Beginning Company Paid CDL Program With Knight Transportation In Olive Branch, MS

Just packing my bags and getting ready to head out to the Knight transportation CDL training program in Olive Branch, MS tomorrow (Sunday). Orientation begins at 7:30 AM Monday.

• Class A CDL permit - check
• Room reservation from company - check
• List of things to bring - check

Plan is to head up and get to motel around 8PM and get a good night sleep and ready for orientation. The first 3 weeks should be orientation and training to pass the practical test for CDL: Pre-trip inspection , driving skills test and road test. Then head home until assigned to finish training in their Squire program.

I have started this new thread to provide information of the first portion of the training with Knight.

Very cool Sandman! Best of luck to ya. We're looking forward to following along with ya!

Looking forward to the updates. I started talking to knight last week. As of now I think they are at the top of my list. Just hoping I can get in.

Alright, the first week is complete.

The first week is considered company orientation. There are multiple groups in orientation at the same time:

1. Drivers with their CDL's and enough experience to test out by the end of the week and get assigned a truck.
2. Drivers with CDL's that need to complete 1 or more weeks driving with an experienced company driver.
3. Drivers with CDL's and no experience are placed in the Squire program for finishing training with a company trainer.
4. And, the group I'm in, have a Class A CDL permit and will be in the CDL training school followed by placement in their Squire program.

The orientation seems to be the time that the company uses to verify your work and driving history and check your references. The recruiters will come and get you to get further information and sign releases as needed throughout the week.

The morning of the first day is devoted to getting everyone through the DOT physical and the afternoon is obtaining specimens for the drug testing, both urine and hair. So there is a lot of sitting around and waiting. We lost a couple during this process. The second day seemed a bit unorganized in the morning while we lost a couple of more people. Then in the afternoon we had several powerpoint presentations and a video that began the orientation.

Wednesday (day 3) was death by powerpoint. Completed the remainder of the company orientation process and met the terminal division manager for refrigerated and the night driver manager for dry vans. A couple of great guys that seem to be committed to making sure the drivers get miles, and home as they desire. Orientation has a strong emphasis on safety, HOS rules, and equipment maintenance. Day 4, tests on HOS and the macros for the company qualcomm and class on the Smith driving system and orientation with service department. That afternoon began testing for the Smith system in the company van. Friday was completion of Smith driving tests and completion of paper work that is missing from your file and application.

Everything during the week is fairly smooth, and as seems common with many company sponsored driver training programs, there is quite a bit of waiting time. I used this for time to talk with drivers that were at terminal. A great source of information. I completed the Smith driving test on Thursday, just afternoon, so got to spend the rest of the day and most of Friday observing on the range and talking with the driving instructors.

The CDL training program starts next week on Monday and is 3 weeks in duration. The first week will be on the range learning the pre-trip inspection , the backing maneuvers, and a small amount of roadwork to learn shifting. Then you will need to pass the pre-trip and skills test with at least an 80%. The second week will be spent with an OTR trainer and the third week will be with a local driving trainer. The third week will also allow some range time for practice. Since I live in MS, I will complete the CDL test at a third party tester at the local college before returning home to meet with the Squire program trainer.

Well, time to watch some college football and enjoy the rest of the weekend off and get ready for next week.

More encouragement for everyone to use the High Road CDL training course on this website.

I was able to complete the CDL permit tests, missing only one or two questions on each segment and those were my fault. Knew the answer, just somehow selected the wrong answer.

In orientation, we had several tests similar to the permit tests and all were simply a review for me. Most of the class seemed to have some difficulty with at least one area. Also, I was the only one to ace the HOS exam thanks to the excellent review of logs in the High Roads training!

Thanks again for the great website Brett.

Sounds like things are off to a pretty good start. Glad the High Road has you ahead of the curve!!! Feels great, don't it? Meanwhile, everyone else is working themselves unconscious.

CDL Training week 2, driving skills pad.

Monday: Couple videos with test after, then handouts of pre-trip inspection and skills list with helpful hints. The instructor covers the ground rules for the driving range which we all have to sign. We then head out to the range and the instructor does the entire pre-trip inspection. There are 6 of us in the class, so we divide into two groups of three and practice the inspections for the remainder of the morning. There are also 3 students from last week finishing some of their skills and completing necessary items to complete their hiring process. Lunch, then back to the range to practice inspections again. Three of us got introduced to straight line backing and a couple of practice runs.

Tuesday, begin the morning routine of one hour of inspection practice. The remaining three got their introduction to straight line backing and some practice. Our Monday's group did it a little quicker as we had some experience with backing. It took a while to get the remainder going. The instructors were also working with the last of the prior week's group, polishing skills and getting connected with one week mentors. Here at Knight the schedule is to complete the skills on the range the first week, get sent out the second week with an OTR Trainer and the third week with a local route trainer. Lunch, then another hour of pre-trip inspection practice. Myself and one other student with experience were introduced to parallel parking. We are taught the skills one-to-one, the instructor drives first with us in the passenger seat to show the skill, then we switch places and the student completes the skill with the instructor, then the instructor gets out and helps with instructions from the ground as we complete the skills.

