Profile For Riccardo G.

Took my test today and passed!

The test here in Quebec is nothing like what you guys experience lol , I has 35hrs of practice total.

The test went like this

20 minute circle check + cab check 45 minutes of driving 1 45 degree angle back, 5 minute timer

Starting 2023 it will be a federally regulated training program consisting of 1300 hrs or so. I am overwhelmed I passed, in school we did backing around building corners and alleys so Im cofident but also know there is ALOT to learn from here.

Thanks for those of you who believed me and helped me out!

Was this “hot swap” done in a sleeper truck? You said that’s what truckers call it but I’ve never heard of such a thing. Ever. And you said you paid 3,000 Canadian Pesos? A quick google search says cdl schools in Canada cost around 5,000 minimum. Too many holes in this story.

And if it’s honestly true you may want to reconsider a trucking career. That fact that you had to ask if this is normal is just as outrageous as the fact that you complied with such a dangerous maneuver. Do you understand what would of happened if you did get in an accident? “ o sorry officer we were just hot swappin!!!!” Your career would of been done before it even started. You should of immediately made your way towards the shoulder, popped the brakes, hazards on, and than swapped.

I was asking if going out on road day 1 as opposed to training in a yard was normal, not the swapping of drivers. I know its ridiculous and believe me I do not want to do such stupid tricks- ever he just got out and at the moment I felt it safest just to get in the seat.

Most schools in Quebec cost 1500 to 4000 for manual depending on hours. I have 30 hours.

I posted the link but please out of respect do not harass them !

I spoke to another trainer who helped me back today, and yes he said its common in the industry here we have a government run program CFTR that is a 6 month course for only 100$ and mandatory late 2023 in which I'd assume they have a training pad

Https://ecoleconduite.ca/ TransCanada Many schools here in Quebec actually start at 1500+, I chose a 30hr program so its costing me 2800$.

I haven't seen one for 5000 yet, at least not in Quebec.

Thanks for the replies guys, Take care

I don't know what to say, sorry for wasting your time I guess but I swear nothing I said was a lie, I was taught day 1 backing in a somewhat narrow parking with cones. Day 2, on road 3:10pm to 5:20ish pm. I go back tomorrow and Sunday for practicing reversing. How am I supposed to know if its normal or not? I'm 29 and just signed up to this professional school recognized by Quebec.

Delete me if you wish, I took pictures of your responses to show my coworkers and girlfriend. Its shocking to me that my experience was so out of the normal that its deemed BS wow

I don't know how I could prove this without strapping a go pro to my head, I go back tomorrow maybe I could post a picture of the fleet they have 2 Volvo trucks, 1 bus and a "class 3" box truck, I dont want to include too much of their info though I could blur it out.

Thanks to the two of you who believe me! Thanks for the stories and encouragement.

Mark that sounds intense guys sleeping with a noob driving, I definitely couldn't shut my eyes if I knew someone fresh as I was driving haha i'd be tense.

G Town, I'm sorry I know I can't convince you but I assure you its true.

Why would i join the forum to make some BS post to truckers?

I genuinely experienced this, felt discouraged as if I just couldn't get the grip of things, googled it, found this forum and some posts relating to mine and decided to join and share my situation with you. This seems to be what every student at this school goes through, its situated in back of a business but the parking is pretty narrow so we dont have a training pad. Again this is in Canada maybe the schools aren't monitored as strictly as in the States? I have no clue, I'm as new to this as it gets (2 days).

If you think I'm lying to you I can leave, or ban me but I swear I am not lying to you lol I dont know what evidence I can show you I didn't film this. But my coworker today told me that yes, he was also brought out on the road day 1. I dont know what else to tell you. I took a picture of my car behind the truck I am driving with them, I can blur out the phone number and driving school and post it I'm being honest with you. I dont mean to waste you or the other mods time.

Thanks for the replies good to know the situation isn't what people normally go through.

I do not in any way condone what we did with the swap there, but when no one is at the wheel and hes telling me to jump in and were already moving, things are going on around us and I was already feeling a bit overwhelmed I didn't think twice and thought itd be safer to do so than to argue with him about the law. I know 100% that was illegal, that is not how I wish to do business in the future when I am driving. I have a super clean driving sheet, drive sports cars but never speed, I dont feel the need to break laws to save time.

God bless.

This is an outrageous story, hard to believe.

