This move may not be necessary for most but Wanting to Drive a straight truck & NOT knowing a Thing about them, we thought it would be best to send me off to school. A LOT harder than I thought. But Im hoping I'll learn enough to help me get driving as a Team ASAP! After I pass~hopefully~in 2 weeks, I will then be able to head off to the Expo in Ohio and learn more about our future Career & maybe look at some trucks and I MAY just even DRIVE one too! Excited!
Started Schooling for Class B License TODAY!
- Thread starter jackieg
- Start date
Good luck! Enjoy the journey.
westmicher
Veteran Expediter
You will do it easily.
zorry
Veteran Expediter
Good luck. My wife taught school all her life.
Went to truck driving school, got a class A and loves our straight truck.
She complains if I don't let her get her share of driving.
My 5 ft tall,102 lb sis did it w/o schooling, ran two years team and now has a Mon-Fri gig running solo.
You'll do fine.
Went to truck driving school, got a class A and loves our straight truck.
She complains if I don't let her get her share of driving.
My 5 ft tall,102 lb sis did it w/o schooling, ran two years team and now has a Mon-Fri gig running solo.
You'll do fine.
My girlfriend and I will be starting school for the same thing to....however I wanted to see if anyone could provide feedback. After jumping through all the hoops of getting the DOT Physical, and taking the test for the learner's permit at the DMV, we can then enter school. However, the school will train us on a Bus and they have a 3rd-party certified DMV person to take our test with. Told us it will take 2 days.... We want to drive Automatic so a bus isn't a problem. But we need to learn to dock correctly....etc....logs....which they don't teach. Look somewhere else? Or? We don't know anything about Straight Trucks...and we need to know how to secure the load (E-Tracks), generator if the truck has one....water tanks for the sink...no clue on how to do it at all. Any tips anyone? Or am I just looking into this way to much?? Thanks in advance for your advice.
paullud
Veteran Expediter
That's the problem with cut rate schools. Since there will be two of you in the truck, one of you needs to be outside watching and directing the other any time you are backing in anywhere. When you get to a place like a Walmart go to the far side of the lot and practice, practice, practice. Just pretend that the curb is the dock and try to stop the back of the truck as close as you can so you get used to judging distance in the mirror.
MissKat
Expert Expediter
Get some orange cones. Set up in a parking lot when bored. Always have one ground guide. I was the better backer in straights and tractor trailer so Capt Kirk was always the ground guide. Use the same handsignals always. Don't let idiots at the warehouse try to help. Take it slow and don't worry about how much time it takes or who is watching. Block them out. NEVER move the truck if you cannot see your guide. ....NEVER.
Good Luck Jackieg! MissKat has some really great ideas on backing. I also drove Bob nuts backing as every time I pulled into a truck stop in the middle of the day I headed for the back row where there were fewer trucks. I backing into all kinds of spots each time from a different direction and each time into a different slot. If we arrived at a customer before they were open or I would not be in the way I practiced over and over backing into the dock. Not only did this help my backing it also helped me to learn the size of the truck and also how to turn on a dime as I knew where my axles were on the truck and I did not go over curbs.
I still practice by getting close to curbs, by backing into spots with a goal of where I want to be. It never hurts to keep honing your skills and it has sure come in handy when I get into a tight stop when making a turn or in heavy traffic.
I still practice by getting close to curbs, by backing into spots with a goal of where I want to be. It never hurts to keep honing your skills and it has sure come in handy when I get into a tight stop when making a turn or in heavy traffic.
All great advice for folks starting out. If both are new or even seasoned professionals I think a handy item is the small walkie talkies. Easy to use and no confusion on hand signals which I have seen a few times. Cheap investment for another set of eyes in a tight spot.
zorry
Veteran Expediter
We seldom use our walkie talkies.
You'll probably have a headset. If you have two phones the ground person can call the driver.
The headset is handsfree and less of a distraction.
When pulling into a dock area try to take time to take a good look around. Fireplugs and dumpsters and forklifts that may be manned later need to be noted.
You'll probably have a headset. If you have two phones the ground person can call the driver.
The headset is handsfree and less of a distraction.
When pulling into a dock area try to take time to take a good look around. Fireplugs and dumpsters and forklifts that may be manned later need to be noted.
Thanks! Thursday I got for my DOT Physical and then (if I pass THAT) I will be sent straight to the DMV to get my class B permit w HazMat and THEN (if I pass THAT) Thursday late afternoon I will be in the Straight Truck for the First Time ever to learn in until next week Thursday to (attempt) to pass my Road Test! This is All moving So Fast!!!! (Did I mention my hubby could have taught me all of this... He's been driving for 30 years!, but I didn't want to Drive Him Crazy!?! haha) The school Im attending is one of the only 2 accredited schools in the country... Not that it matters, but they happen to be 10 minutes from my home, and I have friends and family there so I decided to go... Cross your fingers for me if you will and I'll Let U Know IF I pass-if not... :x lol.