While I have never driven a semi-tractor and 53 foot trailer, I have driven a large variety of farm equipment, trucks and camping, horse and boat trailers, so have some skill with backing. The instructor show me how to do the blind side parallel park, then while crossing in front of the truck to change positions, he asks if I want him be in the truck. I felt fairly confident, sort of, so I told him the best way to find out was to get up there and just do it. He said he liked the initiative and said he'd just watch and offer help if needed. So with 2 "Get Out And Looks" and 1 pull up, I managed to get it in the box without "killing" any cones. The instructor has me do it again, then has me set up for the driver's side parallel park. This time he asks if I want him to show me how to do it or do I just want to give it a try, so I just go for it and I "killed" my first cone. So I get to wear the the fluorescent green safety vest with the words "cone killer" on it until the next student kills a cone and I can pass it on. It takes a couple more tries 'till I get it. Not sure why the driver's side was more difficult for me, but we got it.

Wednesday, back to range for pre-trip inspection practice. A prior weeks student gets sent back to the range for more practice on some of his backing skills, so the company will spend extra time getting everyone up to speed on their skills. I have met several of the OTR and local run trainers. They seem very helpful and interested in our progress. Next is the right and left offset parking. The instructor tells me the steps for doing the skill, basically a parallel park, followed with a straight line back into the box. Then sends me off to do them. Turned out pretty good, need to remember you get - 2 free get out and looks and two free pull ups on the CDL skills test. Lunch and then things get exciting.

First, I'm hired (probationary of course, need to finish training and pass CDL exam). Second, I will be the first to complete the pre-trip inspection evaluation tomorrow morning. Third, you are leaving with your one week OTR instructor tomorrow afternoon he has your driver code and fuel card, so after completing your eval, go back to your room, get some rest you are driving the first leg. And, you need to start and finish the alley dock before you are done today. Struggled a little with the alley dock. For me, the key is getting the beginning set up correct.

Thursday morning, Pre-trip inspection eval. First let me say that good study habits make this a lot easier. On Monday we were given the 7 page list of the PTI and air brake test. I carried mine on the range at all times. There is a lot of waiting time while other students are being taught skills. Instead of joking around all of the time (we all have to relax a little bit, just don't over do it), I would review the PTI and the air brake test. I also read through it twice after class, twice before going to bed and twice before leaving to go to class in the morning. My result, 98 out of a possible 100. Time to head back to the motel room, get a quick nap, pack the bags and get back to the terminal for 5PM.

On The Road.

I have met my OTR trainer and get my stuff loaded into his truck. International Prostar with less than 50,000 miles. Still smells new. He is a dedicated team driver that delivers Cummins parts from their distribution warehouse in Memphis, TN to other parts dealers, picks up returning engine cores to take back to Memphis along with new parts from other manufacturers that are going to the Cummins factory.

Our first pick up was supposed to have been loaded and ready for pick up at 3PM with delivery to Des Moines IA at 7AM tomorrow. We finally get the call that it is ready for pickup at 6:30. The trainer drives us bobtail from the terminal to the warehouse, hooks the trailer, gets the paper work completed and load checked and sealed. The tractor was a built-in estimator for the weight on the drive axles so we set the trailer tandems to what seams close, then it's off to the scale to check. Load is good with first trip across the CATscale with a gross weight of more than 78,000. The trainer start the drive and gets us out of Memphis and to a truck park area along the interstate. IT'S MY TURN TO DRIVE! Everybody off the road please.

We start with a pep talk from the trainer. "Every driver out there has ground gears, every driving student grinds gears, I know you are going to grind gears. The sooner you realize that, don't let it bother you, know that you will get better and know that no matter how good you get or how long you drive truck, you will still occasionally still grind gears, the faster and easier you will learn."

Start with the easy part BREATHE, put on the seat belt, adjust seat, mirrors and steering wheel. Rely on all of my experience (hey, 3 days on the range get to count for something, right) I get it into 1st, let out the clutch WE'RE MOVING! Oh, remember, steer there is another truck parked in front of us. Second gear, only grind off a couple of ounces. Third gear, a little more grinding, still not too bad, but ... I am now out of experience, that was as far as I got on the range and I only have about 400 yards left and I need to merge onto I-55, good thing traffic is light.

Fourth gear, transmission seams to be holding up to my attempts to grind it into submission. Next up, high range. Flip up the little do hickey and back to 1st/5th. Oops, think that was reverse, a little more to the right. Screamin' down the ramp now, 20 mph. Well, you get the picture, usually rookie mistakes. All in all, got it up to 8th, everything still intact and we're underway. Won't need to learn how to downshift until we get to St. Louis. Where did I put that link to the YouTube video on how to shift an eight speed transmission?

