Profile For SP

Thank you for sharing what you’re going through as far as making decisions in your journey.

Wanting to keep your job -- while training, is it a security blanket for you?

Honestly, that’s exactly it. It all comes down to me being scared. I’m afraid I won’t be able how to learn how to drive those big trucks and will get kicked out of the program, then I’ll be stuck without a job.

For example, I was expecting to go to Phoenix. But I visited my local Knight terminal, and they were promoting the idea of going through a local school that shares the yard.

That would be neat if I could find one like that here. I’m gonna keep looking and work on gathering the courage to just go for it! Lol

Thanks

Ok, so y’all convinced me that company sponsored training is the way to go, however so far all the one’s I’ve seen would require me to go to another state to train for several weeks and be on the road for several weeks right off the bat. I’m not in a position where I can do that just yet. I would like to keep my full time job as I’m trying to obtain my CDL. All the local trucking schools only offer day time classes Mon-Fri so that wouldn’t work for me. I found one incredibly sketchy “school” in a nearby town that would do nights and weekends, but it really looked horrible from the reviews and the way the owner talked on their Facebook page. So not sure I’m that desperate yet. Anyway, are there reputable night/weekend schools? What about private trainers? Is that an option?

So I know that going to a trucking school where it teaches you everything is the best option, but what about these places that prepare you for the written exam online? If I just study the manual or watch the You Tube videos and take the test and pass it are there places that just offer the hands on driving training part? Are those places cheaper then doing a complete program? Trucking schools are expensive and the paid trainings make me nervous since you have to commit to them for like a year. I mean, what if I got into this and I realized it wasn't for me after all? Any advice, thoughts, comments, help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Oops, did I post this question in the wrong forum? See, I’m already messing up. Lol

You actually posted in our diaries section. Read through several of these posts and see what you think. I promise you nobody will laugh at you.

Thanks for sharing that. That’s what i wanted to hear. I’ll check out your post!

I run a CDL school. I just posted my experience as CDL instructor. Look for the tropic "From the Front of the Classroom". Nearly all the others in this Training Diaries section are written by fellow students who have more or less survived CDL school.

I have had students that tell me they are nervous about driving an 18 wheeler, but when they get behind the wheel for their first on-road drive, they find it's not all that scary.

I’m at the very beginning of my journey. Just reading, studying, investigating, and educating myself on all of this. I really do feel like I’m ready to finally move forward and take the plunge. I’m going to begin to seriously looking into schools now. The thing I’m worried about is the driving part. I have always been in awe of watching truck drivers maneuver the big trailers. Turning, backing up, shifting gears, pushing on the brakes everything! Lol I’m SO afraid that I’m going to be the laughing stock at the school though. I don’t know anything about trucks and how they work...yet. I’m just afraid people are going to make fun of me and I’m going to embarrass myself during the training portion. Can y’all give me some of your personal stories of what you went through when you were first starting out and learning? Is it a cruel world out there at the schools or do the instructors have a lot of patience?

Your story reminds me a lot of mine. I’m 51 and considering a career change. Looking into my childhood dream of becoming a truck driver. I’m at the beginning of this journey. Still doing research and studying for my CDL. Thanks for sharing your story. It’s nice to know that there’s someone else out there like me pursuing their childhood dream at our age. :)