Any Advice?
 

Okay for all the "ahem" old timers out there...
I've passed 4 practice tests for General Knowledge, Air Brakes and Combination with an 88% or higher (up to a 97%) and after Christmas I am giong out on the road with my brother who drives for Swift, for a few weeks. I am currently waiting for a clearnace letter from the State of Nebraska on my license (no proof of insurance ticket back in October but should be cleared up shortly). While I'm with my brother he is giong to help me memorize the pre-trip so I can pass it when I finally get to go to school.
My question is: Is there ANYTHING else I can do to prep for the CDL tests? I cant actually drive his truck so anything short of that that I can do to get ready and/or help me when I finally get to school would really be helpful.
Thanks

my first question would be? why can't you drive your brother's truck?

all you legally need is a learner's permit. He has a CDL right?

just don't get caught by Swift, or Screw-up.

Stick to bob-tail driving at first ---Mall parking lots are empty on Sunday Afternoons.( and you don't need a licence to operate a bob-tail on Private Property Only)

Probably not at this time of year.

well its Swift's truck... and until stupid ole Nebraska gets that clearance letter to me I cant even get my permit.. so i have my regular DL (which is perfectly clean in all other 49 States by the way) but I also dont want to get my brother in trouble with his company... so Ill work on the pretrip until i can do it in my sleep and keep reading and studying the manual while im dinking around waiting....

Talk about a great opportunity. You actually get to test out the truckers life before you jump in. My advice would to be go in with an open mind, don't settle on Swift. Make sure you make your own choice. That could be Swift or someone else.

Work that pre-trip until your mind is numb. Until all you can think is pre-trip. When it comes time to test out on it, it will be second nature. Make sure you have a manual there that tells you step by step what it is. It is possible your brother might have forgotten a thing or two.

Do a log book. This is another area that can confuse new drivers. Maybe do your own, maybe do His (not sure if doing his is technically legal or not)

Take some time and watch him and others bump docks and park at truck stops. Get an idea in your head how to wiggle these things around to get em in the hole.

Take a few naps while bouncing down the road. Depending on your eventual trainer it might benefit you if you can sleep in a moving truck.

You have already said it but I will say it again. DO NOT DRIVE HIS TRUCK. Don't even pull it up a few feet for any reason at all. A little mistake could ruin your career before it even started. You are absolutely nothing other than a passenger. But that can alot of fun also.

Good for you, will get to experience "life on the road" for a time. Much to learn, observe all that you can from your brother, and observations of other drivers. Look for postives and negatives of the drivers, you can learn just as much from the negatives as the postives.

I want to echo what most have said about driving the truck. Under no circumstances drive his truck. Like marylandkw said not even a few feet. Remember that truck is not your brothers, it is Swifts assigned to your brother. Now I drive for a company and consider my assigned truck as mine. But keep in mind things can go wrong even in a few feet of movement. You do not need that responsiblity and your brother cannot absorb that responsibilty either if something sould go wrong. Even if you brother offers for you to drive in an empty parking lot bobtail. Dont. You will have plenty to observe and have a good time being on the road for a few weeks. Enjoy it.
Look forward to reading your post of the experience when you return.

Well i had originally thought Schneider would be my employer of choice but the BF wants me to look seriously at Roehl so I applied to both and am waiting to see what happens from there.. and I'll more than likely be posting from the road since im making my bro get a wireless internet card for his laptop... me without internet???? thats like Abbott without Costello.. it just aint right! :shock: anyway... im extremely stoked about the whole thing... im pretty sure i'm part gypsy anyway so i should feel right at home... and thanks for the terrific advice :) :D Im takin notes

All good suggestions, especially the pre-trip. That's the one thing that takes out the most new drivers. My son grew up around trucks, drove trucks on the farm, good as anybody out there, but it took him three tries to get past the pre-trip. His fault, I told him to read the book and do what THEY wanted, not inpect it the way he normally would.

As far as the log book, I've known several drivers whose wives did the log book. I think it's okay as long as the driver signs on the line. Maybe to be safe, it'd be better if you just spent 50 cents and bought a log book. Fill it out like you're doing the driving, it'll give you some hands on experience. You'll have one less thing to learn when you're training.

Ditto!!!!

Real bright. I love the "just don't get caught" part. Great way to sabotage his driving career before it even gets started. Heck, if you are going to go that far, why bother with a learner's permit at all? You'd better hope that nobody from Lincoln reads this post and realizes who you are. Your life could get real complicated real quick!


To the OP. Does he have permission from Swift to let you ride with him?

