61 And Starting Drivers Solutions CDL Training Monday
Topic 22775 | Page 5
Dan, congrats on the CDP!
My daughter (18) told me that when I go to Prime for me to ask for an purple automatic. She said I’m too old to be trying to unlearn how I have driven a standard for 40+ years. Yes, she’s a brat and yes, I threatened to ground her. lol I will happily take whatever I am given as far as trucks go.
Hopefully you will get a trainer very soon. Be safe!
Been here at Prime since the 28th of June. The minutes, hours, days, and weeks are like a blur. Not really enough time to think and reflect or really take it all in?
Just got back from a ten day whrill wind four through about 10 or 12 States. (I actually have to think about it. A couple of them we backtracked on twice)
Got back to Springfield last Sunday. Been down on The Pad for the last three days learning how to back up.
Tomorrow I test out for my CDL's. First time out the gate. Not overly concerned, nor apprehensive or even nervous. It is what it is. NEVER backed a truck in my life before last Monday.
I've got the very basic and rudimentary basics, concepts and ideas down, but Man I'd like to have a lot more practice under my belt.
All I can do is to try and maintain composure, state of mind, and stay focused in the moment.
Thanks for all the help here at Truth In Trucking.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
Been here at Prime since the 28th of June........NEVER backed a truck in my life before last Monday
So you were with Prime for 3 weeks before you ever backed up a truck for the first time?
I'm puzzling over that comment too Brett.
He must have had a lease operator for his PSD training who didn't want to have to pay the deductible if he had a backing accident.
I don't know. 
I'm hoping he will explain that statement.
PSD:
Prime Student Driver
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
The following is from Prime's website:
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
Obtain CDL Permit / 4 Days
- Enter program, study and test for Missouri CDL permit.
- Start driving/training at Prime Training Center in Springfield, Missouri.
- Work toward 40,000 training dispatched miles (minimum) with food allowance while without CDL (Food allowance is paid back with future earnings).
On-the-Road Instruction / 10,000 Miles
- Train with experienced certified CDL instructor for 3-4 weeks in a real world environment.
- Get 75 hours of behind-the-wheel time with one-on-one student/instructor ratio.
- Earn 10,000 miles toward total 40,000 miles needed.
Been here at Prime since the 28th of June........NEVER backed a truck in my life before last Monday
So you were with Prime for 3 weeks before you ever backed up a truck for the first time?
Yes, I've been here for three weeks. And the first time I've ever back up a trailer was this last Monday.
My trainer is a Lease operator/PSD ~TNT Trainer that I went out on PSD Training for 10 days.
I drove. But I didn't do any backing.
I ok with the off set and straight back, one attempt with the Alley Dock. The last one was ugly.
PSD:
Prime Student Driver
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
The following is from Prime's website:
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
Obtain CDL Permit / 4 Days
- Enter program, study and test for Missouri CDL permit.
- Start driving/training at Prime Training Center in Springfield, Missouri.
- Work toward 40,000 training dispatched miles (minimum) with food allowance while without CDL (Food allowance is paid back with future earnings).
On-the-Road Instruction / 10,000 Miles
- Train with experienced certified CDL instructor for 3-4 weeks in a real world environment.
- Get 75 hours of behind-the-wheel time with one-on-one student/instructor ratio.
- Earn 10,000 miles toward total 40,000 miles needed.
TNT:
Trainer-N-Trainee
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
The first week of my training my trainer didn't have me do any backing. Whenever we went into a truck stop during the day for my 30 minute break he would set out jugs and have me practice backing. By the third week he would get out of the truck and I would do the backing... Not always pretty. He told me it would take at least a year for me to be confident in putting it in the hole. Some days I nail it... Tonight I looked like a total novice... Thank God there was no one in the yard other than the people with the door up watching me...smh. took me a good 15 minutes to do what I should have done in 2 minutes. Some days I feel so great other days I feel so defeated.
Yeah, it does take a long time to get the feel for backing. Even after a year of practice you're still going to continue to improve considerably. It's something you'll always work at and always try to get better at. No one ever gets to the point that they hit every dock perfectly without a pull up, even after 10 years or more.
Being on the road for 10 days without backing isn't too awful. They must plan on having everyone cram a bunch of backing practice at the yard before the CDL exam, let you guys get a little practice during TNT , then fine tune it yourselves over time once you go solo.
Believe me, no one is any good at backing when they first go solo. It's one of the main anxieties of the job in the beginning for everyone. Just be patient and understand that's how the process works. Go super, super slow and make sure you don't hit anything. There's never any reason to take any chances. When you know you're getting close to something keep getting out to look at it and creep a little at a time.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
TNT:
Trainer-N-Trainee
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
Tested out and got my CDL'S today!!!!!
I've been having problems with backing. I was fine with everything. Cone actually testing? I was squirreling up six different ways to Sunday!
So? I says to myself, #@$% #$! Reverted back to the tried and true?
I went Full Auto Marine Gunny. Absolute sheer determination and made my mind up to just put it in the box on way or the other and blow the horn!!
It WASN'T textbook, by the numbers,.............
It wasn't a Rembrandt, it wasn't the prettiest off center lane right hand off set, nor the Alley Dock.
More like a bad Picasso after a fifth or two of tequila.
But I got it in the box and inside the boundary lines!
The examiner himself and another instructor came congratulated me and shook my hand! Telling me they didn't know how in the world I managed to do it?
Afterwards? I lit a smoke, and blew smoke rings like James Bond after having one of his romantic encounters with some famous international models!
Thanks for any and all help here.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
"Going full Gunny" I love that. When my guys in the Navy ask me how I managed pull something off that looked like it could not happen. My answer was normally "becouse I am a First Class Petty officer"
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Passed. my CDP first time around, thanks in no small part to the High Road CDL Training Program.
Even though I've my permit now, I plan on continue working the High Road CDL Training program as best I can and when I can.
Keeping things as simple as I can for the time being. A lot of students are talking about going lease straight out of the gate.
My plan is to go reefer , company, gain as much experience and acquire as much as I can over the coming months.
I tested out in the Simulator lab on an automatic transmission as I was having problems with the 10 speed standard. I've never even sat in a Semi until last Friday.
In the Semulation lab, we got a grand total of 7-1/2 hours split among 3 students.
It's not that they weren't willing to work with me on it. They were. They just presented what my options were.
Prime is going all out 100% automatic transmissions quick, fast, and in a hurry like. 70% of the PSD & T&T instructors drive autos, and thus at least 70%,6f and all students going to train on autos. The whole industry is moving on that direction
They came out and informed us, autos or standards, choosing between either when it came to going out on the road with a trainer was no longer an option.
There's a shortage of available PSD, even more so depending if wheaten you go reefer, fly bed, or tanker. More do for the last two than the former.
In part because of the 4th of July holiday. Because of the same my class went through in a shorter period than normal.
It is what it is.
Hopefully I'll pick up a trainer today or tomorrow.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
PSD:
Prime Student Driver
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
The following is from Prime's website:
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
Obtain CDL Permit / 4 Days
On-the-Road Instruction / 10,000 Miles
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.