trip, air brakes and in-cab, more strait line backing, the instructors are focused on the ones getting close to doing their tests. As I said its a small school only 3-4 instructors and a total of 4 trucks at the range. A pair of students that have been there for longer guided us through the inspections and got us doing more strait backing and then I got the chance to try the offset, took a few tries and a mangled cone but I got it in the box.

Friday, I got there early as I normally do, started going over the pre-trip, only missed 3-4 things outside. Eventually another senior student took three of my group ( have one guy thinking he HAS to be trained ONLY by an instructor and the female of our group was at her gandson's graduation) and we went over air brakes and in-cab once more. The three of us took turns doing strait backing and I was asked if I wanted to attempt the offset again, so I went for it, MUCH easier time of it this time, I took my time, watched what I was doing as it was explained to me and had to pull-up three times total to get it in the box!

On a side note, they had a cookout on Friday, grilled burgers hot dogs and chicken. I do like the instructors, great group of guys. Oh and considering I am going to PAM and the bonuses as they are right now, Friday meant I got my first $50 check.

Home for the weekend, took the 2-3 hour trip home to spend the weekend with my wife....... and to do some work on the vehicle I am currently using. Ill be headed back to Philly Sunday evening.

Congrats so far and keep up the good work!

Congrats so far and keep up the good work!

Oh trust me I will keep at this, I WANT this. I will not give up. In fact the vehicle I am using I just replaced the brake pads and sway bar links, to make it safer to travel down I-476 from Scranton/Wilkes-barre area to Philly. Most of that is 70 mph, wasn't comfortable with that little blazer doing more than 60 it was so bad.