Profile For Mike S.

Hey Eric,

Ryan is good. I think he used to be a surfer in his younger years. Got that "chill dude" attitude. Mo, yeah, he looks serious, and he is, about training. But once in the truck, he's a riot. Very smart guy, and very patient and dedicated.

You will probably move to another trainer at the end of week 2 or start of 3. Maybe. I had Ryan in week one, and Mo the rest of the time.

Eh, no need to be nervous. Since you have ryan, you should be in an ryans international. low rpm shifts, and youll be fine. When in doubt swing it out. Or, as Mo would say, be greedy, take ALL the space, other drivers dont love, so be greedy.

Hey Mike! I'm heading into week 2 on Monday. And no, I have Ryan from Roehl as a trainer. For some reason he occasionally makes me nervous. I'm not sure why. But I have seen Mo. Kinda reminds me of Chibbs from SOA for some reason. But during dispatch he always looks so serious. I'm hoping we get to switch up soon. Just to get other trainers perspectives.

The only thing I'm struggling with is my nerves. They are what keep messing me up when I do. I get overly nervous and mess up from time to time.

Eric,

When is your CDL Exam date? What week are you in?

Was there in January, if you need to know anything, ask me. I hope you got MO as your trainer. The guy is a riot!

When in doubt, wait it out. Sound familiar?

Hey Eric,

FVTC is great. Passed on Jan 31, out with a Roehl trainer on Feb 3rd, did the DSE two weeks ago, solo now. It's a great program!

Who is your FVTC instructor? Roehl or Fox valley?

Got the Missouri cdl handbook app downloaded to study. I am well and completely ready to drown in the knowledge of trucking lol. I hope it all sticks. I'm honestly, most worried about my pretrip tests.

What helped me was Youtube. Seeing how some things are done not just reading helped it stick. Pretrip, backing, shifting etc. Lots of good stuff there.

My only advice would be this. Don't go into this thinking that you are willing to commit to this so that you can get your start here and then move on once you've fulfilled your contract and got the hang of this.

I think this is a very common rookie mistake. Go into this with an attitude that says, "Roehl is where I want to make a career." It's all fine and good to move on once you've met your commitment, but I have seen a lot of drivers with the grass is greener syndrome end up realizing how good they had it before they jumped ship. I don't fall into this camp that considers some companies as merely "starter" companies. These so called starter companies often have the best equipment and benefits available.

Roehl is a great place to start, they will work with you and genuinely want you to succeed. They are also a place that has a good number of professionals who have been with them a long time. You've made a good choice, just take the approach that you're in it for the long haul. If opportunity knocks you may want to look into it, but don't shoot yourself in the foot.

Thank Old School,

No no, I'm not going just for the freebies. When the times comes, and it's time to review, if it's a good fit for me, I'll stay. I expect to put in minimum of 3 years. Get past the obligations to them I have agreed to, spend more time driving and gain more experience, run the numbers, see how well we are working together and make a decision at that time. At 50+, this just may be my last career change, and I am in it for the long term. Hey, if I survived my 1st wife, I can survive anything.

Hey guys im goign over the high road training system and ao far im getting mostly 100 and high 90s. Out of the 25 quizes only one has been a 65 and three 85s. Here are a few thoughts that occured.

Am i going to have a full book of a test for my permit comparable to how many quizes are on here? Like the high road has roughly 15 quizes per main topic, i think 15 questions per quiz.

Roughly do certain states focus on certain topics more than other states for their quizes?

Ex. Rhode island is more on factual numbers while texas is more on safety equipment etc. Im going to mossuri for primes PSD so it would be nice to know what to prirotize for the permit.

Reaper,

Make sure you get a copy of your states CMV manual too. The High Road here is great, went through it some 4 times and was a YUGE help but there will be some questions on your state exam that may throw ya. So you have to compare and combine. And pay attention to the EXCEPT and NOT questions. such as, "You should do that and that except" when.... I miss those dang things ALL the time. I took my WI CLP test last week, got 2 wrong out of all the endorsement tests. One in Hazmat, and one in tankers, didn't bother with bus or passenger. But.. WI slips in a couple of questions related to passenger/bus, so brush through them anyways. Still fresh in my head so if any WI CLP studiers need help or advice, message me. Otherwise, the High Road is a great tool here. A lot of questions, good rotation of questions, and great review questions for when those NOTS and EXCEPTS slip past.

There are a few others out on the web i used also. Went from one to the other to another and back again and it helped a lot. I have a hard time with reading information and making it stick unless I can apply it to the real world. So look on Youtube for videos on backing, shifting, coupling, general driving, CDL testing, CDL road tests etc. There is a TON of information out there, it helps.

Good Evening Truckers,

After much research, back and forth with other carriers, I have decided to join Roehls and go through their company sponsored CDL program. Now, I had intended to forgo that route and take a CDL program at the local votech, CVTC. But I could not seem to get some straight answers concerning after training placement, and other issues that seemed to be just not a good fit for me. I'm sure they have a good program, but I was a little concerned.

Roelhs is the best choice for my given my location, Eau Claire Wi. About a 2.5 hour drive from home, so I will drive there for training instead of a company that has a training facility in Arizona, or Texas or some other location 1000 miles from home. Close to home, I am 2 miles off of I-94, so easy access to the interstate, rural home, plenty of room to park when home, and close to MSP, Madison, and other points.

I have read their agreement thoroughly. Understand the commitment needed and the costs involved. I bit more then a CDL school in my area but I see it like this. I need training. They will spend quite a bit to train. I will need a good 2 years to gain the skills needed for other trucking companies that do not hire new drivers, and pay better. So the contract is in my view a win-win. I get training, they pay for it. 120000 miles and free of the contract.

I have read so much about Roehls, my eyes are bleeding. Some good, some bad, some middle of the road.

Anyone driving for Roehls that may have any tips, or comments? My recruiter Abby, seems on the up and up. I have dealt with recruiters for service contracts with appliance manufactures these past 8 years, and know that MANY times they are so full of it, they can run their cars with the escaping gas.

Not officially beginning training yet, but soon. Find out when Monday.

Hey folks,

I have decided to forgo company sponsored training and go with a Tech school program. Anyone go to CVTC ? Chippewa Valley Technical College? In Eau Claire Wi?

Was considering Fox Valley, but since I live in EC, it's right here.

Thanks ya'all

Mike.

Thanks for all the info and thoughts guys and gals. After 20 years of the general public that wants it fixed, yesterday, for free, stress isn't an issue. I am sure that this career change is right for me, and it deserves a little more research. I like the idea of being out on the road, not so much in large cities, but I suppose that take patience and experience.

Thanks again.

Hey thanks guys. It sure is a lot to take in. I have read the guide, the book and am looking through the high road. My biggest concern is idle time. I don't do well sitting. I would imagine that this is largely dependent on the company. All in all, the career intrigues me. Home time is not of concern. I have a small cabin on a small lake that's now home, and being away for weeks at a time is fine with me. I would rather take the longest most boring trips over short local or regional routes. Say, Vermont to Anchorage.

What is pay like? I have been told by one local recruiter at a local larger company their drivers earn UP TO, [hate that] 50c a mile? See some numbers of 23,30,35,40,50 cents per mile? There are so many differing stories floating out there. Yes, many seem to be written by morons, and complain about everything. Hard to determine the middle ground.