DO NOT TRAIN WITH SWIFT!!

This school in Salt Lake City is a complete joke. 50 students in a class and TWO instructors out in the yard at any given time. Plus there's at least another 50 students out here from previous week's classes. You'll be lucky to get in a truck for 30 minutes in a 10 hour day. And when you're lucky enough to to actually get some time on one, you have to deal with the other students that think they know everything running around your truck telling you what to do. It's hard to learn anything when you NEVER see or talk to an instructor. I'm not paying $3900 + $500 in housing cost to be self taught. I get that most of the learning comes on the road with a mentor, but how are you supposed to pass the CDL when you never get any feedback or help from an instructor? I'm guessing the only way anyone is passing this class is because the instructors are giving the test. They'd be lucky to get a 10% pass rate from this school if they're testing was done by the DMV or an impartial 3rd party. I don't feel safe being put out on the road like this. I'll be lucky to get 20 minutes of road time before my road test.

So, Bubber, you went right past the fine facility at Memphis to get to SLC? I took the class in Memphis. The policies seem to be about the same - It was over Christmas/New Year so we only had about 30 students at the start of the class. On the practice range we loosely paired up - you could change partners any time. The instructors demonstrated how to make each of the back up scenarios, then we were on our own. You drive and your partner spots/calls out helpful suggestions. Then you swap. This goes on all day, and the instructors move around the work with students all across the range. This is my experience, and it looks a lot like what you have.

Oh, gee! sometimes I had to wait to get into the driver seat, but when I was there, I enjoyed the heat (Winter, remember?) and practiced till I could not practice any more. The instructors did come by and work with me a few times.

Did you partner up as I described, or did you have 5-8 other students yelling at you about what to do? If there's too many, ask them to be quiet you need to concentrate.

The driving with the mentor is easy, but you need to know how to back the truck/trailer up. In fact, your mentor needs to grade you on 40 back-ups while you are on the road. Get your practicing done now!

A suggestion - go get a toy truck from Walmart or Toys R Us. (don't roll your eyes!) Watching the truck on your table top will show you how backing really goes down.

Bubber, your job is to focus on the backing target you have to do. The instructors do give you the evaluation to get you out of the school (don't tell any body but you do get a few extra chances if you "blow it") I needed a chance to pass the whole thing.

Finally, remember this: the cones/barrels/boxes you need to park into are on purpose 1 foot closer together than the CDL test standards. So if you have to back in to that (killer!) 90 degree alley, the CDL test, no matter the state, will be a piece of cake.

Chill Bubber! Practice with your toy truck. Don't waste your time looking for YouTube videos. I did look, hard, but did not find any that were really helpful.

So, Bubber, you went right past the fine facility at Memphis to get to SLC? I took the class in Memphis. The policies seem to be about the same - It was over Christmas/New Year so we only had about 30 students at the start of the class. On the practice range we loosely paired up - you could change partners any time. The instructors demonstrated how to make each of the back up scenarios, then we were on our own. You drive and your partner spots/calls out helpful suggestions. Then you swap. This goes on all day, and the instructors move around the work with students all across the range. This is my experience, and it looks a lot like what you have.

Oh, gee! sometimes I had to wait to get into the driver seat, but when I was there, I enjoyed the heat (Winter, remember?) and practiced till I could not practice any more. The instructors did come by and work with me a few times.

Did you partner up as I described, or did you have 5-8 other students yelling at you about what to do? If there's too many, ask them to be quiet you need to concentrate.

The driving with the mentor is easy, but you need to know how to back the truck/trailer up. In fact, your mentor needs to grade you on 40 back-ups while you are on the road. Get your practicing done now!

A suggestion - go get a toy truck from Walmart or Toys R Us. (don't roll your eyes!) Watching the truck on your table top will show you how backing really goes down.

Bubber, your job is to focus on the backing target you have to do. The instructors do give you the evaluation to get you out of the school (don't tell any body but you do get a few extra chances if you "blow it") I needed a chance to pass the whole thing.

Finally, remember this: the cones/barrels/boxes you need to park into are on purpose 1 foot closer together than the CDL test standards. So if you have to back in to that (killer!) 90 degree alley, the CDL test, no matter the state, will be a piece of cake.

Chill Bubber! Practice with your toy truck. Don't waste your time looking for YouTube videos. I did look, hard, but did not find any that were really helpful.

Thanks for the advice. I was gonna get the toy truck, but my roommate thought it was a dumb idea and money is tight anyway. And I tried to do Memphis or Richmond, (only a few hours of home) but my recruiter said it was SLC or nothing. And yeah, there's about 8-10 per truck and I haven't been in a truck one time with an instructor. At least the weather is nice.

Thanks for the advice. I was gonna get the toy truck, but my roommate thought it was a dumb idea and money is tight anyway. And I tried to do Memphis or Richmond, (only a few hours of home) but my recruiter said it was SLC or nothing. And yeah, there's about 8-10 per truck and I haven't been in a truck one time with an instructor. At least the weather is nice.

My First truck. John Deeere grain trailer, kind of a Pete tractor, by Ertl

You will quickly see how the back end behaves as the front moves. You need to manually "turn" as the real tractor would turn. And you don't have anybody trying to kick you out of the cab!

Thanks for the advice. I was gonna get the toy truck, but my roommate thought it was a dumb idea and money is tight anyway. And I tried to do Memphis or Richmond, (only a few hours of home) but my recruiter said it was SLC or nothing. And yeah, there's about 8-10 per truck and I haven't been in a truck one time with an instructor. At least the weather is nice.

My First truck. John Deeere grain trailer, kind of a Pete tractor, by Ertl

You will quickly see how the back end behaves as the front moves. You need to manually "turn" as the real tractor would turn. And you don't have anybody trying to kick you out of the cab!

how much does the truck cost I'm considering buying me one

The Walmart lease option for this Pererbilt with sleeper, grain trailer included, is a single payment of $13.99.

Availability will vary.

The Walmart lease option for this Pererbilt with sleeper, grain trailer included, is a single payment of $13.99.

Availability will vary.

I picked up a Tonka similar to this at Walmart for about $9. I was really surprised at how helpful it's been for backing work.

Whatever truck floats your boat!

(Is that a mixed metaphor?)

Whatever truck floats your boat!

(Is that a mixed metaphor?)

As long as my truck don't float ;)

I was really relieved to see you recommending this. I had been wondering if I was just being a goofball in using my Tonka to practice. I don't know what I don't know and that's a LOT!

The Walmart lease option for this Pererbilt with sleeper, grain trailer included, is a single payment of $13.99.

Availability will vary.

This made me laugh