My Knight - Mare With Squire Training

Sme88, you're not going to get any love here, if you haven't noticed. You make it clear you had a decent office job, which Squire knew. How does that affect your training? The school training (not just Knight/Squire) is aimed at getting you behind the wheel, knowing enough to pass CDL tests. Every state is different, and your school should prepare you for your state of residence. (I know not all work this way, though.) So that's what they did. Also many states are using 3rd party testing. Easier on the state, more costly for you - facts of life.

Two things are clear in your story: you decided to drive yourself and to pay for your hotel yourself. I believe all company schools pick up the check for transportation (even if you drive) as well as the hotel. You did save yourself some grief, I suppose, for getting your own room. We here have heard complaints about lousy BBQ sauce at some company paid hotels.

As for your office job, Sme88, rest assured that people from all walks of life have gotten down and dirty with pre-trip inspections: teachers, office workers, retirees, even a guy who puts horseshoes on horses.

In the rest of your story you seem to continually bump into closed doors/"no"/failure situations. That is a symptom of having a feeling of entitlement (means somehow the world owes you something). Driving school & CDL is not an easy project. You, Sme88, need to invest your own blood and sweat in your new career.

The Trucking Truth forums are really here to help people get through the training, and then support each other as the new drivers hit the road.

Do, please do use the great study material here. If you have problems understanding something, or can't "get" offset backing down, these forums can't be beat on getting you straightened out.

Do not go away, complaining we blew you off over your sad story. Knuckle down, focus on what has to be done, and above all take responsibility for your own life.

No, they told me they weren't gonna pay for my transportation or lodging but that's not really the point. I did invest my blood sweat and tears. So I don't get where you think I feel entitled but thank you for reading nontheless.

Go on over to Celadon,you can progress at your own pace,room and meals are provided,and no snails for trucks.

Sorry Sme88 that it seems we are being brutallly honest with you, we certainally want every truckingtruths members to succeed. The issue at hand is that you choose the wrong style school to train at. As you are aware many of these company sponsored schools are very fast pace (either sink or swim). Its a hard lesson when you require more training than the company usually allows. So many people go through these accelerated programs and find themselves without a CDL or a job because they just needed more training to get the hang of driving a truck.

I am glad you are sharing your story because it is a good lesson to other people who are trying to decide how to enter the trucking industry and what route to take. As you are aware their are other pathways to succeed in getting your CDL. You still have an opportunity to apply to another company school. Since you are requiring more time to get acclimated driving you should perhaps apply at Celadon or Prime. Both companies have fantastic reputations of taking there time with new students. Before I selected Prime I was in the same boat as you were when I looked at my options, even though I was accepted to other Company schools that were faster pace I decided Prime was my best fit because of the longer training period. Even though my ego wanted me to get in a solo truck ASAP.

And in a nut shell there is the reality of the accelerated company program. These companies are only interested in people they can fast track on the road. The people who are naturals at it and pick up the lessons very quickly. You and I both know its a dollar and cents issue. When a company sends you home and you aren't able to get your CDL they don't want to invest anymore money in your training. Not when they have 50 or more people coming into the program the next week.

Of course you knew all this when you selected Squire so that is why we are being hard on you. Squire only gave you the training they offered no more no less. So now you have the opportunity to decide if you want to take on another Company school or pay a trucking (vocational)school to complete your training. This time do as much research as you can to make sure its the right fit. Your last lesson was obviously an expensive one that you couldn't afford.

One last thing about the testing out part. I don't think it would have mattered where you tested out at you probably would have failed no matter where you tested. 3rd party testers have to go through rigorous training themselves in order to do their job. They are audited quite frequently and are suppose to keep their personnal feelings out the window when testing. They are not going to give their job away by handing out CDLs to people that didnt pass but they believe will get the hang of it. When I went for my skills test my tester was being audited by the DOT ( we had a state trooper in the cab with us the entire time). Talk about nerve racking.

So in reality we do understand, many of us walked in your shoes. We just want you to pick yourself up by your bootstraps and do the best we know you can. Remember leave the ego and blame game at the door and make better decisions for yourself. This is tough, no one said it would be easy, otherwise their would be no one working at Mcdonalds and a ton of people driving. There is a reason for the high demand for truck drivers because if it was so easy everyone would it!!

