Truck Driver Training School.

[Preacher]

I started attending Central Tech Truck Driver Training School in Drumright, Oklahoma on Wednesday and it has been an exhuasting 3 days, and I still have 3 1/2 more weeks to go! We're in classroom training right now from 7:00am to 4:30pm with 1 hour for lunch. I must say that I have 12 really great classmates that are in my group. I will be testing in about a week for all of my endorsements. That includes air, haz-mat, tanker, double AND triple trailers (wiggle wagons)!

The school is awesome and is considered one of the best in the nation. It has 4 miles of on-site range roads, a skid pad for training us about emergency skids, 48 late model conventional tractors, 6 cab-overs, numerous docks, and at least 50 trailers including vans and flatbed, both loaded and empty.

There is ALOT of homework, at least 4 hours every night. Each night we have around 100 pages of reading to do. We are then tested by computer every day on the chapters we've read the night before. We are also watching videos in class about the mechanical side of things too, including air brakes, diesel engines, DOT inspections, PTI's, etc.

We will be out on the range starting Monday doing PTI's to start with (after 1/2 day of classroom instruction, the video, and a test on PTI's yesterday), and then we will be driving the range for about a week or so learning the various backing procedures, including blindside 90 degree, straight backs, parallell parking, and 45 degree.

After the range training we will be out on the roads and interstate highways doing quite a bit of driving under load. We will also be doing some night driving untill 2:00am including night backing procedures.

The staff is great and the facilities are top notch, what else can I say. I'm very impressed with this school so far.

By the way, after 5 tests, my average is a 97%! :D

[mare]

YOU GO FELLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[evilwoman41]

DITTO!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

[Hillbilly]

Well preacher, I sounds like you may have found one of the few schools that are trying to do more than just take your money. I hope you study hard and learn all you can, while you have everything in a classroom type setting. Once you get out here, there are alot of us older hands that will be glad to answer questions. But, once you get out here on the road, you will run into alot of braindead idiots that will try to pull one over on you. You will just have to remember that when you ask someone a question, and they give you an answer, stop and ask yourself, does it make sense, before you do it.
Be safe and Happy Trails.

[Big_Dave]

I've heard good things about Central Tech! They sound like they should be what ALL truck driver training schools should be modeled after.

To those of you just starting out in this 'adventure' called truck driving, stay away from these 'CDL mills'!!!!

Take the time, find the funding (Grants, student loans, etc....), and attend a course like this one through a Technical College or Vocational School. Yes, the classes are 1 semester long (1/2 a school year or so), but the education you get is priceless compared to the BS the CDL mills 'attempt' to teach.

Besides, the cost of a Tech. College or Vocational School is less than half what these CDL mills soak ya for!

Also, attending one of the Tech. Colleges or Vocational Schools will give you a better choice of companies to work for, not just the ones that get kickbacks from the CDL mills.

Congrats Preacher! Keep up the good work! :cool: :cheers:

well i think i'm going to find myself back at mn west c&t college for the truck driving program cuz well the state of mn screwed me over big time. and they are telling me i can't get my cdl untill i go threw a certifide truck driver training well when i go threw it i will have my truck with me

[nitestar]

My better half took her training at Drumright Ok also. She loved it and some of the instructors were very understanding . She is only 5ft2 and not all the seats in the trucks would go forward to accomadate her. But she did not get special treatment because she was female. Just short. She made some lasting friends at that school. Several are not in trucking any more and some are O/O but all are friends.

That school is really good and you will be very well versed in what you need to know when you get out.
Most importantly is the level of self confidence you will have when you graduate.

When you instructors tells a story , remember it, some will help you later.
My better half said one of her instructors said to Watch out for old men wearing hats. Sure enough, nearly every one that does something odd or dangerous in a car is wearing a hat and is OLD.
That is an adage that holds true today

Keep us posted on you experience's at Drumright.

Preacher, looking forward to sharing the road with you. Good luck, keep the faith.

[Preacher]

I just got in a little while ago from Drumright. I finished the second week of the 4 week program and boy am I tired! We are either in class, on the range, or on the road for 10 1/2 hours a day! I must say that the things I'm learning are invaluable. We have been running the roads around eastern Oklahoma every morning for three days. During the afternoons we are on the range learning 90 degree "see side" backing and "come around" backing where you are driving along the front of a line of rigs parked side by side and you find a hole. You then "come along" the front just past the hole and turn sharp left to swing the rig around to line it strait-up with the slot, and then you go strait back into the hole. I have definately mastered that manuever. My 90 degree backs aren't going as well, but not too bad.

Nitestar, you are right on the money about the instructors. They are the best! They are extremely patient and they really want to see us succeed. With only 10 students in our class, I have already developed many friendships with both teachers and fellow students, many who I'm sure will become lifelong friends.

On a scale of 1-10 I would rate this school a 20! :D

[Admin]

I HOPE THAT WE SEE 10 NEW MEMBERS PREACHER :rofl: :cheers:

GOOD LUCK MY FRIEND

[LadyTrucker]

Nice to have you back for the weekend :cheers: :cheers: