Back Home With A Spanking New CDL!

Aloha Y'All! Just waking up to my first morning home after being at the Knight Academy for the last three weeks. It was hard, it was frustrating at times, and now and then I felt like a fish out of water. But in the end, I tested out yesterday, and as we parked the truck, set the brakes and shut it down, the examiner turned to me and said those seven words, "congratulations, you've got your CDL"

Great staff at the academy, with a real gift for teaching. Five different instructors with five different approaches, but all imparting the same good information. I was on the money with my pre-trip from go, my road driving got better each time we went out and by the last few days felt really good about it. But offset? For a solid week, for some reason, I couldn't wrap my head around it. Then all of a sudden, on Friday, I got a small correction and suggestion from one of the instructors, and it all kicked in. BTW for some strange reason, my parallel was never an issue. Nailed it from jump. And if I live to be a hundred, I'll have, "lose the tire...find the tire" ringing in my ears. The last couple of days were just drilling in the steps, finding my comfort with the maneuver and repeating it and repeating it.

So I'm back home to take care of paperwork (getting my home state license updated and such) and waiting for my company to match me up with a trainer for four weeks. (I'll be running in the Ports and Rail division...which also means I can do Dry Van when needed) In my opinion, that's when the real work begins. (I don't really think I'm a trucker yet...that's going to take some time and experience) I'm really looking forward to seeing the "real world" applications of the theories that we learned...the nuts and bolts of the job, and all the things that only someone who is out there every day doing it can show me. I'm a sponge...ready to soak it up.

I know that there are a lot of opinions on here about the current state of the industry, and of companies and driving as a whole, but for me, completely new to it, I'm eager to see what there is for me to learn and experience. I have done a complete 180 professionally, and left behind a job, (musician/performer) that I have done for the better part of thirty five years. It feels good to learn some new skills and take on something different.

I appreciate all the advice, messages and opinions that I have received before this when I was still trying to figure out what to do and where to go. Stay safe y'all, and I'll be on here more and more as I learn and do, more and more.

TD

Congratulations TD! Great work…….. so far. Lol

Congratulations!

It looks like you are off to a good start.

Congrats. Keep that great attitude going forward and get ready for ypur next adventure which will be training.

Congrats!!!

Congratulations and good luck

Fantastic! Congrats all around!