I drive as far as Bowling Green, MS then trainer takes over and gets us to Des Moines on time for our delivery. Off load parts and reload several cores for return to Memphis. Next stop Atlantic IA to pick up 2 pallets of bearings. Then on to Omaha NE. New challenge, the trailer tandems need to be all the way to the rear for unloading at the dock, but the landing gear cannot be raised high enough to clear the crown into the ramp. So the trainer brings the tandems all the way forward and drags the landing gear across the crown, then has to work the tandems back while on the down slope into the dock. They get us unloaded and reloade in about 90 minutes. Work the trailer back out of the dock pit. Load is pretty light so we can leave the tandems forward and away we go. The trainer gets us out of Omaha and to the truck stop for showers, lunch and our break.

it is my time to drive again. This leg has us returning to Memphis, with my leg consisting of getting us through Kansas City and St. Louis and almost to AR. Trainer finishes up, we arrive at the terminal early Saturday morning, drop that trailer, hook the next and we are off to LA by way of Phoenix with more engine parts.

Trainer gets us out of Memphis and through Arkansas. His clock is almost out and I have gotten my sleeper time, so it is time to switch. Shifting has improved greatly, (don't think it could have gotten any worse) keys are watching RPMs closer to match speed better. DAH! Along with pushing in the clutch just the right amount, hit the throttle to maintain RPM and push the brake to slow down, check your mirrors, watch the trailer tandems, swing wide but not too wide... You know the picture.

Trip is going great, we are actually ahead of schedule for the unexpected drop in Phoenix. The origianal route was 7am Monday drop in LA but we now have 7am drop in Phoenix with second stop in LA. To hit our timing, we stopped at 5pm today and get rooms for the night. Yay, a bed that's not rocking, a sit down dinner and breakfast with hit the road time of 10am. Sleeping in!

The student goal for the 1st week OTR training is just driving experience. The trainer handles all of the paper work and Qualcomm messaging and logs. So far I have gotten some great experience and the trainer is excellent. He also does 4 week training periods which follow the completion of the CDL training program. That's when we learn how to do all the shipping paperwork, logbooks, Qualcomm macros and everything else required to meet the companies needs. That lasts about 4 weeks and around 10,000 miles.

Thanks for the updates Sandman, I really appreciate the information.

One question, it sounds like you are moving as a team. I was under the impression that knight dispatched as solo during training. Does your trainer have to sleep while you are driving?

Again thanks for all the info, I am looking forward to starting with Knight soon.

Woody

Back on the road.

Up, good breakfast, pre-trip inspection and on the road at 9:50AM. We get to stop in Phoenix shortly before our scheduled 7:00 AM arrival and get unloaded and back on the road in short order. Next stop, Irvine, CA by 3:00 PM and I'm up to drive. Very tight schedule to make. Any delays due to traffic or scales and we will be late.

The trainer warns me about the scales at Banning, CA that is always open and even though we have gotten green lights on the pre pass for all the scales until now, he says he normally has to stop at this one and it is usually a long line. Must be beginner's luck, the Banning scale is closed, they seem to be doing some repairs on the scale. Next up the spaghetti bowl of freeways. I-10, 215, 91, 55 and we get to the gate at 2:55 PM for our 3:00 scheduled time. Beginner's luck continues to hold. Next, since it's my drive time I get to back into dock.

Pretty straight forward back, not! First, a service truck is blocking the side of the 2 space dock that we can maneuver into. He's just finishing the maintenance on the lift on that side and moves his truck to the other side to do his maintenance on that side. Next, we need to do a 90 degree alley dock off of a 5 line street, 2 lanes each direction and a center turn lane. Pull into left turn, center, lane and wait for a break in traffic. Then it's a turn into the oncoming traffic lanes, then right turn to the curb on the opposite side of the street. Start backing and all you can see is the gate, the drive way is uphill through the gate, which then drops down into the dock. The object is to get tractor and trailer back in line and just missing the gate along the driver's side. With the shadows and back lighting, the truck in the other dock space is invisible so need to hug the wall on the blind side and trust the trainer on the other side.

My beginner's luck continues to hold and with 3 pull-ups, I'm lined up for straight back into the slot, just need to slide the tandems to the back for unloading and we are in. It's great having a good trainer that provides clear and concise directions to make seemingly impossible tasks easy.

We get unloaded, only one small pallet (250 lbs.) of return parts reloaded. Glad my drive time is up and the trainer gets the leg to Fresno to pickup the remainder of the return load to Memphis. Rush our in LA not my idea of fun.

The return trip is smooth and we're back in Memphis early Thursday morning. Check into the motel, a few hours of sleep and shower, then head over to the school and get a turn at the alley dock on the pad. Then get informed that I will be making another Irvine, CA run with the same trainer leaving Saturday morning. So back to the motel, get a 34 hour reset (not really needed but it fits), laundry done and ready to go.

To answer Woody's question, myself and one other student had been identified to go on this run do to skills on the training pad and willingness to learn. The other student's father, uncle and grandfather are all owner/operators and while he doesn't have his CDL yet, he has driven semi's before. I have had experience driving bus in the military. The other students are getting runs that have less tight delivery schedules and are driving a solo type run with their trainers.