While the majority of students have success during their time at CDL training with America’s Driving Force, there are others who come up short in their quest to become a professional truck driver.
Over the last few years, we have been helping inexperienced drivers develop the skills needed to get a CDL and find a truck driving job. During that time, we’ve seen all the successes and failures. The question now is, why do they fail? And how can it be prevented?
1. Not Understanding the Career Before Getting Started
This is one of the biggest problems that truck driver training students encounter. There are times when students go to school and search for a better paying job without committing to it fully. But as Brett Aquila stated in his blog post, Surviving Your First Year On The Road, trucking is more than just a job – it’s a lifestyle.
Most students who entered school didn’t realize that they’re going to work as an over-the-road (OTR) driver. This means that they might be away from home for a few weeks at a time. This is a lifestyle change, so it’s one that the student should be prepared for.
How to Prevent It:
Gather Information about Trucking and Plan Ahead.
Aspiring truck drivers need to ensure that they understand what trucking lifestyle is before they commit to training or working for the company. There are sites just like America’s Driving Force and other resources that help you with accurate and helpful information.
Aside from searching online, it’s always better to talk with professional truck drivers. They can share their lifestyle from their experience. However, expect that there may be some who have a fair share of complainers, but there are also some who will say how happy they are.
After having a better understanding of it, then it’s time to make plans. Talk with your partner, family, and friends. Make sure they are supportive of the decisions you are making. Don’t wait for the time that only after signage the contract you’ll tell your wife that you’ll be out for 3 weeks at a time.
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2. Not Prepared to Work
Truck driver training is not going to be easy. If you expect that driving an 18 wheeler truck is a cakewalk, then you’re wrong. Note that there is so much more than driving. Truck drivers need to do pre-trip inspections, plan their trips, complete log books while staying updated on state and federal regulations. The thing is being a professional truck driver is a lot of work, but this comes with a great reward anyway.
How to Prevent it:
Keep Your Eye on the Prize.
CDL training provides students the resources they need to start a trucking career. However, their success lies down to having the right attitude and work ethic. As a student truck driver, you need to come to school ready to learn, study, and ask questions. Take note that you are training for a reason – to have a better life for you and your family. Never forget that. It’s not easy to shift career when in your mid-forties. So, each time you feel unmotivated, take a breath and remind yourself why you’re training and the goals you want to achieve.
Make Friends.
This advice helps greatly when it comes to truck driver training. Those who also undergo truck training understand what you’re feeling in some ways. Take this opportunity to make friends with your mates and form study groups. Studying with your friends helps much with training most especially when applying pre-trip inspection.
3. Coming to Training with Bad Habits
Some students go into truck driver training with bad habits and attitudes. Some may not like to study or to follow rules. It is important that you enter training with a clean slate. Acting like you know everything or insist on the driving techniques you learned from somebody will not get you very far in learning.
Also, remember that every day should be a learning experience for a trucker. So, it’s important for a student to realize that trainers at school are always there to help.
How to Prevent it:
Listen. Focus. Apply. Retain.
America’s Driving Force has approved the method of CDL training techniques that work very well. Our instructors have experience and experts on teaching you the skills you need to get your CDL license.
4. Giving Up Too Easily
Feeling scared and overwhelmed is normal when it’s you’re first time to drive a truck. It can be more frustrating when something like backing up doesn’t come easy to you. Sometimes, these little setbacks build up in the student’s mind which leads them to give up easily. This prevents one to succeed.
How to Prevent It:
Evaluate Yourself
If you’re thinking about giving up, pause and ask yourself two questions:
- Is becoming a truck driver something you really want?
- Do you think this career puts a better life for you and your family?
If you answer yes to these questions, then you’ve got a reason to continue on. Never forget that. While setbacks may put you down at times, always remember that once you get your CDL license, everything becomes worthwhile.
I want to have a quick story about one of the student truck drivers who were very shaky on stepping out of the semi. He always thought about the mistakes he might make. He started to lose sight of the big picture of wanting to drive a semi. While he never thought of giving up, he was always looking frustrated.
Then, he remembered his learning days about the pre-trip inspection. It took him time to do it but, through repetition, he did it greatly. In order to focus, he would usually find a quiet spot at school. There, he began talking aloud and found this was his best way to learn. He was able to tell his instructor that he was able to understand shifting gears and backing up. That time, things began to fall into place for this student.
After the training, he was interviewed the day he got his CDL. He told it was one of the happiest days of his life. He told the trainers and his family about the sense of accomplishment that came with his struggles during the training. He was so grateful and proud to himself that he never refused to give up.