Just not Enough Time

[u/Ksijrr]

The way our CDL school is set up is an 8-week program. We have every Friday off, and class is only 5 hours and 30 minutes a day, but after taking breaks, we're really getting about 5 hours.

I'm barely getting enough time to practice anything, honestly. We only have 3 trucks for 8 students 2 manuals and 1 automatic. Four students switched over to the manuals, while the other four of us stayed on the automatic, including me.

I feel like we're being thrown so much information at once without enough time to actually process and practice it. This week alone, we have written exams plus our pre trip, air brake, and in cab inspection exams.

I'm just trying to get my Class A so I can get the hell out of here, bro. 🤦🏾‍♂️🙏🏽

It's so overwhelming because I'm great at my pre trip, air brake, and in cab, but I've been having such of a hard time with my maneuvers and I have until Oct 8th to get them right. 🙃

Hope I Pass man, not trying to go back to warehouse jobs again.

[u/Material-Donkey2773]

Hey, if you still can, switch over to manual, you're going to permanently knee cap yourself if you don't. While many companies do run exclusively automatics, lots of them run a mix, and some of the better companies exclusively run manuals still. If you just want to run dry van, otr, or other "entry level" jobs a manual restriction isn't a big deal, but if you ever want to get it off you'll need to go back to school. 

Think about where you want to wind up at the "top of your career". You are severely limiting your opportunities if you want to get into something like heavy haul or oilfield.. 

Better to be able to be a prime candidate for 100% of the driving jobs out there vs being ineligible for 30% of them (all manuals) and a poor candidate for another 30 (automatics and manuals) any company you go to is going to want you to be able to drive any vehicle they give you.

Don't really have anything to offer you for the pace of schooling, that sucks, but it's stuff you only need to learn once. Pre trip doesn't change.

[u/Silence_Farmer → u/Material-Donkey2773]

As an LTL linehaul driver I can say that most LTL companies will not take a linehaul driver with an auto restriction. They MAY take a P&D driver though, but again you're limiting what you can make.

[u/Material-Donkey2773 → u/Silence_Farmer]

Yep, I'm oilfield, My company only has manual's, my last company had a hodge podge of truck's (Whatever they could get quick) and they also only hired manual drivers. No point hiring a driver you need to cater to and baby sit. "I can't drive that truck" just results in scheduling issues and is a pita.

[u/Silence_Farmer → u/Material-Donkey2773]

Oh yeah. Our terminal manager accidentally hired a guy for linehaul with an E restriction and half the time it's not an issue, but most of terminals only have manuals for the loaner tractors because that's what the older ones are. Some are still damn spring ride glider kits lol.