I'll assume your first experience was not similar, then? :P

He even looked over at me while we were on our way back and said "See, I brought you out into the worst conditions first day" Yeah, I get it now I wont be stressed around cars but I really feel like I should have been more equipped going into this.. not for my sake but for those who shared the road with me. They were my #1 concern and as I said I never drove what I felt was too close to another car. The trainer has amazing reviews on google and the such, he was personally recommended by someone at my FedEx location. I don't want to oust him or the school, I was just wondering if this is how people start learning trucks. I promise its true lol. Crazy stuff.

Firstly this is my first post so hello every one I hope you are all doing great! This one may be a little long as I just want to get the whole experience off my chest to people who may understand

I signed up last week to a CDL School here in Montreal, Canada sponsored by FedEx (they're just paying me back once I complete the private schooling I don't mind having to work 1 year for them as it seems like an easy start pretty much straight backing at local FedEx Express hubs). I started off doing a few backing maneuvers in an automatic Volvo. I really loved the backing I was only supposed to focus on straight backing and I did so well (no cones died) that my instructor started teaching angle backs for the last 20 or so minutes I left feeling very good about myself.

Then came the first on road experience during the week this time in a manual Volvo :P oh boy

We started out with me getting used to the clutch and friction point (Getting me to start on first gear and shifting up to second but the trainer pretty much maintained control of the shifter knob, my job was solely to find the friction point, get the truck moving and stop again) I didn't touch the gear shifter. He then opens up the gates to the parking and we're off on the road, my first time driving any truck forwards and within 5 - 10 minutes I was already on the road during rush hour traffic. He basically manned the shifter while I focused on the rpms and clutch work (he had me place my hand on the shifter, he would have his on mine and guide me into the gears). My very first turn in a truck was onto a 3 lane highway service lane and I nearly hopped the curb since I was going to take the corner a little too tight he grabbed the wheel and pretty much navigated me all the way across all 3 lanes and turned sharply at the end back into our lane. At that moment it hit me that I was way in over my head. I understand the theory to all of this but to be suddenly thrown into the real world it hit me how much multi tasking had to be done. He also had me stop on another corner after I almost curbed the trailer tires again he took the drivers seat to get us around that corner, got back on the service lane going the opposite direction and did what I hear truckers call a "Hot swap" or something like that where were going 40kmph in traffic, he gets out of his seat holding the wheel and promptly tells me to take the seat to my horror lol

Nobody was hurt, I didn't hit anything but to say I came out of that experience with my head up high would be a lie, I came out pretty much feeling defeated. I felt like he did pretty much all the work for me and I was merely a passenger. I get that he wanted to guide me through the gears but he did very little in explaining where each gear was, he showed me a paper once and that was it. I think I got him a little frustrated with pressing the gas slightly as im releasing the clutch (like you would with a car) but I was so overwhelmed by all the cars around me, stopping in traffic and starting again (which so far is taking me way too long to start, I rolled back once slightly as the friction point is so high up and I am scared to stall the damn thing by releasing it too quick.) Turning corners in theory is simple, but when we were out there and he was telling me to push to the left lane more as there was a car there just felt so foreign, as did turning so late into corners. I just wish there was some sort of track or something with cones they could set up in a parking lot to get us to know the length of the vehicle and how to maneuver it around corners. I felt like I was thrown to the wolves and every mistake I made just drained me even more.

I really want this, I am not quitting. I paid 3,000$ Canadian pesos for this course and I am determined. I by no means hate the school or teachers, it is one of the top 2 or 3 rated schools in Montreal with a passing rate of above 90%, the teachers are real cool when talking to but I feel like they expected me to already know how to drive a truck and trailer, and I feel like an absolute noob going so slow on the highway (he doesnt want me to go faster, I totally understand that). At a stop sign a truck was flashing me to let me turn before him, but before I could even get the truck moving since I release so slowly he had already gone LOL. I'm just curious if you guys went into your first course and already kind of got the hold of things or if your experiences were as overwhelming as mine? I really felt horrible out there, when things were good of course I felt like the king of the road but when a turn would come up or I had to start merging into traffic I knew sh*t was getting real and that he was most likely going to intervene.

My next course is next week and I wont let this day loom over me, I just had to get this off of my chest and I hope to improve. I watch a lot of videos on youtube and play ATS (I know it doesn't translate to real life its just to have an understanding of the concepts). I can't believe in my area starting wage for class 1 (what we call it here in Le Quebec) is about 23/hr. Most of us here at FedEx make more than that, and the FedEx class 1 drivers top out at about 2$/hr higher than us couriers. Of course id keep my benefits and start with a wage closer to 28.

Rant over. Anyways guys, have a great holiday season, happy new year and drive safely. Y'all aren't paid enough for what you do, let me tell you that.