Failed My Test Wednesday And Passed Today!

Went to take my CDL test this past Wednesday and failed miserably. I mean I looked like I had never had any training at all. I showed up to the testing site and somehow seeing all of those cones, the test administrator, my teacher and let's not forget the men I've been in school with for the past 6 weeks just intimidated me(which is really hard to do). I finally got into my offset lane when what happens? My drives hit the last cone I just needed to get by and I lost my last 2 pts I had to spare! Ugh! If I had just got to my 90 with that 2 Pts left I would've been good and heading for the road! But no! It was over! I felt defeated,embarrassed and so lousy I went home and laid in bed trying to take a nap only to replay over and over again in my mind what I did wrong. It took me 24 hours to get it out of my head before I could do the walk of shame back to the yard to pay for my next test. My teachers asked if I wanted help? Practice some more? Wait until next week? No! I didn't need any of that! I should've passed the first time!

I went back today to take my test and aced that MF! No points lost! For me at least, I can say I think it's a women thing. We're expected to fail by some in this industry and at the same time expected to prove to be better. Which is really the same thing when you think about? One is assuming you're inferior and the other is just hoping you prove to be inferior. And all this time I thought it was the truck and the male dominated industry intimidating me. Silly me, I intimidate myself.

Today was a good day and I cannot wait for more challenges in my new career. I just wanted to share my failure and success for anyone out there that reads this and has gone through the same and can relate and to let the women out there know that if they're even considering this career and think they can? You can! And you will!

Andrea

Congratulations Andrea!!

Congratulations Andrea!!

Thank you so much!

Way to go Andrea! I passed all of mine last Wednesday after being encouraged to toss in my chips and quit on 2 occasions. I went to a company school and you get 1 chance to pass the test if you are from out of state. Silly me I was determined to test regardless of the outcome as the world would not come to an end if I failed, but I would never be able to live with myself if I had to continually as myself "what if?". I passed which surprised the heck out of the instructors, but not me, my classmates, or my friends and family. I do believe in this industry a woman has to be twice as good to be seen as equal to a man. I am not saying that because I passed I am a rock star driver, far from it. There are still issues with downshifting from 10th to the low side of the transmission when coming to a stop. With a little more training and time it will get better, I'm sure. Have you decided who you are going to drive for?

Andrea, Jolie and all the other amazing ladies out there - you ROCK!!!! I am so excited for you! Thank you for helping me know I can do it, too! You're my heroes!

I am going to postpone school till after the holidays (got some work coming in, make some money so I won't have to sleep in the back of my truck during driving school) ... but will be going to take the permit test tomorrow morning! Wish me luck!

Be safe out there, everybody!

Andrea, Jolie and all the other amazing ladies out there - you ROCK!!!! I am so excited for you! Thank you for helping me know I can do it, too! You're my heroes!

I am going to postpone school till after the holidays (got some work coming in, make some money so I won't have to sleep in the back of my truck during driving school) ... but will be going to take the permit test tomorrow morning! Wish me luck!

Be safe out there, everybody!

Good luck on your permit test Trish! If you have been using the materials here I am sure you will do fine.. As far as starting after the holidays, there will still be a need for drivers then too, and we sure don't want to here of you sleeping in the back of your truck!!!

Congrats, I know how you feel. I very good at handling the trucks, for some reason yesterday, I second guessed myself & failed on alley dock,& if you was to see me on the yard Im very good at it. I replayed my mistakes over & over again, but I will not let this discourage me one bit!...

I feel like the tests are designed (by feds who have never driven a semi-truck in their life, I understand) to intimidate people trying to get into the business. You really have to kind of be "100 percent" ready to pass and at the same time prepared to fail and be humbled by the whole experience. Trucker boot camp, so to speak, is kind of a racket. You really only get 11 days in the truck, and that's spent taking turns, figuring in breaks and lunch. I knew I was not ready at the end of that time, and went home to rest. These extra few days of practice seemed to help, but even then, I only passed pre-trip today, and completely messed up the lane-change maneuver. I'm not the only one, so I guess it's back to the training pad again next week.

That all being said, a very hearty congratulations to Andrea B. for passing all the testing and getting her CDL. A very happy day, indeed!

Way to go Andrea! I passed all of mine last Wednesday after being encouraged to toss in my chips and quit on 2 occasions. I went to a company school and you get 1 chance to pass the test if you are from out of state. Silly me I was determined to test regardless of the outcome as the world would not come to an end if I failed, but I would never be able to live with myself if I had to continually as myself "what if?". I passed which surprised the heck out of the instructors, but not me, my classmates, or my friends and family. I do believe in this industry a woman has to be twice as good to be seen as equal to a man. I am not saying that because I passed I am a rock star driver, far from it. There are still issues with downshifting from 10th to the low side of the transmission when coming to a stop. With a little more training and time it will get better, I'm sure. Have you decided who you are going to drive for?

Congrats to all of you ladies too and to Trish who will be joining us shortly good luck. I decided to work for USExpress and start my orientation next week and then will be training on the route I will be handling once I go solo. I'm so excited!

Way to go Andrea! I passed all of mine last Wednesday after being encouraged to toss in my chips and quit on 2 occasions. I went to a company school and you get 1 chance to pass the test if you are from out of state. Silly me I was determined to test regardless of the outcome as the world would not come to an end if I failed, but I would never be able to live with myself if I had to continually as myself "what if?". I passed which surprised the heck out of the instructors, but not me, my classmates, or my friends and family. I do believe in this industry a woman has to be twice as good to be seen as equal to a man. I am not saying that because I passed I am a rock star driver, far from it. There are still issues with downshifting from 10th to the low side of the transmission when coming to a stop. With a little more training and time it will get better, I'm sure. Have you decided who you are going to drive for?

Congrats to all of you ladies too and to Trish who will be joining us shortly good luck. I decided to work for USExpress and start my orientation next week and then will be training on the route I will be handling once I go solo. I'm so excited!

US Express came out to our CDL school and gave their pitch. They have a fine fleet, and good reputation. Some of the guys in my class are going with them. Look forward to your documenting some of your time with the trainer, Andrea B. I've read some of the "diary" entries on the boards, and they are really interesting. One guy's dad is planning to join him later after he gets his own CDL, and go as a team. Wow. Now that is going to be fun to read about in a few months!