Dear Editor:

Recently, I completed my long-haul trucking course. My average was 89% and my experience was equivalent to two years as stated by the school. I would say – absolutely not!

Not even close. While on internship from Canada to Oregon, I discovered the school curriculum was not compatible with the real world. It’s what the average person does not know that is important.

Making sure the truck and trailer is road-safe is very important, but more important are the lives you are encountering every day on the highway. I commend companies willing to hire apprentice drivers as they are investing in the future of everyone on the road, not just their own drivers.

If I was driving for 25 years I would feel very unsafe knowing someone with only one month of experience was coming toward me in an unsafe situation. Can that driver control the situation with 80,000 lbs behind them?

My conclusion is: If you want to be a good truck driver, you need a lot more than what is taught in most trucking schools.

The schools are only teaching the basics about the industry. When you are in the real world, things are different.

The signs, the traffic, the landscape is all different.

A road test is nothing to pass. A professional driver is everything!

New Class 1 driver

(Name withheld by request)