Speaking Of Hazmat......

I wonder if there's a way for Brett to offer the HR Hazmat endorsement training module as a download. If I end up getting on with Con-Way, I will have four months to get the Hazmat endorsement. I'm thinking it would be nice to have that module available as a download. That way, I could use some of my down time while with the trainer to take advantage of HR's training without having to have an internet connection. Whaddya say, Brett? Is that something you can set up?

Well the High Road Training Program uses the CDL manual for it's content, except in the Logbook Rules and Weight & Balance sections of the program. We wrote the materials ourselves for those two sections. But the rest of the training program, including the Hazmat Training, is the actual CDL manual itself which you can download from our state CDL Manuals page for free right now!

Unfortunately there's no way to include the quizzes at the bottom of each page with the download. But all of the content is there.

Yeah, that's how I got my manual, via download. One thing that I didn't care for too much when reading it was that it got quite boring at times. From what I did end up reading via HR, you guys made it more interesting. You know, the short and quick explanations of things using examples, the review questions, the review of the review questions, etc. I was just thinking that since many of us don't start on the hazmat endorsement until after we are already driving, that it would be neat to be able to download just that part of HR to have in a laptop, no internet required. But........it was just an idea. I'm guessing it would take a lot of work for you to set it up that way, and it's obvious you have already put a lot of work into the site as it is.

I'm guessing it would take a lot of work for you to set it up that way

Yeah, it would.....which in itself isn't a big deal. The problem is that it would take away from the time spent building new things like a simulator based on real-world physics and mathematics that will teach backing, slow-speed maneuvering (like it tight parking lots), and shifting. Also, we'd like to build a section on trip planning and a really in-depth section on the pre-trip inspection.

I like to give people as many choices as I reasonably can but configuring our High Road Online Training Program into a download isn't in the cards I'm afraid. Sorry about that.

I'm guessing it would take a lot of work for you to set it up that way

Yeah, it would.....which in itself isn't a big deal. The problem is that it would take away from the time spent building new things like a simulator based on real-world physics and mathematics that will teach backing, slow-speed maneuvering (like it tight parking lots), and shifting. Also, we'd like to build a section on trip planning and a really in-depth section on the pre-trip inspection.

I like to give people as many choices as I reasonably can but configuring our High Road Online Training Program into a download isn't in the cards I'm afraid. Sorry about that.

That's cool. I think the simulator is going to be really nice.

I think the simulator is going to be really nice.

Oh it's going to be awesome! Not awesome in an immersive, 3d, "Am I in another world" sort of way. It won't be like a "virtual world" video game where you're sitting in the truck.

What it will be is a highly-structured series of lessons teaching all of the principles involved in backing, slow-speed maneuvering, and shifting. It will be a series of maneuvers you'll be performing and I'll be measuring your proficiency as you go through it. For instance, with the backing and slow-speed maneuvers it will give you a score based on how accurately you're following the intended course and how erratic your steering is. As you get better you'll follow the intended course more precisely with fewer, more gentle steering inputs. That's when I'll know you're really able to understand how to maneuver the rig and you'll move on to the next lesson.

With shifting - same sort of thing. I'll know when you're understanding it by how accurate your timing is when pulling it out of gear, shifting it into gear, and double-clutching. I'll be able to measure how smooth your rhythm is and how accurate your timing is.

Ahhhh the beauty of computers and mathematics. So when someone completes my simulator courses and the schools or companies ask, "How do I know this students really understands this stuff?" I can reply, "Because I can prove it mathematically."

It's hard to argue with that.

So when will all of this awesomeness happen ??

So when will all of this awesomeness happen ??

It's going to take quite a bit of time....probably a few months...to have the finished modules built into the High Road Training Program. However I'm hoping to have something for people to play around and tinker with in a few weeks.