Now go get that darn CDL and gloat to us when you do!! Also read Peppers Journey when you feel lifes got you by the shorthairs. She is truly inspiring and extremely humble shes been through so much and yet is still out there trying to break into the industry,

I really wish you the best Brian

Brian, wonderful support piece. Most people who post a long list of faults in their school, instructors, and their training opportunities forget the old cliché that when you point a finger blaming someone, three of your fingers are pointing back at you.

Sorry Sme88 that it seems we are being brutallly honest with you, we certainally want every truckingtruths members to succeed. The issue at hand is that you choose the wrong style school to train at. As you are aware many of these company sponsored schools are very fast pace (either sink or swim). Its a hard lesson when you require more training than the company usually allows. So many people go through these accelerated programs and find themselves without a CDL or a job because they just needed more training to get the hang of driving a truck.

I am glad you are sharing your story because it is a good lesson to other people who are trying to decide how to enter the trucking industry and what route to take. As you are aware their are other pathways to succeed in getting your CDL. You still have an opportunity to apply to another company school. Since you are requiring more time to get acclimated driving you should perhaps apply at Celadon or Prime. Both companies have fantastic reputations of taking there time with new students. Before I selected Prime I was in the same boat as you were when I looked at my options, even though I was accepted to other Company schools that were faster pace I decided Prime was my best fit because of the longer training period. Even though my ego wanted me to get in a solo truck ASAP.

And in a nut shell there is the reality of the accelerated company program. These companies are only interested in people they can fast track on the road. The people who are naturals at it and pick up the lessons very quickly. You and I both know its a dollar and cents issue. When a company sends you home and you aren't able to get your CDL they don't want to invest anymore money in your training. Not when they have 50 or more people coming into the program the next week.

Of course you knew all this when you selected Squire so that is why we are being hard on you. Squire only gave you the training they offered no more no less. So now you have the opportunity to decide if you want to take on another Company school or pay a trucking (vocational)school to complete your training. This time do as much research as you can to make sure its the right fit. Your last lesson was obviously an expensive one that you couldn't afford.

One last thing about the testing out part. I don't think it would have mattered where you tested out at you probably would have failed no matter where you tested. 3rd party testers have to go through rigorous training themselves in order to do their job. They are audited quite frequently and are suppose to keep their personnal feelings out the window when testing. They are not going to give their job away by handing out CDLs to people that didnt pass but they believe will get the hang of it. When I went for my skills test my tester was being audited by the DOT ( we had a state trooper in the cab with us the entire time). Talk about nerve racking.

So in reality we do understand, many of us walked in your shoes. We just want you to pick yourself up by your bootstraps and do the best we know you can. Remember leave the ego and blame game at the door and make better decisions for yourself. This is tough, no one said it would be easy, otherwise their would be no one working at Mcdonalds and a ton of people driving. There is a reason for the high demand for truck drivers because if it was so easy everyone would it!!

Now go get that darn CDL and gloat to us when you do!! Also read Peppers Journey when you feel lifes got you by the shorthairs. She is truly inspiring and extremely humble shes been through so much and yet is still out there trying to break into the industry,

I really wish you the best Brian

Thank you, Brian. I appreciate the time you took to write to me. I had a rude awakening from this experience but I'm not giving up. I guess I just needed to vent. But you're right, let it go and figure out what to do from here. I'll check out Peppers story.

For anyone who cares, ...

We do care, Sme88. That's why you get all these replies and they say "Snap out of it!". Be successful on your own account.

I will. Thank you for your advice.

Brian, wonderful support piece. Most people who post a long list of faults in their school, instructors, and their training opportunities forget the old cliché that when you point a finger blaming someone, three of your fingers are pointing back at you.

Thank you Errol V. Just want to let you know you I read your posts and enjoy your commentary on the forum. Sometimes its easy for me to forget that sometimes posts are not just about venting about a company or school. Its a matter of someone who may have just lost there way a little. I remember the frustration myself its a hard lesson to learn. If we always comment on the reason they were misguided without advice on how to repair there situation. are we just as bad as them for venting about a school or company?