Cape Fear Community College Truck Driver Training Log
Topic 31771 | Page 3
Day 11
We each got to drive about 1.5-2 hours straight today. We drove the school test route as well as the CDL drive test route. They're about 80% the same streets minus a small extra bit on the CDL route that adds some extra turns, heavier traffic and a couple other things.
I had a couple small issues, biggest I'd say was forgetting my selector when coming back on the road from my emergency stop. I started off in 7th 😬
The other guys did about the same. Each a couple issues here and there. As we rotate groups it's harder to judge how each person is improving as some people I still haven't driven with at all and others only once the first couple days.
Friday everyone drives, no half the class backs on the range and half drives.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
90° was another day cab and what they called a pup. Very short trailer. F that trailer 🤣. Very different and I felt like I had no idea what to do. I'd move the trailer where i felt it needed to be and could get it square into the alley but the tractor would be all cattywampus
The Pups react very fast to your steering, you need to keep very small turns and gradually straighten out to bury it. I trained on pups so they are easier for me to back up. One thing I found with pups is it’s easier to straighten out with your pull up after coming in late. That way, you can see your driver side cones in mirror and you know where you are. When you come in early, that cone is behind you and you feel lost. I’m currently learning backing 53’s as I go doing yard moves in a tight yard. Only way in a door or hole is an extreme 90 to pivot the trailer wheels. I need a few pullups and get outs with the big vans, usually 1 shot a pup having the room to set up and swing around.
Day Cab:
A tractor which does not have a sleeper berth attached to it. Normally used for local routes where drivers go home every night.
Days 12 and 13
Both days were driving. Everyone drives on Fridays so we aren't split half driving and half backing.
My truck on Friday had 4 of us students and one of us was only on their 3rd time shifting due to delayed urinalysis results. They struggled comparatively but relative to where we were at the same point they seemed to be at a "normal" point. It's probably frustrating for them to see other people seemingly so far ahead though.
I signed up for the online HazMat training with my school as apparently you also need to pass an approved HazMat course before you can sit the state/DOT hazmat endorsement exam at the DMV.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
I signed up for the online HazMat training with my school as apparently you also need to pass an approved HazMat course before you can sit the state/DOT hazmat endorsement exam at the DMV.
Not certain, but I think you also have to be fingerprinted for Hazmat. There's only a couple places in NC that are approved to do that. Maybe check into it, if you haven't already.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
There is one that does the TWIC and afaik the hazmat fingerprints too. I need to go walk in and do the TWIC paperwork/documents show with them and will ask when I go.
Gonna google where the locations are too just to see.
I signed up for the online HazMat training with my school as apparently you also need to pass an approved HazMat course before you can sit the state/DOT hazmat endorsement exam at the DMV.
Not certain, but I think you also have to be fingerprinted for Hazmat. There's only a couple places in NC that are approved to do that. Maybe check into it, if you haven't already.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
Update
My dumbass somehow tapped "dark mode" on my mobile's Chrome browser and I could barely read the site.
This past week my driving training was good and we did more mixes of country, city and small town(beach this time, Topsail Island) driving. Backing finally clicked but I'm still struggling with the tanker. It's an older tractor and tanker and pulls to one side. Obviously for the CDL test it doesn't matter as we use newer trucks and vans for those but the school requires backing with 3 different vehicles before the CDL test. I can easily see how people take a long time to perfect backing.
I took the option HazMat course and completed it today(Saturday 5/14/2022) and got a 94 on the final exam. I think my overall average is probably around that as well for the hazmat course. My "theory" portion of the regular CDL class average is around 97.25 and they haven't started grading our practical/driving yet so we'll see how that goes.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Monday May 16
Today was backing for my group. Finally to the point where I feel I'd probably pass the CDL backing. Might not come near not hitting any cones but I'd probably pass.
Backing is 100% something I see me improving on for months and years to come 😂😭
The school actually has a really long wheelbase tractor and old tanker that pulls to one side we need to back in for the "school test". It's averaged out with 2 other vehicles and 4 types of backing so unless I improve a lot between now and week after next I'll be needing to bank points from the other vehicles and events.
The instructors offer letting us come in at 0600 for backing practice so I will start doing that and trying to use that combination.
It poured rain a bit so we did a tiny bit of trip planning and we each did a pre trip in the afternoon before leaving for the day.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Tuesday and Wednesday May 17 & 18 2022
Drove Tuesday and backed Wednesday (today). Confident in my abilities to pass the CDL exam. Everyone is coming along for the most part. Of course each of our problem points isn't always the same across people.
Did a school and CDL pre trip practice in the afternoon and only missed a couple items on the school list(more comprehensive than what the DOT requires)
The school's hazmat course paid off as I also passed the hazmat endorsement exam this AM.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Tuesday and Wednesday May 17 & 18 2022
Drove Tuesday and backed Wednesday (today). Confident in my abilities to pass the CDL exam. Everyone is coming along for the most part. Of course each of our problem points isn't always the same across people.
Did a school and CDL pre trip practice in the afternoon and only missed a couple items on the school list(more comprehensive than what the DOT requires)
The school's hazmat course paid off as I also passed the hazmat endorsement exam this AM.
Travis;
It sure sounds like you are doing AWESOME!!! I'm always following, sometimes even with the fat head (hubby in my avatar) along, or over shoulder, haha!
Seriously; sounds solid. He says so, so.. there's that too!! He went private school in 2003, as well. Worked .. and still is; just took us a while to pay off the loan note, LoL.
Anyway..re: the HME .... did your school provide you with an ERG (Emergency Response Guidebook) from JJ Keller, for HZ endorsed drivers? I'm just wondering. Tom's always kept his up, although not currently needed, and his company reimburses us the seven bux for the book; Dennis (diary nearby) at Prime, just hauled his 1st HZ load (and maybe 4th altogether?) without that book.
I really DON'T KNOW (miss ya, Rickipedia!) if it's a requiem, or a suggestion, but you might want to look it up and look into it, having the endorsement, good sir!
Sorry to derail; I'm always following! CONGRATS, from us .. on ALL !
~ Anne & Tom ~
ps: Please, if you have a moment, reply to Dennis' recent thread, about if/when you got an ERG book.. thanks!
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
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Day 10
More straight line backing but also 45°, 90° and parallel.
The parallel was with a tanker and day cab but I only did it twice before rotating. I'm not sure if me getting it in the second time was luck or me actually knowing what was going on.
The 45° was in a long tractor and 53' trailer. Fairly easy and I got both attempts relatively well. I felt like I was in control of what was going on.
90° was another day cab and what they called a pup. Very short trailer. F that trailer 🤣. Very different and I felt like I had no idea what to do. I'd move the trailer where i felt it needed to be and could get it square into the alley but the tractor would be all cattywampus. I'd try smaller movements and for less time and the trailer wouldn't be where I could get it in. Then pulling up I'd lose sight of the cones. Out of 8 or so total attempts I got 2 in very nicely but felt like it was just movements lining up and immediately repeating the same never yielded the same result.
I think one issue is the 90° was more "free practice" as the instructors were mostly focused on us as we did the 45 and parallel. I'm thinking next week or in the coming weeks they'll walk us through 90s and the shorter trailer.
My group drives tomorrow and everyone drives Fridays. Honestly I'd personally rather practice backing Friday but that's just my feel at this point.
Finished all coursework/online work for the week already minus the weekly test which isn't available til Friday at 1700.
Day Cab:
A tractor which does not have a sleeper berth attached to it. Normally used for local routes where drivers go home every night.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated