CDL Student College Of Dupage Addison Illinois

So I just finished my first week of CDL training with College of Dupage....... Day One, orientation, videos then to the yard to learn Double Clutching and Straight Line Backing. All went well. I learned stick on a Volkswagen Van in the early 80's Had numerous cars since then with stick.... Double clutching was odd a first but got the hang of it real quick.

Straight line backing did well, turn the wheel in the direction of the problem. 1.% IE. if the back of the trailer is drifting to the right turn the wheel 1/4 to the right small corrections.

Day Two more straight line back and double clutching. Then skills left offset, parallel, straight line backing. Then to the streets. Streets double clutching up the road for a miles. Back to the yard and park..

Day Three we got snowed out so School was closed.

Day Four, videos for 1.5 Hrs. then to the yard. Skills with no Instructor just notes and visual clues. The snow made it difficult to see the lines. Went well though. Then in cab pretrip. On the road learning downshifting. Clutch neutral gas clutch gear. I am glad COD only teaches on manuals.

Day Five to the yard for In Cab pre trip and coupling. After Lunch we had a recruiter from ABF wow the Pay ($10,000) sign on bonus on first check, Company paid benefits, Company paid full Pension, Stock Purchase etc. well very impressed. Could be a contender. Then skills no instructor with notes and visual clues, offset parallel and straight line backing. On the road to practice double clutching down shifting and road skill went well. Back to the yard .

First week 3 Students, Instructors are impressed..... Me I have been on TruckingTruth since 10/2021 watching videos on YouTube. I have been watching the Prime Pretrip and know it word for word. Wording is different than my schools but I have been studying the Primes version of the pretrip for 4 months so it is all I know.

Student 2 has his Military CDL for the Marine Corp. Knows how to drive. Doesn't know the Il SOS rules. Very good person to learn from. He actually explains things differently than the instructors. Which for me when we are one on one is a good thing.

Student 3 is from Zaire been in the US for 20 years has never driven a stick before. Was frustrated in the beginning, still is frustrated, but will not quit. French is his first Language so, reading the study guides is a little difficult for him. I know a little French a good Friend of Mine is from Zaire, when I told him that he became much more comfortable

Us students are sticking together. Our instructors are the BEST. Read the reviews. Cannot say anything more.

Congrats THUS far, Keith!

Wow, sounds awesome & amazing, all at once!

Thanks for posting this diary; I and MANY ... will be following, for sure.

Best wishes forward!

~ Anne & Tom ~

Just finished week two of CDL training at COD(College of DuPage)

I am more than happy I didn't go with Prime, KLLM, etc. 3 students in my class not 70-100 We don't have to stand around an wait. We each are getting 2 hrs of driving time everyday. Our instructors a very impressed at our evolution. Week 2 we are one the Highway driving already. Our trucks are manual. Up shifting, down shifting. We drive on heavily driven roads, lots of different traffic patterns. Country Truck routes, small town city streets, up and down roads. Friday afternoon traffic.

We had recruiters from DOT Foods. Another contender, I will not consider Prime, KLLM, or any of the Student CDL holders. Chicago land has a lot of opportunities. DOT Foods will reimburse you for a daily shower.

DOT Foods .56 a mile no experience $30 pick up $15 drop/hook $30 hr after 2hrs and 15mins waiting $15 after 16 hr layover $50 no touch delivers

BCBS Medical Dental Vision

Driver types NTF No-Touch Freight More Miles Out 2-3 nights

CDS Customer Delivery Specialist Less Miles Makes Money on Deliveries Separates product on dock Paid by the case and item Home 2-3 nights a week

Traditional 5 days on 2 days off Full benefits 34 - 48 hr reset on the weekends at home Own Truck 4X3 flip 4on/3 off Full benefits Front or Back half of week Share a truck .52 a mile

401K Paid vacation 8 Paid holidays Bonus MGP, Safety, Quarterly Eligible after 1st. Quarter5Tuition Reimbursement Payments after 90 Days

Training $750 wk 8 weeks 2 wks classroom M-F 8-5 Lunch is provided 6 wks w/Driver Meals and showers paid

Endorsemensts Tanker Haz-Mat Went last Saturday for my Haz-Mat at IDENTIGO appointment at 11:50 am 5:30 PM received email Cleared for my Haz-Mat. I do have my TSA and REAL ID

Average Pay for DOT Foods

NT NTF $65,000 FT CDS $70,000 4x3 NTF $45,000 4x3 CDS $52,000

4x3 Full benefits and you actually are working about 6 months out of the year.

Lots of Possibilities

I will update

Glad it's going well for ya, Keith!

I've not heard anything bad about DOT foods, myself. Hope that works out for you, man!

Best wishes; thanks for sharing.

~ Anne ~

So I am in Week 3 of my CDL at COD. We do our SOS test on March 9th, 5th week. Had Schneider Recruiter this past week. Great Pay benefits etc. Schneider training is 5 Days classroom 7 Days OTR , back to terminal daily then 5 Days classroom. Lots of opportunities. Considering applying for Dollar General account. Up to $104,000 a year 4-5 deliveries a week. Unloading yourself, either by roller or by cart. No big deal. Average 2 hr unload time. Get paid per stop, and per unload time. Full benefits, 401k, flex spending etc. Work week either Sunday - Thursday or Saturday - Wednesday.

Have been doing our daily log. Skills - straight line backing, offset, parallel. Also driving our IL SOS course. College of DuPage is very thorough in the training. I have already logged 31 hrs. Driving time. Only 3 Students in our class.

