BB
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Post by BB on Jun 11, 2004 18:18:08 GMT -5
I messed up my backing portion of the CDL road test and flunked out of the school I spent the last 4 weeks at training. I now need to get my CDL on my own before I get hired on. I'm in NC and need advice.
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Post by Fozzy on Jun 11, 2004 19:54:16 GMT -5
I messed up my backing portion of the CDL road test and flunked out of the school I spent the last 4 weeks at training. I now need to get my CDL on my own before I get hired on. I'm in NC and need advice. Failing the CDL skills test ONCE should not mean that you fail the school. The school should have plans in place for these problems. What specifically did the examiner say that you were not doing correctly? There are basically two ways to fail a skills test: 1. excessive loss (or added) of points too many missed maneuvers or missed skills and the points add up and you are unsuccessful. These usually require a 7 day to 14 day waiting time before retesting 2. Unsafe or dangerous act or accident (instant failure) but MAY be able to retest the next day. The instructors at the school should be able to work you through these specific problems. Fozzy
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BB
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Post by BB on Jun 11, 2004 22:40:51 GMT -5
The instructors did their best to help me. I was able to do it successfully in practice, but I wasn't proficient enough to do the manuever consistently, and the most inconsistent times were when I tested. I had 3 attempts to get it done, once each on three consecutive days. I scored too many points each time.
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Post by GMC1500 on Jun 13, 2004 8:20:46 GMT -5
sorry to hear you flunked the backing part of your test. so did I I go again tomorrow. My ? is why would the school not keep helping you until you pass? is that in your contract? if you spent 4 wks training you spent a pretty penny and should be able to recieve more help
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Post by Fozzy on Jun 13, 2004 13:59:56 GMT -5
sorry to hear you flunked the backing part of your test. so did I I go again tomorrow. My ? is why would the school not keep helping you until you pass? is that in your contract? if you spent 4 wks training you spent a pretty penny and should be able to recieve more help This is where I usually end up becoming the "big meanie" when discussing the student/school issue. It's almost seen as a personal failure to an instructor when one of their students fails to pass the skills tests. Yet as professional instructors we know that it will happen! We are usually pretty frustrated when it happens to some of the better students but there are students who we are really crossing our fingers for because they are just so "hit or miss" on their skills. At our school we had OVER a 99% success rate for the students passing the skills test on the first try. There will ALWAYS be a few people who have a problem and mess up and fail the skills test. USUALLY the failure is because of nerves and the second time is the charm and they are successful. There is a small segment of people who just are so intimidated or uncomfortable that it will take more time than others to be proficient at these skills enough to pass a skills test. This is NOT the schools fault nor responsibility to provide FREE training above and beyond what the 99%er’s get! Sorry but this is a personal responsibility thing. If a person is weak at something it is up to them and them alone to make themselves better. If the school is willing to do this for free then it reflects well upon them but it does take away from things the school could be doing for others. If a school does not give their instructors time and equipment away for free, then really no one can blame them. If this were any other school or course and a person failed, they would not simply expect the school to insure them success. Try this at ANY other school type and the response will be less that happy. “Excuse me sir..a staggering majority passed the tests but I failed my final test…can you give me the opportunity and free one on one tutoring with a teacher on his or her own time? I’m sure the response will be more in the neighborhood of “You may pay for the course again-see you next semester”. MOST trucking schools have a remedial type of course to get everyone through the tests because it aids them in getting the person to work as a driver. They do this because if they do not, they have an even lower probability to getting compensated for the training time. People default on trucking school loans at a higher rate than is imagined…. Fozzy
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BB
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Post by BB on Jun 14, 2004 8:00:00 GMT -5
I fully realize that it's my responsibilty to accept the training provided & then be able to apply what I've been taught in the field. Having never been in a tractor before, I progressed every day in my ability to drive it and the trailer. My performance reviews reflected that I was satifactorily improving and at the end of my second week I was at about 60% proficient and ready for the next stage of training. This next stage had us pulling a 53' trailer. No problems there. Week 4 we went back to the 48' trailer and here is where my improvement stalled out. Whether it was due to my nervousness, and/or too many trainers providing their input on the times I messed it up, I blew it when it counted most. Now that I look back on this, the feedback I received was mainly to correct what I was doing wrong. When I did it right all I got was a thumbs-up. Maybe my brain needed to better understand what I did correctly to consistently repeat the process. My set-ups were all good. My troubles began when I came out of my hard right. I'm going to call the school today & see if I can get a bit of remedial help and retest.
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Post by GLAngst on Jun 14, 2004 12:12:19 GMT -5
This is another reason why I stress Time and Practice. There is no reason why anyone should fail a road test given enough time to absorb what you have learned. The biggest portion of driving school are set up with a minimum standard program.If your school had your best interests at heart they would had given you the necessary training to get you through your driving test. Not every one learns at the same speed or on the same level. Another point the biggest portion of state examiners are not qualified to drive a truck.All they are qualified to do is ride along and do paper work. It would be like a airline pilot being certified by a paper pusher. Enough said!
