SO CLOSE!!!

I was almost done the road course and I hit a curb on the way back. ☹️ God! After all of the crap I've been giving myself over maneuvers, I passed that and thought if I get on the road I'm good. Silly me. Schneider is probably pulling out their hair over me.

I know it is disappointing, but just relax and drive the course cleanly the next time.

Don't worry about the turns, but do think ahead of time about how you're going to negotiate them before you start the drive. In fact, work through them in your mind many times between now and when they give you the second chance.

They take you on a course that has a tight turn or to purposefully so that they can be sure you know how to get around without busting tires, wheels, telephone poles, street signs, etc.

But you can do it! Just remember to ease your tractor to the left as you approach the intersection, drive well out past the corner, and then swing right making sure you keep the tandems close to the curb without hitting it. You can find plenty of videos showing how to execute a buttonhook. Don't do what I did my first road test and drive too far out such that you then can't clear the oncoming traffic lane....that isn't good either!

I was almost done the road course and I hit a curb on the way back. ☹️ God! After all of the crap I've been giving myself over maneuvers, I passed that and thought if I get on the road I'm good. Silly me. Schneider is probably pulling out their hair over me.

I know its little consolation, but just a few months back road trip took me three times...

The good news is, no matter how many times it takes ya, soon as you pass you'll have the same CDL as the rest of us!

After three times, I know just how much it sucks to not nail it in the first try.

Just keep your eyes on the prize, cause you've already overcame a lot to get this far, and there's only one thing left to conquer before you get the prize! 👍

This was one of those NJ jughandle turns. I should have hugged the left curve so my tandem didn't hit. Unfortunately, I had trouble downshifting before I came into the turn so I got it in gear just in time. I think that distracted me from the curve. I thought I hit a pothole honestly. Well, I go again in two weeks.

I remember my driving test. Made it through the turns I was so nervous there were two that always tripped up people and I got through both of them fine. Even during the emergency stop first thing I did after I brought the truck to a complete stop was hit the selector down... Another test to trip up people. It was on my last stop going downhill that I thought I lost it. Was downshifting and didn't have low enough RPMs... I literally crapped my pants JK... I was fighting to find a gear... And got it just in the nick of time. The tester didn't say a word to me until I got back. He looked at me and told me what he looked for when I couldn't find the gear. He said he looks for a point ahead approximately a truck length and if I don't get it in time I fail. He said I thought you just made it. So I passed. Keep your head,. Try not to panic and you will do fine. Like everyone says once you get the cdl no matter how many times it takes you have the same license as the rest of us. Then it's time to learn all over again LOL. Good luck...knock it out of the park.

My second time out...

I need to make a wide right turn. As I'm coming up to it, a car is headed up the street, coming on my right. I see them and try to slow down, hoping they'll just clear the intersection by the time I get there.

Nope!

So, as I'm rolling up I commit the cardinal sin of trying to wave them through as I'm approaching my turning point.

The yellow line is supposed to be me and the red line the car... But editing a photo on my phone just doesn't allow for great dimensions!

And the turn I was supposed to make... (Again, sorry for horrible art work.)

So, I tried to slow down and let them go and I tried to wave them through...

Still nothing. The car just sits there.

I end up going right up on the curb as I turn. Game over, try again later, please!

As I pass, I see the driver sitting there with a big ****-eatimg grin on his face. He gives me a mock salute as I pass him and then speeds off.

What I never mentioned in my training diary about any of this is that the local residents in Cedar Rapids all know who CRST is. And those that live nearby have a really big dislike of the company because of all the company drivers coming through at all hours and all of the student drivers who are out seven days a week.

And what I just experienced was a game some of the locals like to play with students. See, a few of them know what will make us fail a test. And while they don't seem to go out of their way to mess with us, they also don't pass up an opportunity, either.

What a feeling to have almost passed your road test and then get failed 50 feet from parking the truck because of some local yahoo!?!?

Not comparing your results with mine, just saying that I know what it feels like to get so close and then fail for that day.

A new day is coming, brother...
And it shall be yours!

Rob, so sorry to hear that. Jug-handles can be tight, and if approached too low, to tight to recover. I know this may be of little comfort at this point, but with each failure comes knowledge. Next time, I believe you will prevail.

Don’t give up.

Three timer here too, so you’re still ahead of the game. The important thing to consider is that you’re still going at it. These set backs will be great porch rocking chair material. Other than that, all you can do is regroup, analyze the situation & plan for better execution on the next go round. Best of luck to you & keep the faith!

I know this is really frustrating - beyond frustrating!

Do your best to just keep moving forward. You're gonna get it. This whole ordeal has no reflection on what kind of truck driver you'll make.

I got rejected, as in got sent home from three different trucking orientations, during my foray into this career. I'm at the top of my game now loving every minute out here. Setbacks are just that. They don't indicate anything about your future career.

Keep at it, you're going to prevail.

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I'm hoping Schneider will continue to help, because the school just told me it's $500 for another test, and $125 an hour for any practice. I might have to look around and see if anyone is cheaper if they don't cover it.