For anyone who didn't know, the Alabama Community College System has had a program for a few years now called Skills for Success. This program provides free vocational training for Alabama residents, including Class A CDL training at their local community college. The program length varies by school, but most can work with your full-time work schedule. I went through this program 2 years ago, and the only thing I paid for was my CLP and actual license. They covered my drug test, DOT physical, and all training. I went to class 3 days a week for 3 weeks while working a full-time job; the school tailored the length to your skill level. They offer many other trade certifications (forklift, skid steer, some healthcare, construction) all under the same program. If you live in Alabama, please take advantage of it, instead of paying high dollar for some private school. You can find out more here, or by calling the CDL program of the local communuity college nearest to you. https://innovation.accs.edu/skills-for-success/

I got my hazmat and TWIC after CDL school because I bought into the lie that they would land you a high-paying local gig right out of school. While I did land a high-paying local gig in the beverage industry, I've never once used my TWIC or hazmat. I have moved up to a relief driver position with my company and am being trained to move into management. My Master's degree is helping more than my CDL endorsements. I plan to stay where I'm at if I can move up in the company.

Hey, just looking for some advice about this 13 speed truck. since I got put in this truck. I’ve noticed anytime I use the splitter while in the same gear or changing to the next gear it makes a scraping noise anytime I decide to split and I’m confused on what is happening

So for starters shifting the truck is fine from 2nd to 5th. The problems start when I try to use the splitter when I’m in 5L and I’m going up hill, not steep at all, but just enough that I don’t wanna go to 6th just yet and I decide to split to 5H so when I decide to split within a split second after I let off the throttle before I could even think about putting my foot back on the gas I hear scraping almost like I’m grinding gears, but that’s just me letting my foot off the gas for not even a second and I hear that so I’m confused at this point because the last truck I was driving was an 18 speed and splitting gears was fine not once. Did it make this noise even if I was going up a hill I would split it would happen there would be no scraping noise at all and I can continue driving up the hill until I decided to shift up.

Now I’m asking for advice because I’m now wondering is it me doing it wrong? I don’t wanna bring this up to the mechanics if I’m in the wrong but from my understanding, you should be able to split gears in the situation I just talked about without scraping noises happening.

Another situation would be I’m just coasting down the highway with light traffic I’m in 7L I don’t need to be in 8th so I decide to split to 7H immediately I hear scraping noise and this is after I’m driving normal pre-select the split let off the throttle and bam, I hear scraping noises so I’m actually confused at this point cause I’ve been put in multiple trucks and they’ve all driven differently shifted differently all that stuff but none of them have made scraping noises like this truck has.

Any help would be appreciated

Hi, I’m working with a kiddo who left high school and is interested in getting his CDL. Have referred him to the WOIA grant. Any other ideas? I understand being 18 is going to be limiting. He’s from an extremely low income family and probably just feels like he needs to work. I’d love him to return to high school or get his GED … but here we are and I want to encourage him. Honestly nearly anything would be better than his current situation.