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Post by newbaby on Jun 2, 2005 22:27:56 GMT -5
what are some of the most common mistakes that "newbie" drivers make when preparing to take the written, pre-trip and the road test. I know you can all of the above but are there mistakes that stand out above all the rest?
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Post by Fozzy on Jun 3, 2005 3:20:08 GMT -5
written
Failing to read the WHOLE question and answering the first HALF of the question. The DOT tests love to change meanings and outcomes in the middle of the paragraph.
pre-trip
Hurrying! The time limits are rarely if ever even gotten close to. Take you time and make sure you speak up!
road test
A huge problem is Caffeine!!!! Do NOT slug down 44 OZ of coffee and suger right before the test!!!
The most common problem however is students "dragging" a small problem through the whole course. If you screw up, keep on truckin!!!! Maybe the flub will cost you, but maybe not. If you dwell on what you just missed, you may miss what comes next!!!
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Post by truckertom on Jun 3, 2005 10:16:44 GMT -5
Fozzy is %100 on this, all the way!
But another problem that isn't talked about much is student apathy. I see this all the time, students go away from the school and watch tv at the motel at night instead of study for exams, then when they fail a test, it is the schools fault! I don't know how many times I have nailed a student right in the head about motivation or the lack of it. Many make the change and start working harder, many don't.
You are only going to get out of school what you put into it. If you bring a (barely getting by) highschool attitude to a truck driving school, you will become one of those washouts the trucking industry doesn't need.
But, most potential truck drivers who care enough to visit this board care more about it then that.
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Post by newbaby on Jun 3, 2005 21:32:52 GMT -5
Well...I have made the second step today....I signed up for school and class starts Monday morning....hell I can't afford to pay for class and then not give it 110%. After looking over my application the school asked me where I wanted to work...said with job history and answers to background along with my age I could probably go with just about anyone (yeah right!!I learned a long time ago don't believe it till you see it.) but it was good to hear anyway. We will see how it goes.
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Post by Fozzy on Jun 4, 2005 1:36:57 GMT -5
Well...I have made the second step today....I signed up for school and class starts Monday morning....hell I can't afford to pay for class and then not give it 110%. After looking over my application the school asked me where I wanted to work...said with job history and answers to background along with my age I could probably go with just about anyone (yeah right!!I learned a long time ago don't believe it till you see it.) but it was good to hear anyway. We will see how it goes. WARNING!!!! You are about to make the first and MOST common error in the beginning of a trucking career! BEFORE you sign on the dotted line do yourself a favor and shop JOBS and TRUCKING COMPANIES before you attend ANY school! The school's BASIC need and their existance depends on students coming into the front door! They are VERY interested in filling slots in their schools! How the students fare after their training is almost secondary to some schools. Trucking Companies are the most important source and tool to gauge how "marketable" you are to the Trucking fleets. PLEASE go out and shop yourself to companies and see what THEY require for standards before attending the school. Get as many "pre-hire" letters as you can! The student with the most choices after they graduate are less apt to be worried about the future and less apt to discover too late that they now have a license that they cannot use! I have seen too many people end up going to TWO schools or in fact end up not driving and owing thousands of dollars for a CDL that is unusable!
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