Just Got Accepted Into CDL School

I just got accepted into the CDL School for US Xpress. I'm not fully sure what to expect. Tips and suggestions are much appreciated!

Hello Stephen, and welcome to our forum!

Congratulations on being accepted by U.S. Express! That's a great place to get started.

I'm not fully sure what to expect.

You can expect it to be fast paced, very challenging, and long days which include additional work to be done in the evening after the classroom time is over. Welcome to trucking, that's how we roll.

Here's a couple of really good podcasts you should listen to. They'll help you get prepared for this.

The Boot Camp Approach To Trucking

Why Is Truck Driver Training Done In Such A Rush?

Also, we've got some other great resources that should help you get started. Take the time to read the following links. We call this our "Starter Pack."

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
• High Road CDL Training Program
• CDL Practice Tests

You'll do yourself a huge favor just by hanging around in here, asking questions, and joining in the conversations. Again, welcome aboard! We're glad you're here.

Thanks Old School! I've been hanging around in here off and on for a couple of weeks. I've even started High Road so I could start preparing lol been wanting to do this for a while and finally did my research and applied to a few companies. I'm from the Southeast region, so US Express was one of the first companies that crossed my mind

Congrats!

best advice, stay patient. truck driving is 99% mental. most driving mistakes happen when people try to go too fast. don't be afraid to slow down. you're not there to impress anyone. don't let other students be a distraction.

the unfortunate problem with many CDL schools is getting seat time. at my school, we spent most of the time watching while we waited for our turn. don't get frustrated and don't let that time go to waste. leave your cell phone in your car. when it's your turn, listen to your instructor and focus on what you need to do. when your turn is over, watch! you can learn a lot thru observation. if there is an open truck on the lot, don't be afraid to ask your instructor if you can go over and practice your pre-trip.

the truck can be intimidating, but remember it's just a machine. it will do exactly what you tell it to, so you need to develop a feel for how it responds to your controls. learn to tune out distractions and focus on what you need to do and you'll be fine!

The closer Sunday gets the more nervous and excited I get lol is that bad?

Congratulations.

As everyone else said slow down and think. My trainer keeps reminding me of that and Im still working on it. In the world of trucking, haste doesn’t make waste, it makes mistakes.