Just being on "private property" don't mean diddly anymore. You can ticketed on private property for any moving violation in a motor vehicle that you can be ticketed on the road for.
Plus you might get busted for trespassing!!

Creek

I don't really give a crap if Lincoln reads this or not---
He started off asking for advice from "aham" old timers---
how the hell you think old timers learned in the first place, before "cdl mills" came out. And yes, at one time out of 65drivers- I was the only one My company realized "qualified" to train my own Wife to get her CDL.
What a candy ass......

you can't get ticketed on private property unless the owner of the property
allows the officers to come onto said property and do it......

just how many times have your finders been run over in parking lots--and called the police out to writet up a report--and have them say---
"sorry, private property----nothing we can do"

a guy could drive a 18-wheeler through a truckstop parking lot and demolish a dozen other trucks---and it's all up to a civil court to settle.

EDIT: since 911 there are new laws prohibiting commercial vehicles from approaching Mall parking lots & such as "anti- terrorism" measures-----so yeah Creek does have a good point there.
In the "old days" companies would routinely suggest to their trainers to take their trainees to Mall parking lots, set up Cones and practice. It was a good idea then, as the Truckstop lot isn't a training range. It would still be a good idea now, if you can find one that doesn't ban trucks from parking there.

You sound to me like one of those "old timers" (although I hardly think 15 years qualifies someone as an old timer) who refuses (or is unable) to change with the times. Handing out advice that can get a bunch of people in a lot of trouble, if not put them in jail, is not a sign of a professional driver.

that's why I said---all you need is a learner's permit and a licensed driver - and no one goes to jail/no laws violated----his brother just gets fired if caught.

or just practice on private property- again no laws violated--just company
policy.

if it were illegal to operate a bob-tail without a license on private property--
almost every mechanic at every trucking terminal/shop would be getting ticketed daily--donut shops would be going in next to each one, and a cop would be staking the places out 24-7.

well- reguardless of how many years it takes to qualify as 'old timer'--it
only seems to take 1 day to be a 'real company man'.

You are truly a classic. "His brother just gets fired. That's all." That is a quote for the ages. Somebody needs to make that their sig line.

:shock: :shock:

We're talking about Swift right?

How about a more realistic prediction.

He trains his brother to drive/ they save $4000.00 on schooling.
His brother gets his CDL in half the time it would take going the other route.

Then he leaves Swift( since he probably wasn't going to stay with them more than 6months anyway)

and then they get a job running team with another company.

How many Husband/Wife Teams you figure are out there--that did it--the exact same way.

okay let me just clarify one or two things for the record.. lol... 1.) I'm female... 2.) Its my baby brother who drives for swift so no way in H-E- Double Hockey Sticks am I going to do one thing that would jeapordize his job (whether he's happy there or not) 3.) By "old timers I meant folks that have been driving for longer than 2 weeks :roll: (it was supposed to be facetious... not intended to offend anyone... 4.) yeppers permission has been granted for me to ride-along and the bro is paying $30 a month for insurance on me to be there. Sooooo... I will be abiding by the rules and playing nice and all that. I will not under any circumstance drive that truck anywhere. I'm pretty certain i can learn the pretrip without having to actually drive the vehicle. (at least i hope so) lol 8)

Okay any other questions? :wink:

Oh and thanks to everyone for the good advice I really appreciate it :D

Dang, Kahlana! You "stole my thunder!" I wanted to point out the OBVIOUS that you were definitely NOT a "HE." :lol:

Anyway..... just ONE little "thought" about the pre-trip:

It sounds like you will have lots of time to go over this with your brother. I would suggest that you concentrate on learning and UNDERSTANDING just what it is you are checking.... and WHY. This way, regardless of whether you are tested by a "third party" or the DMV, you will have a better chance of covering ALL the points.

What I mean is..... if you MEMORIZE a "certain" pretrip, and then the 'tester' has another criteria..... you may easily MISS some points.... and NOT KNOW WHY!

I suggest that you STUDY the one in the CDL manual published by the STATE you will be tested in. NOT one by a certain company.

I KNOW it looks "daunting," but it is not really something that needs to be MEMORIZED. It is something that needs to be INTERNALIZED!

If you UNDERSTAND what you are checking AND WHY.... you are more likely to pass ANY pretrip examination, and if you miss something, you will get more lenience "IF" you demonstrate that you KNOW what you are checking, as opposed to having MEMORIZED it. (especially.... hate to say it.... as a WOMAN!)

