I just completed my phase 1 training in the GYCDL program at Roehl. I was selected to the national refrigerated fleet and trained in Appleton Wisc. Appleton trains in automatic's only so the coarse is 3 weeks long. As a VERY general overview, I was impressed and appreciative of the way Roehl sets the expectations early (safety, responsibility, ethics) and backed it up with sticking with me when I stumbled. I could not have asked for more. The training was fast paced like drinking from a fire hose, 60% of my class graduated. On test day I passed the pretrip inspection with 1 point and was in the last backing maneuver with 3 points when tragedy struck. I had believed that you got 2 free pull up's and 2 free Get Out And Look's and they were 1 point each after that. I was in the hole, a couple inches from the box I thought and opened my door to verify and the Roehl/State evaluator yelled " don't get out of the truck" I was nervous and confused with what he said and suddenly assumed what he was telling me was I needed to indicate with my air horn because I must be in the box. I blew the horn and hopped out thinking I nailed it. When he explained what just happened (3 points and then blowing the horn with the bumper not in the box 10 points (12 point max) I failed you could have knocked me over with a feather. He yelled for me not to get out of the truck because it would have been number 3 which would be an auto fail, and asked what I was thinking and I explained my apparent misunderstanding. I could not believe with everything I walked away from to pursue this chance at a new challenge in my life was over. I saw real compassion in his face and was told go back to the waiting room and hangout. Within 30 minutes the director of operations called me in and let me know he had talked to my instructors and the evaluator and I would be given another chance to take the test the following week. It would have been easy for them to dump me for a stupid mistake because it is upon me to know the rules and even though I was grateful for the 2nd chance I was so angry at my self that it took me a couple days to put it behind me. There is more to the story in Part 2 that I will post later today or tomorrow.
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
I just completed my phase 1 training in the GYCDL program at Roehl. I was selected to the national refrigerated fleet and trained in Appleton Wisc. Appleton trains in automatic's only so the coarse is 3 weeks long. As a VERY general overview, I was impressed and appreciative of the way Roehl sets the expectations early (safety, responsibility, ethics) and backed it up with sticking with me when I stumbled. I could not have asked for more. The training was fast paced like drinking from a fire hose, 60% of my class graduated. On test day I passed the pretrip inspection with 1 point and was in the last backing maneuver with 3 points when tragedy struck. I had believed that you got 2 free pull up's and 2 free Get Out And Look's and they were 1 point each after that. I was in the hole, a couple inches from the box I thought and opened my door to verify and the Roehl/State evaluator yelled " don't get out of the truck" I was nervous and confused with what he said and suddenly assumed what he was telling me was I needed to indicate with my air horn because I must be in the box. I blew the horn and hopped out thinking I nailed it. When he explained what just happened (3 points and then blowing the horn with the bumper not in the box 10 points (12 point max) I failed you could have knocked me over with a feather. He yelled for me not to get out of the truck because it would have been number 3 which would be an auto fail, and asked what I was thinking and I explained my apparent misunderstanding. I could not believe with everything I walked away from to pursue this chance at a new challenge in my life was over. I saw real compassion in his face and was told go back to the waiting room and hangout. Within 30 minutes the director of operations called me in and let me know he had talked to my instructors and the evaluator and I would be given another chance to take the test the following week. It would have been easy for them to dump me for a stupid mistake because it is upon me to know the rules and even though I was grateful for the 2nd chance I was so angry at my self that it took me a couple days to put it behind me. There is more to the story in Part 2 that I will post later today or tomorrow.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated