Scared To Drive..

Guys, I started my truck driving classes in August. I love to drive my personal car and decided to give myself a chance to get better life opportunity. There are 10 students in our class and only one girl - me. We started range driving on the second day of the class. Our range trucks are old International with manual transmission. I was not good with shifting and my instructor couldnt explain me well how to do that. I couldnt shift gears, I couldn't do backing. After about 10 days behind the wheel I started feel better. I can do shifting, and now I'm doing straight and offset backing perfect while im still not good with alley doking. Bit I got very big problem with road driving. The instructors took us to the road on our fourth day. First time I was so nervous and scared. I could not say I felt comfortable. I wasn't sure about my ability to control my truck cause I knew about truck driving not too much. I didnt know how to stop truck properly, how to start properly, how to turn etc. Yes, the instructors tried to explain some things but not too much. Also they are old men with southern English I can't understand clear. So I have "brake lag")) I have to be told twice and need time to understand and act. You can realize how danger is it while driving. Now I was on the road 5 or 6 times. I'm still doing mistakes, I can't shift gears properly (upshifting, my down shifting is better), I can stall the truck, my instructor yelling at me, making me more nervous. I'm getting more scared every day and now have to push myself to go to the cab((( and it is getting even worster. He puts me into stress every time I have to drive with him. When I can't shift gear (this are different road trucks, both Freightliner) he is grabbing shifter, yelling at me; if im finally doing right I hear his sarcastic "thank you". I feel like hi is angry on me. The more I drive the more I'm getting scared. He said "you are behind the class" and thats truth but Im sure if I wouldnt nervous I could do better! I need to drive more, I have my exam on early October, and I can't. Now I dont know what to do and how to faith with myself to become calm. I don't know what advice I'm asking here for, may be just a few friendly words cause I have no support by my instructor..

First.. Breathe and calm down. Remember you are a paying customer and are entitled to be spoken to and educated properly.

Second understand that you need to be calm at all times out here. Being emotional will cause accidents. Do not allow him to distract or upset you.

Third.... October is a month away. You have a lot of learning to do. So hang in there and get it done.

You can do this. I did. I had 76 in my class with only 3 of us women. So what? Gender plays no role in trucking.

Thank you Kearsey, I really appreciate your support) I spoke today with my friend, he's an owner-operator in California. He said me the same: calm down, this is normal situation. You paid for the study and you can ask about another instructor, more friendly. I just cannot understand why he's pressing me. I know a few guys in our class have similar problems with shifting. So I'm not alone. I know I'm not stupid and I'll be a good driver. I'll try to train with another instructor, hope I'll feel better.

Check out my youtube channel. I have a ton of videos of how I screwed up.... Even failed my CDL exam several times. Yet here I am 5 years later. Hang in there

Thanks you Kearsey, I'm finishing my school and already passed my exams a few days ago) My backing skills are pretty good now: straight and offset without pull-ups and alley with 1 or 2 pull-ups. I'm still grinding gears sometimes but I can up- and downshift, fix missing gears, my turns are pretty good as well. I wasn't perfect on my road test and I know my tester just gave me a credit. But im trying to improve my skills every day. I'm not feeling myself like I'm superconfident right now, but I did the most important thing: I have no more fear for the road) And I know, im just started my long-long way. Thanks again for supporting me!

Hi Natalia! Hope all is well. Everything you describe is similar to what I experienced but only with my backing. It took nearly 3 weeks to finally get the trailer and tractor in & through the box in each skill. My nightmare was with the 90 Alley dock. What made me finally ace the Alley dock on my second try (failed my first because I took to many points from the all skill,the Alley dock) was the last instructor I was paired with show me how to do it and gave me a chance to do the manager on my own. No walkie talkie,no nothing. Afterwards I GOT IT!! On the day of my exam,I walked with my examiner with confidence (still nervous alittle) and told myself "I got this". BOOM!! Aced the straight line,then the offset, and finally the skill that ended my exam,the 90 Alley dock. Aced all 3 with no problem. Got my driving part out the way also. But the first couple of times of driving a Semi is very nerve racking. But after driving #5 I got super comfortable.

You got this!!

Hey) it took the same time for me to get my backing)) and then something just did "click" in my head and I got it) so I did no pull ups for straight and offset backing during my dmv exam and only 1 pull up to get alley dock. Did you start your company training already? How you are filing about that? Starting mine next week. Little bit nervous about driving part. Gonna drive for one week with mentor. Long distance I guess. I drove 10 speed manual in my school but my company's truck will be automatic.

Just started last Tuesday and it's going extremely amazing. This week is just doing all backing manuvers. I really improved on my 90 and next week will be meeting with my trainer. Super excited. Good luck to your new adventures into the trucking world. Stay safe and sane out there

You got a his I want chef all the guys in my class go thru the exact same thing your describing settle down and just ry to get smoother every time you drive when I finally drove my company truck for my evaluation the automatic thru me off and I had to readjust myself calm down and it went just fine your gonna be fine!! Don’t panic and make adjustments ... good luck !!!

Thank you Kearsey, I really appreciate your support) I spoke today with my friend, he's an owner-operator in California. He said me the same: calm down, this is normal situation. You paid for the study and you can ask about another instructor, more friendly. I just cannot understand why he's pressing me. I know a few guys in our class have similar problems with shifting. So I'm not alone. I know I'm not stupid and I'll be a good driver. I'll try to train with another instructor, hope I'll feel better.

There's no something impossible..believe yourself. I someone who was sacred to even a bicycle sometimes ago. But training and practice eliminated my fear