Is it me ?

[drifter99]

I need some advice. After spending 3 months in driving school and over 15 2hour, one-on-one driving lessons, I took the road test for the third time and failed it. I had the usual shifting problems all newbies have and wasn't too bad in alley docking after getting warmed up but on the test, I just couldn't get it in the box, too many pull ups and corrections and too wide on the measured right. On the third test, I got through the course but on the road, I couldn't get it into 6th and couldn't recover, stopped on the highway - - -instant failure. I can't blame the truck ( worn out piece of junk) because the student before me had no problem. The school won't give me another chance or more lessons unless I pay.
This is a career change for me but now, my confidence in driving is rattled. I wasn't that nervous and had gone over some of my notes of dos and don't before getting in the cab. Two instructors said I think too much. Should I stay with it or forget about driving all together ?
Another thing, I went to school on a state grant. Am I going to have to pay back part of or all of that money if I don't get the CDL and drop out ? What should I do ?

[Justruckin]

I would say the instructors are right, you think to much. Be one with the truck grasshopper.

Should you quit? Heck, only you, or your wallet, can answer that.

As far as your government grant, I have no clue. I have spent my entire life paying them money, and cannot recall them ever ginving me a dime.

Mike

[bigtruckman]

do state or city that you live in have an workforce development program (part of the dept. of labor) where they would pay for your school course normal have a list of different trades from med asst. to cdl to heavy equipment to some computer training, if you go thru them you will not have to pay back the money they keep up with you on job training/work after school is finish, once you get a job they want to know where at,the pay, and are you happy there/ if you have trouble finding a job after school they help with job leads. work well for me here GA. try the one in your state free money is always good

[millersod215]

I'm kind of stuck in the middle on how to respond to this, if you've tried numerous times and can not pick up on the basics of driving, you are more than likely going to cause problems to the motoring public, in reality it's scary to think of a driver pulling in to busy traffic and losing himself within the gears and having to come to a complete stop. There are companies that have all auto fleets, but what are you going to do when it comes time to change jobs and your new carrier operates super 10's or 13 speed transmissions. I've run across this problem one time in my seven years of driving, my company enlisted my help with a new driver and wanted to know if he was qualified to do the job, after many failed opportunities and multiple times having to come to a complete stop in traffic, I ultimately decided he was not fit to drive a truck, he would only have ended up hurting someone and in the long run that would have been way more detrimental to his career. I hate to shed this light on the situation, but it's definately something to think about.

[TimberWolf]

I have to agree with Millersod on this one.
After three months of school and you still can't getthe basic hang of shifting gears? maybe it is time to look elswhere for a career?
What type of school is it? a fly by night side of the road get your CDL here school.. or a school with space and instructors who care? At my school once you paid you stayed until you got it right no extra cash was needed, by the end of three weeks I was fairly comfortable shifting and ready to learn dock.
If you are rattled after this time frame try to regroup yourself and set new golas for what you want to accomplish, if you still can't get the hang of it then I would suggest another line of work, as this one can take your life from you very quickly along with the lives of honest hard working families just trying to survive...

Timberwolf

[Luzon]

This probably won't help - but here's my 2 cents anyway. You're already out at the school. You already don't have a job driving. You already have spent your $$$ and time.

I assume you know the correct person at the school to talk to. Go there, one more time, hat in hand, tail between the legs, however you want to look at it, and explain to that person that you know you're already done, you know that you haven't performed up to par, and you know that you're out of chances.

Maybe, if you beg and plead with sincerity, that person would let you try to find one of their instructors who would give you 30 minutes and ride along with you to do a road test after his work day is up, not for a pass/fail grade, but for YOU to prove to yourself, without the pressure of having to pass a test that you can either drive a truck or you can't. The instructor would be there only to keep things safe, not to grade or critique.

You'd be on your own for 30 minutes and the instructor is only a passanger. Maybe the pressure would be off enough that you can do what you need to do to pass a test. Having gone through it three times now you know what the test is all about. You could just drive the test route, do what you tried to do the other three times - all the while the instructor is just taking a ride.

If you were to do this, and in your opinion drive well enough that you would have passed the test maybe then you can answer your question as to whether you should drop out or not. I mean at this point, what have you got to loose? Doing this may also help to build a little confidence.

As for the other guys voicing their concerns about you being on the road, I'd agree accept for this. Assuming you somehow find out a way to pass the test and get your CDL, you'd then go to a company and get with a trainer/finisher. You'd probably have 2-3 months on the road with the trainer to get over your nervousness. I think by then you may be competent enough to do the job. BUT, if you get to that point, you better pay attention to your trainer, practice your ass off, and quit thinking too much. That's called Analysis paralysis - and there's no room for that on the road. You need instincts out there and they take time to develop.

Whatever you decide, good luck.

[drifter99]

Thanks luzon, timberwolf, millersod215, bigtruckman and justtruckin. Well, all I can say is I tried it - - - never would have known how driving an eighteen wheeler would feel if I didn't. I've always been one to keep pluggin away if I didn't get something the first time (or the third or fourth) but all my friends, none of who ever drove a truck, all say that truckin is not for me and thought I'd be unhappy and yes, a risk to life and limb. I sincerely gave it my best shot and really wanted a taste of life on the road despite what everyone else was telling me but I can see now it's not for me. I'm 57 and with only 5 or 6 more years of good vision and strength, I just might get into trouble out there somewhere.
So mucho grats guys. I appreciate the advice, good luck with the loads and I might see you all down the NJ tpk one of these days.

[Luzon]

It's probably best. There's a lot to learn about trucking that no one tells you about. A lot about life on the road leaves much to be desired. For example, I bet no one told you that when you stop for the night at one of the truck stops, chances are that you'll be jumping out of your truck to head into grab a "less than satisfactory mean" (more times than not) you'll be walking though a parking lot that the night before was pee'd on by who knows how many truckers. The smell is wonderful. Pffff. There's just a lot of stuff like that that make the job, umm... not as pleasant as it could be.

That info won't help I'm sure, it's just a little food for thought that may make your decision a little more palatable.

If you're looking for work, don't discout craigslist or Linked In. Two good sites to keep your eye on.

Good luck