Looking for info from recent Averitt trainees

- Talk to him/her, and answer all the dumb questions without snide remarks or comments and have patience when they ask the same re-worded question a few times.
- Backing, Backing, and more backing... even though the finishing class will help, the more you can teach them while in training the better.
- If you can, give them more room in the truck besides the little hole at the top bunk. They are a guest in your truck, but show at least some common courtesy.
- Practice what you preach... if you talk about it, do it... Always. Don't be a hypocrite like my trainer was...

Don't mix business with personal. If you don't like your trainee personally, either get over it, or send him to another trainer, but if they can't handle it professionally... Time for them to move on. It's your name on those grade sheets and your reputation within the company.

but mostly, just be yourself. As an instructor, you don't have to be a (insert 4 letter word here) to get the point across. You will always want to make a positive impression.


Oh, and I may be a "new driver" but I was a military instructor for over 10 years, so the premise is the same, just different environment. Congrats on the training promotion, I am trying to do the same myself once I get more time under my belt.

 

I like what nukem said, I hope my trainer will let me do most of the work, as if im solo. I want to do all the hard stuff and do it everyday till i get it. let me do most of the driving and backing. but just stop me if it looks like im gonna mess up. no problem its called learning. and ill never be a super trucker or take that attitude ! i want to do it right and SAFE ! It sounds like youll be a great trainer. have fun with it !

 

It's been 2 weeks, so perhaps some lessons have been learned. One thing I would add is NEVER, EVER start a training lesson by saying, "I know what they told you in school, but this is how we do it in real life."

And make him use his atlas, not just the GPS.

 

I have a question for Averitt Trainers. Do you have to have a safety reason reason to request your trainee be given another trainer??

 

That you told him what you did was great and would have made me a LOT happier when I went through my ONE week of training with slider ( aka Schneider) I had no clue when we would take a shower the one we finally did get was at the terminal up north and was a surprise to me. I never felt like I was being trained just along for the ride so that he could make more $. Sounds like your trainee's will be in better hands than I was. Xbox.....fridge heeeck Id hug you or steal your truck.

 

It's your truck and your home away from home. Make sure the trainee feels welcome and have a lot of patience. I remember my days in training, and I remember my trainer well. First thing he told me was - "for the next six weeks, this is YOUR home away from home". We are still friends today, and that was 20 years ago.