Many of us join the trucking industry with a “do or die” approach. Most participating in company-sponsored programs have little money after leaving their careers and families and feel pressured by the test. “I will not have anything if I fail.” Others attending nearby CDL schools often spend the whole day in jobs they despise or do not provide for their needs. They may be worn out after a long day by the time they attend the lessons at night and may not recall as much material. People wager thousands of dollars on a new life and profession by paying local colleges. They are under pressure to succeed, or else things will worsen since they will continue to despise their existing jobs and accumulate more debt.
It is not “do or die” to take the CDL skills test. I am here to assure you. Failure does not deem you a loser who cannot work as a trucker. The test will be a lot less stressful if you realize it, and you can learn from your errors.
I participated in a program run by my employer where permit holders pick up and drop off cargo around the nation while an instructor sits in the passenger seat. That is accurate; I left on my trip after four days of orientation and one day of local driving and backing maneuvers. I sometimes questioned what I was getting into when driving at night, in thick fog, and up hills in the rain. On my third day of driving, a FedEx truck damaged my mirror as other trucks zoomed by me in the construction zone. My teacher sent me back for a test after I had covered approximately 10,000 miles in three weeks of driving through the congested areas of St. Louis, Detroit, Atlanta, & New York/New Jersey. Until the second time we struck the backing pad, I felt assured. I simply did not get the idea and soon realized I had no idea what to do if the trainer was not in front of the vehicle.
When I joined the firm, I had previously utilized the High Road Training Program for the permit and the pre-trip inspection video from Apex Driving School. My teacher was too confident in my ability to back up since I had always driven defensively. I tested after he persuaded me that I was simply anxious. I passed the Pre-Trip exam on my first attempt, although I had no doubts. I then failed the backup, but I was expecting it. I thought that I would magically know how to do those movements once I got on the pad. Everyone else was engaging in them, particularly those good boys from the south whose fathers used tractors to load crops on flatbeds on farms. My first idea was that because I am from Jersey, I could bribe one of them into taking the test.
I informed my employer that I would not test again until I had additional supporting information. While the instructor and his fleet manager were not pleased, my life and financial circumstances were at risk. I consistently got that trailer in the hole without any points until another teacher showed me his reference points. Eureka! I can handle this. I took the test, aced the backing, and then went for the road test. I halted the vehicle at the very first junction, failing automatically to obstruct traffic. Before informing me I had failed, the examiner forced me to drive the 11-mile trip. That evening, the teacher drove me around town once again. After I retested, the examiner put his clipboard on the dashboard and said, “Wow, this is going to be the simplest test I have had all week. You drive quite well. As I reached the very last junction, the truck halted. Creating a hazard for traffic—fail!
I began crying on the examiner’s shoulder because I was so heartbroken. You are an amazing driver; he said as he embraced me and attempted to comfort me. While I know this is not the vehicle you were taught in, you just need to manage the clutch. If you do not pass tomorrow, you can not take the Missouri exam again. Test at home or in another state, then return to Prime. You will be a fantastic driver, and any firm would want you as a reference. I believed the world was ending, while he felt it was no great deal. Not at all. After further road maintenance, I passed the next day with one of the finest grades of the week. On his first attempt, one of the other drivers taking the tests that day passed all three of them. He performed poorly on the road test and would have failed with one more point. The examiner informed his trainer that this would require a lot of work. But now that we both possessed CDLs, we were on an equal footing.
In less than two years, I have advanced to the position of team trainer and a top driver on my Fleet Manager’s board. My employer pleasantly rewards me for never being late to an appointment with cash, coats, rings, duffel bags, and a weekly bonus since I never miss an appointment. I have been accident-free for two years, for which I also get jackets or a weekly bonus. I came upon the examiner whose shoulder I had previously sobbed while training to become a teacher. “See, I knew you could do it,” he grinned. Although most students do not weep at him, the person still remembered me 18 months later. Even if it took me a few attempts years ago to pass the backing and road test, so what? Who cares?
I picked up a kid who was testing out a few weeks back when I went to our terminal to pick him up. Even though I only got training for the teaming component of our program, I still wanted to be ready to receive the trainee when he passed. He failed the backing but succeeded on the pre-trip. He then failed the backing test a second time and twice failed the road test. He received the extra training he required from my organization to ace the final exam. Maybe he assumed that since losing has a “stigma,” I would no longer want to coach him. He would have made a mistake. I was quite pleased with his backup skills when we hit the road. To back it up well, it took me a year. His upshifts were excellent, but his downshifts required improvement. I can understand his annoyance, but that is the goal of training. His shifting and backing up as soon as he was born was not what I had anticipated. Like any other driver, he needs a lot of practice to hone his newly acquired talents. He has a fantastic attitude and is curious, so he asks questions. It will take time, but unlike other newcomers, he listens and learns from his errors.
I argue that it does not matter how many times someone fails a test. You could have a restriction on the number of tests you can take in a specific time frame because of state rules. Yet, if you put in additional work, you may be able to discover a means to take the exam in another state. That does not mean you may not seek further assistance before your last life-or-death test. If you struggle on the exam, it does not necessarily imply that you will have a permanent mark on your record. A person who succeeds on the first attempt may not be a good solo driver overall. A person who struggles in several areas can excel as a driver while driving alone. It all depends on how hard you work.
Sadly, we all let our anxieties get the best of us. I am aware that my brain did not want to work during the failed backing test. My jitters were considerably calmer, and I felt like I knew the examiners by name by the time of my final exam, which I aced. In the same circumstance, my new trainee’s anxiety took over. He is much calmer out here in training, and I am certain he will ultimately become a great solo driver. We have already traveled 4,000 miles together, and he is improving.
Do not believe that the CDL provides you with all the necessary information. Many people get overconfident when they have that plastic in their hands. You are given the most fundamental driving skills with that CDL. Nobody will ever know or care if you fail after your training and you take the time to continue studying after going solo. When recent grads write on forums that they “ced my test on the first attempt and was the top in my class,” I often scoff. Who cares? Who cares? I want to know whether you will not murder me if I fall asleep during your instruction. The “worst on the fleet” might often be the “best in class.” It all comes down to establishing your worth through time and growing from your errors. You will not strive to improve if you believe you are already the best.