Besides, as a driver, what you are checking can mean YOUR LIFE! It is better to understand it, than to just REMEMBER the "points" you have to cover. Ask WildKat if she could get by just KNOWING what she needs to check, as opposed to knowing WHY she needs to check it!

Also, it seems that MOST drivers get "nervous" during this part of the test. If this happens, MEMORY will fail you! But, KNOWING the material, will calm you down, and you will KNOW what you might have forgotten to mention!

I "memorized" the pre-trip on my first attempt in CDL school. I did it flawlessly for weeks. [I could "recite" it in less than 7 minutes.]

Soon, I started to UNDERSTAND what, and WHY, I was checking. When I tested out (third party by an instructor AT OUR SCHOOL as opposed to the DMV,) I got a little cocky, and forgot one or two items. The tester said she KNEW that I KNEW the pretrip, and WHAT I was checking, and she passed me.

Here's a small example. I'm not even SURE anymore if it was on the list, but I think it was:

WHY do you check the hub oil levels on your tandem axles?

As you are studying the POINTS of the pre-trip.... ask the question of WHY you are checking it. KNOW the answer, and you will KNOW your truck!

Good luck! I think it will be GREAT for you to get some REAL experience before you go to school. BTW.... DON'T do his logbook for him. It is supposed to ALL be in his handwriting. Do a separate one of your own (as mentioned.) That way, you can make lots of mistakes and just tear out the pages! :lol:

You MIGHT also use it to "practice" split logging, and see if you find any advantages to what you COULD have done differently than the way your brother did it.

Oh.... and while you're OUT there, take EVERY chance to talk to the women drivers!! [Just don't tell your brother what they REALLY think of him/us!!] :lol:

And take down EVERY company name and phone number you get! You might find a better option, right out of the gate! :wink:

Golf you so rock thank you so much for the fantastic advice. I just printed the whole reply off (hope you dont mind?) :oops: but its really great and i dont want to forget anything you mentioned :D

Well sorry for calling you a 'HE'--I'm guilty of seldom looking over there to the left to see Who or which gender is making a post. And if that lovely photo had been there "right off the bat" I wouldn't have been able to keep my eyes off it.

Have fun out there.

Thank you for the compliment.. it would have been there but i couldnt get onto my MySpace to get it right away.

While I was in CDL training , we had a list that we went over each day. Our whole class followed each other around as they each did their pretrip.
This worked good but if you are not careful you can pickup bad habits because some of the guys would skip stuff, if this happens point it out .
Also some guys would skip around on the list and get out of order , I found it better to keep the pretrip exactly in order so you won't miss something. I would go over the pretrip on my drive to school everyday , I had no problems . Now when I actually took the test the examiner said to do a pretrip on the " connections" I had not heard this term before so I assumed he ment fifth wheel, air lines , pigtail and soforth so I politely asked him and he said yes. Their language may be a bit different, don't be afraid to have the examiner explain things .Actually the pretrip is the easiest part of the exam but if you fail the airdown you fail the whole thing, so keep that in mind . While your brother does his pretrip , ask him what this or that is suppose to be or do , this will help you understand more about what you are doing (I am sure this has been pointed out on this thread). I am no expert and hope not to sound like a know it all just my 2 cents worth :)

in reguard to the pretrip check;

the advise some one gave earlier- about learning WHY and FOR WHAT you're
checking everything for is most important. But also remember the most important is the PALS brake check test is the most important part- if you mis it scrub the whole test.
If I remember correctly; been a while there's 110 items on a DOT pretrip inspection.
Best to just start out at the front of the vehicle and slowly walk around it--visual reminder of all the components you're inspecting. Usually, the day you test, there's too many students to be tested by the State Examiner to have every student go through the hole speal. So, usually he just points to something and you better know---What you're suppose to be looking for.
More crafty examinations might involve a vehicle setting with several defects- and you're suppose to be able to find them. Very rarely will you have to walk/talk your way through the whole 110 points.

thanks headborg :D sounds like im going to have a lot of things i need to learn good thing im out with my brother until i learn it lol... hmmmm.... i could be out with him for MONTHS :shock:

months ayyy, don't forget your "pocket rocket".

since you've made a note "to self" not to give your truck number out to me,
I'll just have to be on the look-out for a attractive woman doing a pre-trip on
a swift tractor-trailer early morning......that should be easy to spot....considering I've been getting up every morning for 15years and have seldom seen any trucker ACTUALLY doing anything similar to that.

