Prime PSD Training, From A Trainer's Perspective.

You know, this training thing really has turned my world upside down in a way. I find myself trying to turn every spare moment into an opportunity to teach something, or come up with a better way to reinforce what I've already taught. Often I'll find myself babbling away to my student about something, wondering if I'm overdoing it. There is such a thing as being over-saturated with info, and I could be as guilty of doing it as the next guy. But when he's doing so well at everything else, I just feel...why not give him more to soak up?

The downside to my desire to teach is that I give myself little free time now. Where before, I would often relax in my sleeper "cave" during downtime, I now quiz him on stuff. On a Sunday reset, you'd either find me out on a walk, reading a book, or cribbed up watching the TV. Now I only focus on him passing. Not that I'm complaining though, it's just very different from what I'm used to.

This last run up to Chicago gave us time Sat afternoon and all day Sun to practice. And practice we did. I picked a quiet back corner of the Lake Station Flying J, set up some cones, and we commenced to back the bejeezus out of the truck. I gave him different backing scenarios and had him practice setups for each one. As we find out with experience, each backing scenario requires a slightly different approach to the setup. A single alley dock can have many different setups, depending on circumstances. I'm trying real hard to get him to understand what the trailer needs in any situation. Of course, the short term goal is to show him how to recover if he gets out of whack during the exam. But it'll also apply to all backing situations in the real world.

Yes he still struggles at times, but it's mostly on the judgement of when to make a move, not so much with what move is needed. With every hour of practice, he gets a little better.

With every hour I too get a little better at refining a teaching method. A certain phrase or tip can change a student's whole way of approaching a maneuver. This wasn't really apparent to me until I began doing this. Phrases that may sound normal or commonplace to me may not make any sense to a student at all. Finding something that "clicks" in their mind can be the key to understanding. I'm working on it.

The pretrip is nearly a 100% lock. On the entire truck, he only misses 2-4 things, and the in-cab is perfect every single time. I'm still not allowing him to let up, though. We run through the whole thing every day, in addition to whatever time he spends on it himself.

We're due back in Pittston Thursday pm, and the exam is scheduled for Saturday. I don't know who's more nervous, me or him.

Sounds like your approach to training is the same as your approach driving: a sincere desire to excel.

As far as pre-trip, didn't your classmates call you "Pre-trip" in CDL school?

Turtle, you are one dedicated, conscientious man. I love your reports from the road.

My trainer was pretty intense, but also allowed for some "decompression time", not just for me, but for himself also. He has been training for years and has developed, I think, a very balanced approach to the training process. Maybe that's the key to his longevity as a trainer. I actually look back now and wish I had more than just two weeks with him, which I think is too short of a time for road training.

Rainy......

We all have "wide turn" signs, yet idiots try to sneak around us. One guy drove partly on the curb to get past me on the right.

See this ALL the time too, sadly I lost an old school mate around age 25, he was dumb on a motorcycle, tried to pass on the right. He lost his head, literally! Whatta waste

As far as pre-trip, didn't your classmates call you "Pre-trip" in CDL school?

Haha you remember well. They did indeed start calling me that for my relentless study of the practice truck/trailer.

Many months after going solo, I was back at the terminal cafe when from across the building I heard "Yo pretrip!" It was a guy I attended orientation with back in the day.

He's taking the test as I speak. Ugh it's killing me!

How long does the test take?

How long does the test take?

As my dad would say:" Hard telling, not knowing."

We started at roughly 8:30. It's now 9:15, and he has completed the pre trip portion, and they are now setting up for the backing skills.

My money is on the trifecta!

You’re probably more nervous than he is!