New Member To This Site And Just Getting Started.

Hello everyone, I just finish my first week of class at Shippers Choice of Virginia and looking forward to getting out on the road with the rest of you. I would like any words of wisdom that you all may have, it's the experience that all of you have that I would be interested in hearing about, the good and bad of truck driving.

Hey Bob, Welcome aboard!

We're glad you showed up, and I would encourage you to hunt and peck your way around this website because you are bound to find some helpful information here. Take a stab at going through the Truck Driver's Career Guide, there's a lot of information there for you and if you're interested in a good yet simple read about the trucking lifestyle take a look at Brett's Book, it's a free on line version that I think you'll enjoy. It sounds like you are already in school, but I would still encourage you to run through our High Road Training Program, there's just no better way to learn and retain the information you need to know for testing. And also if you're interested we've got a great read on How To Choose A Company.

Feel free to jump into the forum with any questions you may have, chances are that someone here has "been there and done that" and would be glad to share their answers with you.

Sad to see this thread was never followed up on or completed. Oh well. I do have a good friend (Stan) who finished at this particular school – I’ll summarize his experience (he had a lot to say):

New Students – or people who are thinking about attending:

1. They will allow students into class without a CDL Instruction Permit and/or a DoT Medical card. This is bad for the student without and the student with because – in Stan’s case – he stated a full week was wasted as more than half his class had no permit and lost out on any behind the wheel experience. This deficiency was evident big time later on. The other students who had the permit could not go forward until the rest caught up.

2. Instructors are good – supportive – patient beyond belief.

3. Equipment is …. Well used – but what do you expect? A brand new $160,000.00 tractor for students to wreck?

4. Stan commented that it seemed there was always a scramble to get a trailer that had working brakes or good tires, or working lights.

5. Road time was decent according to Stan – but could have been much better.

How about the DMV Evaluation statistics? IMO this is what really matters – do they set you up for success? The numbers Stan gave me are from three separate classes and I lumped them together:

First time: 3 Pass, 28 fail (9.7% success) or (90.3% failure rate)

Second time: 9 Pass, 16 Fail (36% success) or (64% failure rate)

Third time: 7 Pass, 9 Fail (43% success) or (57% failure rate)

Pretty shocking results.

Of Stan’s class – there were 17 students who completed the course of instruction. Of the 17 – 1 person passed on the first attempt or 5.8% success rate or a 94.2% failure rate – just depends on how you look at it. According to Stan – the person who passed was a previous CDL holder.

Stan failed on a CEP (critical evaluation point) during the driving portion. He hit a curb 3 turns from the end. There are circumstances, but IMO they really do not matter. Fail is a Fail.

I know the area they test in well – and I cannot for the life of me understand why the CDL School does not take the students there to drive around and get a feel on a rough approximation of the course of evaluation. It would certainly boost the student’s confidence and give them the real world experience they need. The Evaluation area is kind of like taking your CDL Road Evaluation in Brooklyn around the terminals off of Gowanus Parking Lot – I mean Express or the 278. If there was an interest in boosting success %; that is what they should do.

Fortunately for Stan – he was only required to perform the operational skills (backing) and road skills portion again – which he passed with no further issues. Bad thing was – it took 19 days to get a second attempt. During the wait – the CDL skills changed for Virginia which now includes parallel parking (like anyone will ever do this). Stan had to, in effect, demand the CDL School provide the tractor and trailer he was going to be tested on, along with an instructor, at the DMV test range after 1530. He would not tell me what transpired between himself and the CDL School – and even to this day – he’s still furious about it – over 6 weeks later.

If you are researching CDL Schools and run across this one –

1. This is the ONLY CDL School that will teach you on 48’ and 53’ trailers in or around the Washington DC Area. The other 2 are significantly worse. The next closest is a private school somewhere around Baltimore and they charge upwards of $14,000 - not sure what the completion stats are.

2. You get out of it what you put into it.

3. You will not be given the opportunity to practice on the actual DMV evaluation range – this will directly impact your ability to complete on the first attempt.

4. The area you do practice in daily – Is not an accurate representation of the DMV course. It is too small, lanes do not reflect the DMV course, and not set up correctly (not measured, marked, etc.). The road driving does not reflect the DMV requirements and the course you follow - 5 right turns and 2 left turns - that's all you get.

5. You will not be given the opportunity to practice with the tractor and trailer you will take the DMV evaluation on (not sure why).

6. The tractor B:C Extinguisher was completely discharged and not mounted, one headlight was out – no action taken, based on pictures he showed me the trailer tires would fail a DoT inspection due to chunks of rubber missing, less than 2/32” tread, and the Hendrix Air Springs are all collapsed (dry rot, etc.).

7. The trailer you use for the evaluation is actually longer (by about 9 feet) than the one you use in the yard to practice parallel parking with, and the tractor does not turn as sharp. This screws the majority of students up and most fail due to an incursion (line crossing) on the evaluated parallel parking.

You can take away what you want from my description. I don’t think the CDL School does the students any favors and does not seem to set them up for a successful run. I am not saying you should keep your money and avoid them - the instruction staff seems to be really good - but the course of instruction and not allowing students to drive around the area DMV evaluates you in has a huge impact.

Thanks for the detailed write-up.

For the record, I do see trucks from Hagerstown Community College driving around with a 53ft trailer. Many may not consider it DC area but I do :)