All that they really accomplish by trying to scare you is filling you with a lack of trust and loyalty towards them. Most large companies are full of drivers that have hit bridges, rolled JD Truck Training Centre, been late for deliveries, and on and on. Does this mean you won't ever get fired? Certainly not. I've been fired a few times by idiots I've never met on some committee making decisions based on little or no real facts or understanding about me or my situation.
To meet the CDL class-a requirements on your own all you have to do is go and take the CDL test at your local Secretary of State office. They will give you a written test and a practical test. The teat cost you a 100 dollars. It's cheaper than going through a school and gets you your CDL a lot faster.
I remember when the Truck driving school was teaching me how to meet all the CDL requirements. They taught me how to back up, shift and do lane changes and everything. But the real deal of getting loaded, to driving through the mountains is another thing.
If you are running early make sure to ask about delivering early. Wasting your drive time at a truck stop because you're early may be relaxing now, but when you consider what it may be costing you, you may reconsider. The sooner your empty, the sooner your on the road again.
The instructors will no doubt teach you about some of their truck driving school experiences during the class. Until you get out on the road you won't really know the reality of what they are talking about. Two weeks in a school with several other trainees will just barely give you enough experience to become pretty familiar with HR Truck Licence driving. You'll be able to pass the driving exam and feel pretty confident and be proud of yourselves. The company that recruits you will send you out with a trainer for several weeks for you to get a feel for how to excel and drive safely while learning the ropes. It's nice to learn from someone who has some experience.
The parallel parks and alley dock are not easy things to do, especially with an 18-wheeler, when you have no experience. So if you're attending trucking school in a state that has maneuver requirements, expect to spend a lot of time in the yard practicing.
You must be able to pass a physical exam and a drug test given by the U.S. Department of Transportation. This is to ensure you have no physical conditions (or substance abuse) that will interfere with the safe handling of a commercial truck. During your employment, you will also be subject to random drug testing. You must also pass the physical exam every two years while employed as a truck driver.