As I stated earlier, in 1992 I became an over-the-road truck driver. In the fall of that year, my father passed away. When you're driving down the road in a big truck, you have the opportunity to do lots of thinking. One day, as I recall, my JD Truck Training Centre was out in the great northwest, Montana to be exact. Thinking of my past, my dad, and where I was, I started to create a poem. I call it This Great Land Of Ours.
Another topic that will help you find a great trucking job is the type of equipment you drive. Your truck is your tool and also your home. Some carriers replace equipment more often then others. When considering a job ask how often the fleet trucks are replaced. Newer trucks can be more fuel efficient, and have less wear and tear damage on them. There is nothing worse for a truck driver than being stuck in a small town waiting for a simple repair to be made.
The advantage to this type of Truck driving school is the cost. It will be less expensive compared to a private school. If you are in a rush to become a truck driver, then you should also consider the time. A public institution with trucking schools take longer to complete compare to a private school. You should compare the cost, curriculum and the time that it will take to complete the course from both a private and public facility to see which is best for you.
Ride aware - A car turning left across your path causes the most frequent accident. Three-fourths of motorcycle accidents involve collisions with other vehicles, the majority caused by the other driver. Intersections can be bad spots, so slow down and be prepared to react.
The instructors will no doubt teach you about some of their experiences during the class. Until you get out on the road you won't really know the reality of what they are talking about. Two weeks in a school with several other trainees will just barely give you enough truck driving school experience to become pretty familiar with HR Truck Licence driving. You'll be able to pass the driving exam and feel pretty confident and be proud of yourselves. The company that recruits you will send you out with a trainer for several weeks for you to get a feel for how to excel and drive safely while learning the ropes. It's nice to learn from someone who has some experience.
Now that you know how much it costs for tuition, you should also consider other costs like financing, room and board or hotel stays, transportation to the school, amenities etc. Be conscious of the numbers game. It might be $5000 for one school all-inclusive and $4000 for another but you still have to pay for hotel. That makes them the same. So you really have to evaluate the schools and do your due diligence.
Backing and parking your truck. Or how to enter in a parking lot, or mountain driving and driving on ice are all things you should be prepared to know. To be a professional truck driver, making the big money behind the wheel of a big truck is what you do. In my future articles I will be covering these things teaching you what the trucking schools do not teach you for your CDL license.