LOL gonna come give us a hand are ya? :D it will be VERY early in the morning.. he usually hits the road about 2am lol... oh and its a flatbed

On a Pre-Trip exam... [ See it--Touch it--Talk about it. ]
Mention everything you see, and yak yak yak. Just keep yakking about stuff.
Bone up on what it is and what is does, as well as what it should do.
It's really not so tough. In no time you will have a good understanding,
and your brother will be a huge help with explaining parts you have trouble with.

First thing I always look for while walking up to the rig, to begin your Pre-Trip exam, is fluids on the ground.
The yakking will rid you of a lot of jitters.

Same thing when you do your Road Test. Yak-yak-yakking will leave the Instructor
no doubt what you are doing, or about to do, but the talking will also relax you, and keep you focused.

Have fun and enjoy yourself. That frame of mind always helps a lot.
If something happens that shakes you up, take a deep breath. ( that will relax you best at first, and be honest about your nerves )
We all need to build confidence in the beginning... so you should naturally
feel the nerves. That is a good thing, and enjoy that too. I miss that
enthusiasm and excitement, when I first started to drive.
One thing I remember best, is I couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear.
I really loved what I was doing, and still do. That first love is the best.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...nd10/steer.jpg
notice they do not use mirrors in this evolution. Impressive. 8)

Find out who has the BEST Steering Wheel Holder class... then look elsewhere. Some here say Swift is the best.
WHAT ?........wuddid I say ? :shock:

Personally, I don't know. I was self-taught, and probably would have failed at "Single-minded Heavy Vehicle Operation 101."

I have decided.... im gonna skip school and just let y'all teach me... now if i could just find i rig to practice drivin..... :twisted:

JUST KIDDING!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

[ See it--Touch it--Talk about it. ] ... http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...nd10/smile.gif

Is that your new motto? :lol:

uuuuuuum.... i was talkin about a RIG there hog... lol (goofball)

Re: Any Advice?
 

Continue to study the CDL manual anyway but don' t take everything you read to heart. What goes on in the real world can be different than what you will read. Also take time to learn about the equipment while you are on the road. One important part of the pretrip is to make sure your fifth wheel kingpin is locked before driving. Also when hooking up to a trailer make sure the fifth wheel is in full contact with the bottom of the trailer and there are no gaps. If there is a gap you can fix it by lowering the trailer with the landing gear. IF the trailer is too low you can also raise it with the landing gear. Good Luck. My best advice however would be to not even get into trucking to begin with.

Re: Any Advice?
 

:shock: :shock: :shock: why not? seems like a decent living (notice i did NOT say i would get rich off doing it) for a single person with no major bills, no family to take care of, and pretty much nothing giong on in the place where they are

Re: Any Advice?
 

True, a young single person without many responsibilities can make a decent living on the road. But, after a few months the thrill of being on the road tends to wear off for many new drivers and you will start to want more out of life, like a family and some real friends.

Almost anyone can learn how to point a truck down the road. But, it takes some serious internal fortitude to survive living a nomadic lifestyle.

hey larry nice to meet ya

i am very blessed to have had family and friends around me for most my life but my kids have gone their own ways for now and my family (parents etc) dont need me around so much. As for my good friends except for 2 they all live in Alaska, then ones in Nebraska and ones in Wisconsin so I'm used to staying in touch by phone email or snail mail. As far as living a nomadic lifestyle it's always been a dream to travel the US and see the sights.. getting paid to do it just seems like bonus to me. Plus i have never liked being settled in one place for too long... routine bores me to tears and crying gives me a headache... so hitting the road works for me i think... but i will know for sure after this stint on the truck with my brother :D

Re: Any Advice?
 

EXACTLY.

Re: Any Advice?
 

It is not a decent living until you get 1-2 years of experience. Living on the road will be expensive and you will be driving for peanuts starting out.By the time a lot of newbies get to the actual point of making a decent living the "I get paid to see the country" feeling wears off and by that time it is usually very difficult to switch careers or learn another trade unless you have experience or education in another line of work. The 1-2 years invested in learning the trucking industry can be put to much better use,but as I always say,to each their own. At least you have the opportunity to experience it firsthand before jumping in.

maybe i should clarify what a "decent living" means to me.. it means more than the $2.50 i currently have in my wallet on any given occassion, it means that when i want to buy a pack of gum i dont have to figure out if im going to short one of the bills this month, it means i have a roof over my head and food on the table and a little bit i can send to my kids to help with their expenses.

right now i have no job, no job prospects in the town where i am, im staying with my parents due to major financial crisis in my life, and im struggling to get my self back on track... so ANYTHING over what i am currently doing is a decent living to me.