Small Vs. Large Training Classes

My point here Grumpy is the most important piece of training is NOT in the classroom. It’s in the yard and on the road where the ratios are much closer to 1 on 1.

My final road driving practice sessions, after passing all of Swift’s tests for graduation was 1 on 1. Me and a trainer for a total of 10 hours spread over a 3 day period.

It is possible but it’s progressive after the selection process whittles the class size to a 1/4 of the original size.

My point here Grumpy is the most important piece of training is NOT in the classroom. It’s in the yard and on the road where the ratios are much closer to 1 on 1.

My final road driving practice sessions, after passing all of Swift’s tests for graduation was 1 on 1. Me and a trainer for a total of 10 hours spread over a 3 day period.

It is possible but it’s progressive after the selection process whittles the class size to a 1/4 of the original size.

Yep, I agree completely. The classroom portion is the least important part in my opinion. Almost worthless. They could have given me a book and a test

Though I am surprised at how far down Swift’s classes are whittled down.

Grumpy surprised:

Though I am surprised at how far down Swift’s classes are whittled down.

All Paid CDL Training Programs are highly selective.

My class started with (if memory serves me) 32. By the 2nd day it was at 25, by end of the first week under 20. 7 graduated at the end of 3 weeks. Of that number I know if only 3 of us still driving.

Very selective.

Though I am surprised at how far down Swift’s classes are whittled down.

Grumpy you will find it is like this at almost any company.

Some people just don't seem to be able to grasp the content. Although I have found those are usually the same people more interested in lounging at the pool than they are studying.

At Swift right now for my terminal they end up losing between 1/3 and 1/2 of each class due to failed drug tests.

Grumpy surprised:

Though I am surprised at how far down Swift’s classes are whittled down.

All Paid CDL Training Programs are highly selective.

My class started with (if memory serves me) 32. By the 2nd day it was at 25, by end of the first week under 20. 7 graduated at the end of 3 weeks. Of that number I know if only 3 of us still driving.

Very selective.

I knew they were selective, and that many washed out, just didn't realize that many did.

And Big T, I'm surprised that many fail a drug test. They knew they would be tested.

I remember reading about someone's class that had so many people that there were no instructors in the trucks on the range, they just stood in the middle, yelling instructions while the students practiced. I was shocked at the class size.

Then, I was on the range one day, and our instructor said, I'll be right back, I have to talk to the school administrator that just pulled up. I waited 5 minutes, then decided it was better to ask forgiveness than permission, and started practicing parallel parking without her. She let us practice for a couple of hours (It seemed like, anyway. There were somewhere between 10 to 15 tries for each of the two of us) before she finally came back and said we were getting close, showed us again, and then we got it. I was terrified to hit the cones representing the curb, because I thought it was like the road test, an auto fail. Once I learned it was only 2 points, I did fairly well. I still need practice, but I can get it in the box. The point being, practice is the only thing that is going to help, and as long as you can get the practice time, that is all that matters.

As Rainy said Prime and Wilson Logistics (Wil-Trans & Jim Palmer) class size doesn't really matter. It's only the first week that class size has much impact after that you are off with a trainer for the permit phase of training. That first week is you getting your permit and the instructors evaluating if you are trainable. At Jim Palmer there are 3 instructors and classes are typically less than 6 students.

Once you come back for the CDL tests you are kind of the star of the day(s) and will get lots of course time. Once Marc and Darwyn think you're ready they'll test.

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.

Wil-Trans:

Darrel Wilson bought his first tractor in 1980 at age 20, but, being too young to meet OTR age requirements, he leased the truck out and hired a driver.

Through growth and acquisition, Wil-Trans now employs over 200 drivers, and has a long-standing partnership with Prime, Inc. to haul their refrigerated freight. The family of businesses also includes Jim Palmer Trucking and O & S Trucking.

There were somewhere between 10 to 15 tries for each of the two of us

Wow Grumpy Old Man! That rocks! With my group size (4-6) on the range and the road. In the yard we got one of each offset one of each parallel and two attempts at alley-dock in a day. On road day we got 2 thirty minute drives on the road. When I passed my CDL test I had less than 3 hours behind the wheel on the road.

There were somewhere between 10 to 15 tries for each of the two of us

Wow Grumpy Old Man! That rocks! With my group size (4-6) on the range and the road. In the yard we got one of each offset one of each parallel and two attempts at alley-dock in a day. On road day we got 2 thirty minute drives on the road. When I passed my CDL test I had less than 3 hours behind the wheel on the road.

Wow, great job!

They did tell us we have already had more range time than any other class because of how hard we worked on the class work, but I figured they were just trying to placate us. But after the second drive, I felt much better about my abilities. The straight back and driving around the range was easy, the offset back I got the first try, though my pull up I went farther than I should, since I thought as long as I was behind the cone I was OK.

I feel much more confident that after I complete my 44 hours of driving, I should be able to pass my CDL, and feel better about how much I paid.

I find it strange NY does not require an alley dock. I would think I will be doing that much more than a parallel park. I guess they figure my company will teach me to alley dock.

I find it strange NY does not require an alley dock. I would think I will be doing that much more than a parallel park. I guess they figure my company will teach me to alley dock.

Illinois does not require it either, we did a straight back, offset and parallel.