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Post by truckertom on Jun 14, 2004 15:10:25 GMT -5
I have had many students that have just freaked out with nerves the first attempt at the road test, and many were driving just fine 'til then.
If you are in a school where they take your money and let you have one shot at the driving test and you are out. You may well have a CDL mill on your hands. Unless they gave you a complete refund, they owe you another try. I have many students that failed the first try that have now been on the road for years. You need another chance.
Now if you had tried 15 times and were still failing, then I would have to say driving is not for you.
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BB
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Post by BB on Jun 14, 2004 15:28:42 GMT -5
The School I attended had no upfront costs, just 1 yr. of my life in service is owed. I would like to get started paying them back, but still need to pass the CDL. Here's where I need advice as to how can I get the equipment, practice time & retest.
Because the Academy is in NC, and I have the NC learners permit, they tested 1 section at a time...1st was the Pre-Trip...passed! 2nd was the backing, which I struck out at...3 attempts/ 3 times too many points awarded. Never got to take the Road Test portion. I've had 4 days now to settle down and know that if I'm given 1 more shot, I'd be able to pass all 3 sections in one day.
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Post by Fozzy on Jun 14, 2004 15:46:57 GMT -5
GLAngst wrote[/quote]
How much time? How much practice? What is an acceptable “time to absorb”? This is the issue for every course no matter that the subject being taught. It just seem that for some reason that trucking schools are the only course where people (and I’m not using this poster as THE sole example) expect after a failing grade or poor performance that they are deserved of getting all the training that they received for FREE. I’m completely understanding of how frustrating it must be to fail a CDL test. I’ve been the instructor having to explain the “next step” to more than one student. It’s heart wrenching for both sides. NO business or school in the country can simply GIVE their time away nor should they expected to. A personal failing should fall on the person who failed to fix the problems and it may mean in fact that they have to PAY or take on some personal hardships to fix the problem!
GLAngst wrote[/quote]
This is just not a fair statement. It’s true that most schools are set up to the minimum standards. They are also set up so that the VAST majority of those tested will have the skills to pass these tests! We all know how low the standards are for passing the CDL Skills tests. Basic turns, lane usage, lane changes, shifting and a backing test usually consisting of two or three items. These courses are designed to get the most people through these tests. To say that these schools are not concerned with people passing these tests is just not correct. When these schools have even a 90% success rate, they are seen as “money hungry” or “mean” or as “rip offs”. To me this just slaps all instructors of ALL schools in the face and makes a mockery of the successes in their training.
GLAngst wrote[/quote]
The state examiners are there to evaluate SKILLS on certain maneuvers. Most schools train people to perform these skills at that level! To train people to skills differently than what the examiners are looking for is not only a waste of valuable training time, its also detrimental. If you are performing skills for someone who only knows these skills ONLY from what they have been trained to observe, ANY deviation from their standard will cost the student points and possibly fail them outright. I was a Third Party CDL Examiner and conducted CDL Skills tests for the State of Wisconsin. The student’s who screwed up, did it on skills that they had been taught numerous times.
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Post by truckertom on Jun 14, 2004 16:14:40 GMT -5
"The student’s who screwed up, did it on skills that they had been taught numerous times."
I have noticed that you can tell some students 235,373 times to turn the signal off and they will still leave it on. But it is funny how quickly they turn it off when the state examiner fails them for leaving it on during a driving test, even though the instructor and spent hours and hours and hours reminding the student to turn it off.
And the student gives credit to the examiner in the end.
Experienced Instructors will make about half of what their students will make driving OTR after graduating, it is a pretty thankless job at times.
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Post by GMC1500 on Jun 14, 2004 16:56:37 GMT -5
enough kicking already. it hurts to fail. we already admitted we were responsible for the failure. bb good luck. it happens you just have to learn from it and move forward or is that backward. LOL ;D
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BB
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Post by BB on Jun 14, 2004 16:57:09 GMT -5
Well I happen to be one of those kinda guys that was told upteem times how to do it, and I'm sure it wore on the instructors patience(though they were good at not letting it show). Is 150 hours and less than 400 miles the minimum standard? Included in the 150 hrs. was time spent on Company benefits, policies, and other non-driving topics.
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Post by Pcuthbert on Sept 7, 2004 11:58:25 GMT -5
I have a thought that may be of interest.
When a Student decides it is time to go for "The Test" is it possible that the school have an instructor who does not know this student give him/her "The Test" just as it will be given by the examiner?
If the student "fails" with another instructor, then some specific concerns could be worked on.
By having "The Test" administered by someone unknown (as will be the examiner) who has a clipboard and pass/fail sheet some of the nervousness will be overcome.
Pat
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Post by kreeper on Jan 25, 2005 12:39:52 GMT -5
Never say Never.
You may of flunked on the 1st go around, it is sad to see so many instructors just say heck with this student, he is outta here.
I almost came close to flunking my road test, wasn't detered from trying it again. However, i managed to pass and go to work.
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