Going Over the Road with Knight

Will do. Thanks.

 

my experience with Knights Squire Program " I was a driver fresh out of TDI driving school in Tennessee for Knight Trans. I worked out of the Lebanon Tennessee Terminal, and the Katy Terminal as well in my super short time there. I had two Trainers. The company over all aka the staff and the service was good, pay ok. Getting more $$ for short runs was good Idea but the qualification being a run 200 miles or under to get the full 44 cents or what ever it was hard pressed to do. The first trainer they stuck me with had less than 15 months trucking exp. I got No training from him I mean Nada. He Just slept while I drove and Told me If I hit anything I am Fired and would be thrown out of the truck where ever. That last part is not A Joke at all I wish it was.


My Trainer Talked to the head recruiter and told him somethings about me I am unsure what was or wasn't said. My Trainer just told me he had talked to him about giving up on training exe exe or something about me I am unsure. Then It was my Trainers home time and I went home. I came back picked up a new new Trailer in Chicago with only 29 miles on the hub. I was told by him if I even scrub a curb id be fired. He had all ready threatened to throw me out a few times if I ever messed up. I am FRESH OUT OF TDI Of course I am going to mess up some aka miss a gear exe exe. Well I got sick and my blood pressure went through the roof one morning And I needed to go to the ER. we had to drive over 100 miles And drop off the load at walmart before I could get to the Hospital. He acted like he didn't want to take me. I called an ambulance and they came to Walmart and he followed behind them. He came in the ER asking all kinds of questions to the DR asking them should he turn me in to DOT and tell them I cant drive no more exe exe. then he asked me to not say anything to any one not even our DM or any one at the Terminal and that to just call him and he will let the company know what is going on.




I did not like that Idea I called my recruiter and told them what was going on. Should have told them all of the stories. But I just shook it off as a crappy trainer and exe exe. This was 3 days shy of my 4th week with the Trainer. and I still didn't know how the training process worked or works. well I requested a new Trainer so they got me one out of Katy Texas as that is where they wanted me to go. that trainer wanted to put me through all kinds of tests and trials aka I had to do night driving while raining with wind at least blowing 20 mph. I had to do Mountain driving and Mountain driving with wind and rain. Had to preform 4 backing scenarios. In other words before He would even think of putting me behind the wheel of my own truck I had to drive in all conditions and Traffic conditions before he would even think of doing anything. So I was looking at another 4 + weeks of training Or more before Given the chance at my own truck. His Quote was you need 12 to 15 weeks with a Trainer at least. Second Night with the guy he threatened to kick me out of the truck. He refused to let me back the truck at all. From my understanding how Training with A trucking company works is Once you graduate from a Truck driving school that is 4 to 5 weeks of training with a Trainer, and then you get your own truck. And if need be you work with a trainer another week.




With Knights there was no Standards set for training. I was shown by my second trainer the list of the Backing things he needed to put me through. Is this common practice to have people drive during a storm and wind, Rain exe exe. All conditions before letting them drive a truck ? I understand that you just do not want to let any Joe blow drive a truck but really ?? " We got to wait a week on a rain shower before we can think about letting you get your own truck", " O wait it is going to be windy on Thursday in the mountains ill call the DM to swap loads so you can do your wind mountain training"


My Nephew just went to Pam Trucking and they had him in his own truck in 2 and a half weeks and they did not make him do any of that stuff. My last week and a half with my second trainer went south aka bad. I got left in a Walmart parking lot in San Antonio TX for 15+ hours while he went home slept and showered. Did not tell me when he was coming back for sure he had said mid afternoon so I was thinking 4 or so maybe even 6. we had gotten into the parking lot at 430 am that morning. I was afraid to leave the truck there as I fig he would just get angry or some one might mess with the truck. So I just only stepped out to use the bathroom behind Walmart. well 1030 pm rolls around and I am hungry aka I had no food in the truck. I finally walked into Walmart and to McDonald's to get a burger. it was close to eleven PM and my phone was about to die I was inside eating. When just before my phone died I got a text message from him saying if you are not out to the truck in 5 min I am leaving ya here. I was in the bathroom at that time and had to run run to Catch him just before he pulled out. He got angry because I wasn't out there waiting on him. He called the DM to get my number. as we hadnt exchanged numbers yet. I had not showered in 4 days aka he didnt have the time to let me. We went back out to Brownsville Texas then to Dallas then back to San Antonio then to Laredo Texas then to Houston then to Katy.


It would be another 3 days before we made it back to Katy where the Terminal was and I still had not had the chance to Shower. I was very Filthy and nasty coming into the Terminal. He wasn't going to let me shower there as he wanted to hurry because our next load going to Cal. The Terminal manager there was nice but blind as he could not see how dirty I was. I pleaded with the Manager there for a night of rest. He was Nice and said Yes and helped me get my rest and shower. But by then I had enough of that Trainer. Wasn't able to eat or shower much if at all. So I left and turned in my Notice. That spurned me of trucking. But I will be getting back into it. Just got to decide whats best for me.


I might give Pam trucking a Try as I love running the south. I want to run Cal and AZ and NM and west Texas aka anything west of I 35 and south of I 40. Something like that. Nights Training Needs to be fixed and there trainers need trainers so there are standards set. there is only so much you can learn with a trainer in the truck. Somethings you need to learn by doing. It would take years for you to be able to experience everything. There is More to the story but I will not write it. Would be a book lol. Maybe it will be

 

Sounds like alot of horror stories!

I bailed on my 1st trainer (26 yo) after 1 week. He made me drive the leg from Walmart DC Porterville, CA to Blythe (where his parents lived), going thru L.A. at night in the rain when I told him I felt 'dangerous' as being too tired to drive (while he slept--ergo, team driving).

My 2nd trainer had 35 yrs experienced where I spent 2 weeks with him, picking his brain, and he ended up recommending me for my own truck.

Some ppl are 'natural' drivers and dont take much coaching to do the job. Dont know you and dont want to judge, but do you feel like you belong in a truck? You mentioned high BP, and going thru several trainers, possibly they questioned your place behind the wheel.

Just putting forth a question you shud ask yourself. Others just need more training time behind the wheel and can still become OTR drivers....

Good luck with whatever decision you make for your future..OD

 

Never such thing as G.O.A.L too much better safe than sorry.