Profile For Seal L.

Editor's Note: See our review of C1 Truck Driver Training

So I'm in a bit of a dilemma and need some solid advice. I am very new to trucking and have just started training at C1 trucking school through Swift. Everything was going very smoothly, until we get out on the road and now I'm starting to think I'm not getting trained properly.

I have never driven a manual before in my life, let alone double clutching. Since they only have a certain amount of trucks and instructors, they limit it to 4 students per truck and at the very least you only get an hour a day to drive IF you're out on the road that day, they like to switch it up all the time to either yard or road. What concerns me is that the instructors do no care one bit about the students. I'm getting yelled at and talked down to by my Instructor for not clutching correctly, rubbing a curve every now and then, missing a gear. No one taught me any of this. No one taught me anything about manuals or how they work, what I need to do correctly or how to recover. How to keep the engine from dying. I'm getting yelled at for screwing up, other students are getting called names and demeaned. It even took me such a hard time to even get my permit because they didn't give me any proper study material.

And they're always switching instructors and trucks so its hard to get use to a certain vehicles reaction. We'll get in one truck and one instructor will tell us one way, then the next day we'll go into another truck and that instructor will tell us to listen to forget what that instructor taught you and listen to them because they know everything. I waste my time, having a 9 hour day at this school to only drive for an hour that day getting yelled and screamed at, not taught in anyway. I'm in my third week and apparently I'm suppose to text next week? I AM NO WHERE NEAR READY. But they don't really care. I've asked the main instructor if I could drive with an instructor who is apparently amazing, and he tells me, "No, You're going to ride with who ever we tell you you're going to ride with. We have too many people to move students around when they want."

What a load of BS. Im sitting here busting my butt off, studying and desperately trying to learn and when I need help I'm shooed? I'm not learning anything here when it comes to actually driving.

I went online and did some research and saw that Knights way of training makes SO MUCH more sense and seems a lot more comfortable. I haven't applied yet because on our first day we were threatened that If we applied to anyone else they would send us home and make us pay for the entire tuition and hotel bill. It all equals out to 6,000. I don't know anything about Swift and I am not going to talk bad about them because it seems like its this school. They're just rushing people through because they get paid for every person that walks through the door. 5 people have already been kicked out these last two weeks. I don't know if its all C1 schools or it could be just this particular one, but I'm not kidding, this stuff is actually happening! And I'm not being negative or telling anyone my feelings towards it, I really do think I'm going to love a job in this field! But based on how they run and train at this school, I'm wanting to leave now. A guy here as a student use to be a trucker and has been talking about how much crap this place is on training and I didn't see it until now. He even plans on taking legal action, or so he says.

I'm really just looking for advice. I can stick it out, but Nervous that they're setting me up for failure here. And now after doing more research I would feel much more comfortable doing Knights training than this is what it seems.

Any advice, guys?

Don't hold anything back, you won't hurt my feelings if you think I'm just being a little b**ch I can take it. Just Let me know what you think or your experience!

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with your training. It sounds frustrating and not very supportive. If you're not getting the instruction you need, it might be worth having a serious conversation with the head of the school. Explain your concerns about the lack of proper training and inconsistent feedback. If that doesn't help, consider looking into other programs , but be aware of any financial or contractual obligations with your current school. In the meantime, seek out online resources and practice as much as you can. Your goal is to become a safe and competent driver, so make sure you're getting the training you need to achieve that. Good luck!