School's Over, CDL A In Hand - Oh Oh, What Have I DONE????

OK so what the heck have I done......after this mornings 2 hour road trip going through tight right and left hand turns on city streets, having me go down a dead end street and having to 90° back out of dead end, getting on & off the interstate several times, having me stop & start on a couple of hills, turns out this as a "sneaky' test trip ( didn't know I was being evaluated )

We walk back into the school after the lesson and my instructor tells me that " there is nothing left for me to teach you here, it's time you get on the road with a trainer"

Holy S*%†......now I'm freaking out....I'm honestly scared for the first time in....well I can't remember. This is all going real FAST, and I hope I am ready......

Do trainers realize newbies are, or can be scared, I know I can't be the first to feel this way. Worrying about everything.....not just the driving, but the trip planning, parking in truck stops, sharing trainers truck, etc.

Congratulations! Great adventures coming your way. Everyone has those feelings in the beginning.

Congratulations! Great adventures coming your way. Everyone has those feelings in the beginning.

Thanks, I have been looking forward to doing this......but it just hit me tonight that its really going to happen and it has me worried about everything.....school is a "safe" environment..... real world not so much, a lot of expectations to live up to.

Yep Brian, we tell people this all the time - There is going to come a moment when it will hit you hard - "What have I got myself into?"

Take a deep breath, you've still got a lot of challenges coming your way. I remember when I was with my trainer, there came a day when I seriously considered walking away, thinking I can't take this anymore. Turns out my trainer was pushing me and testing me all along to see if I would crack under pressure. Is this a good way to train people? I can't answer that question, but I have been a top performer for some time now and though I don't really give that credit to my trainer, I will say that dealing with the pressure that he put me under helped me understand myself better, and be able to encourage others who find themselves in strange training situations.

The other thing that I tell people often is how quickly everything starts moving once you get to a certain point in the game - hey bud, you're there - it's "sink or swim" time. I remember Mountain Girl quoting "Dori" recently in the forum - it comes back to me as I'm typing this response - "Keep swimming"

Yep Brian, we tell people this all the time - There is going to come a moment when it will hit you hard - "What have I got myself into?"

Take a deep breath, you've still got a lot of challenges coming your way. I remember when I was with my trainer, there came a day when I seriously considered walking away, thinking I can't take this anymore. Turns out my trainer was pushing me and testing me all along to see if I would crack under pressure. Is this a good way to train people? I can't answer that question, but I have been a top performer for some time now and though I don't really give that credit to my trainer, I will say that dealing with the pressure that he put me under helped me understand myself better, and be able to encourage others who find themselves in strange training situations.

The other thing that I tell people often is how quickly everything starts moving once you get to a certain point in the game - hey bud, you're there - it's "sink or swim" time. I remember Mountain Girl quoting "Dori" recently in the forum - it comes back to me as I'm typing this response - "Keep swimming"

One thing I will NOT do is walk away, I wanted drive truck back in 1978 when I graduated high school, no one would hire me....only 18, no experience, so I gave up on it then. Have been self-employed for the last 16 years, and it wasn't easy, but I stuck it out.....I know I can do this, I'm just fearful of the unknown and hoping I get the proper training to continue my education in the trucking industry.

I know I can do this, I'm just fearful of the unknown and hoping I get the proper training to continue my education in the trucking industry.

Brian I never felt like I got "the proper training", but here's the deal - you're gonna get the training that the company you go with provides you. It may seem like it's not enough to you, and I really think most people feel that way when they are getting issued their first truck. It is what it is. My real education/training came from being on the road. The road is the best teacher there is. Whenever we start out on our first solo run we do so many things wrong - and that is exactly why they took you on that "sneaky" little test trip. They want to feel confident that you can get yourself out of a bind when you get yourself into one. They know you are going to make mistakes and get lost on the wrong streets. They've started lots of rookies out and this is just the way it goes. They aren't confident that you are going to be perfect, but they want to be confident that you can fix it when it all goes south on you. Know what? You showed them you can. There you go, you got yourself into this by giving them that confidence.

You're gonna make some mistakes, but as long as you can get yourself back into the game without tearing something up or hitting something then you are gonna be alright.

Thanks Old School, I appreciate your wisdom and advice

I remember to this day my first heavy haul load.... the training consisted of this is how you disconnect the neck and this is how you put it back together and here is where you pick up the haul truck and drop it off.... Oh and I got my license on a Thursday and this was on a Monday. I was on my own from the get go.

In other words, you learn stuff every day so you will NEVER have enough training. Imagine my surprise the first time I had to load and unload a dozer on my own.... There were no sticks to pull to turn the thing and the pedal on the floor was a brake and not a throttle. That is what is cool about my job, I get to drive EVERYTHING even if it is just to load or unload. The first time I tried to move a paver I had to call my boss to figure out how the heck to move the darn thing.

When I was installing telephone systems and got a new guy to train, I would tell them..... "Never let the customer know you don't know what you are doing and here is the phone list to call for help!"

I'm glad you feel that way, I would be concerned if you didn't. It means your taking it seriously and that you have a grasp on how tough it can be out there.

Most people have no clue what it takes to be a professional driver. I had done my research and spent a lot of time here before I entered trucking. I knew what I was in for and will still say it was harder than I expected.

The time with your trainer will not be easy. But it goes fast and is a very short time in comparison. I had an excellent trainer but was so ready to get rid of him after three weeks. But it's funny how quick you wish he was back with you on your first trip lol.

Just think of it all as a big test to see what your made of and you will be fine. There are several jobs out there that take special people to be able to handle them. Trucking is one o those jobs.

Woody

Brian,

Its very normal to be nervous and confused I know I was for sure. Just remember the trainer has probably seen many other guys like that and you'll be just fine. Just remember to take things at your speed when on the highway and backing. When you start trying to rush or hurry to get out of someones way that's when accidents happen.