So Glad I didn't go to Prime or any other Company Training. There is no waiting for Driving or Pre-Trip. We have 3 instructors and 4 Trucks. 3 Manuals and 1 Automatic (auto we never drive) Our instructors are the best.

I had to pay for the class myself $4800, 2 other students, the Marine who had his " Military CDL" got the "worknet" so basically my tax dollars will pay for his CDL. The guy from Zaire (20 yrs here) had a sponsor from his Church pay, which he has to repay to the sponsor. Not really happy your tax dollars and my tax dollars are being used to pay for some else's CDL.

I guess that is something I should take up with our Director.

Anyhow, Good Luck to all and Thank You for reading.

So what exactly is it you have against the veterans? Is it just Marine veterans, or just all veterans in general? Too bad your tax dollars were used for his CDL school.

Did you ever serve in any military branch?

I totally 1000% agree with you pack rat. I'm a vet in school with Swift and I'm grateful for the opportunity. OP , I don't understand your issue either. The vet in your class ALSO paid his taxes to be there in class. You really need to think about your statements and realize that his service allowed you to be where you are.

So what exactly is it you have against the veterans? Is it just Marine veterans, or just all veterans in general? Too bad your tax dollars were used for his CDL school.

Did you ever serve in any military branch?

So I am in Week 3 of my CDL at COD. We do our SOS test on March 9th, 5th week. Had Schneider Recruiter this past week. Great Pay benefits etc. Schneider training is 5 Days classroom 7 Days OTR , back to terminal daily then 5 Days classroom. Lots of opportunities. Considering applying for Dollar General account. Up to $104,000 a year 4-5 deliveries a week. Unloading yourself, either by roller or by cart. No big deal. Average 2 hr unload time. Get paid per stop, and per unload time. Full benefits, 401k, flex spending etc. Work week either Sunday - Thursday or Saturday - Wednesday.

Have been doing our daily log. Skills - straight line backing, offset, parallel. Also driving our IL SOS course. College of DuPage is very thorough in the training. I have already logged 31 hrs. Driving time. Only 3 Students in our class.

So Glad I didn't go to Prime or any other Company Training. There is no waiting for Driving or Pre-Trip. We have 3 instructors and 4 Trucks. 3 Manuals and 1 Automatic (auto we never drive) Our instructors are the best.

I had to pay for the class myself $4800, 2 other students, the Marine who had his " Military CDL" got the "worknet" so basically my tax dollars will pay for his CDL. The guy from Zaire (20 yrs here) had a sponsor from his Church pay, which he has to repay to the sponsor. Not really happy your tax dollars and my tax dollars are being used to pay for some else's CDL.

I guess that is something I should take up with our Director.

Anyhow, Good Luck to all and Thank You for reading.

Keith;

Many companies will reimburse you for your cost (or ours? LoL...) for your CDL training/school cost.

Ask this, as the recruiters stop in!

Best wishes,

~ Anne ~

Sorry Vets. I have nothing against any Vets. I am grateful for your Service as I believe all Americans should be. My issue is he always wants to leave early, is dismissive of the Recruiters if they don't meet his needs, ie. excuses himself to the restroom or says he has to go home. I am taking this training very seriously. He has never driven a stick before, that's what I learned on, a 1970 VW van. I got my sisters hand me down pinto also a stick. He doesn't want to drive the White Freightliner because it is older and not as nice as the Red Freightliner. I believe he doesn't take it as serous as I do, since he has his Military "CDL" Plus I think he is delusional to what a truck driving job is. He is recently married to a girl from Belarus(she is not yet a citizen), he met in Virginia. So he has to be home everyday he says by the latest 6pm. Cannot go over the road for training. He actually told the recruiter from Werner, I like would like that job but I cannot, because of the over the road training so Thank You, and left. That's where I am coming from.

Enough on that. So Just finished week 4. I was incorrect when I said we test on week h is our last day.

Monday pre-trip, Paper logs, skills and 2 SOS routes each. Did Uncoupling and coupling the Tractor to the trailer. We have each done it 4 times now. I guess most schools don't teach that. But since there is only 3 of Us we have lots of extra time. After lunch we each drove 1.5 hrs. Did our Paper logs.

Tuesday almost mirror of Monday. Did verbal in cab, coupling A,B,C while we were driving. 2 SOS routes each and then Skills and road.

Wednesday Did our Paper Logs in the classroom. Had question and answer time in the classroom. Went to the yard and each did a complete pre-trip(its Illinois its freezing) Each did an In Cab coupling A,B,C we have 4 Tractors 3 Manuals and 1 Automatic(which we have never used) 3 instructors and 3 students. We also have a tanker. The school trains new hires for tanker companies in the area.

Yesterday Thursday had 3 hrs. of drive time. Since only 2 of Us were in class. Did our Paper logs, Pre-trip, Skills then SOS route. Then after lunch we went on the road. Went on the 290 to the 55 to Summit Il. Went to our instructors previous employer a tanker company and switched drivers the other student John drove the same route back to COD.

Today Friday had 3 hrs. of driving time today since only 2 of Us were in class again. I went with 1 instructor and John went with the other instructor. Did 4 SOS routes and then went on the road. Kept up with our Paper Logs. I drove a total of 47 miles today. Did 1 set of skills, off set backing, parallel and straight line backing. Did in-cab, coupling and A, B, C.

Wednesday March 2nd is our 8 hrs. of Hazmat training.

Thank You Again Vets.

If you had led with his bad habits, etc. you wouldn't have caught any flack for that. It makes me sad when a vet doesn't present his best self. I'm glad you're getting a lot of seat time. I get to hit the range Monday. This whole week was tests and paperwork. Hope to pass you on the road one day Best of luck!