I would appreciate hearing from people about what to expect from yourself after your company training.

Hubby and I are on day 40 of being out with the trainer. I'm not sure where we stand. It's been a LONG hard 40 days, and unfortunately we weren't running very hard so we're actually only a little more than 1/2 way thru the requirements. They have had us sit for sometimes as much as 5 days at a time.

You need 40 sessions to test out and we're sitting at 30. You need 25 backings and I have 15. I called the Training Coordinator and complained and she said that they "may be lenient with the numbers".

The problem is, it is time to get off this truck. Both hubby and I have had our fill and, sink or swim, we gotta go. The trainer is okay, I suppose, but his training methods leave a lot to be desired. He is the ultamate "super trucker"! He only has 2 years experience, but in listening to 40 days of "I am the best", both of us are a little beaten down. For example, when you try to alley dock, even if you get it in the hole you hear what you did wrong, and how easy it was for him to learn....etc., etc., etc. This goes on and on.

On top of it all, he doesn't like my hubby. Which is fine, except he's pretty disrespectful to my husband. Hubby is a very kind and quiet individual, but make no mistake, very much a man's man. He has bitten his tongue over and over and I know it's killing him. I got in trouble one night cause when I thought hubby was asleep and it was me and the trainer up front, I let him know in no uncertain terms that I didn't appreciate how he spoke to my husband. Hubby wasn't asleep and at the next potty break, I got my butt chewed for handling his business for him. I don't care, it needed to be said!

Anyways, the actual reason for this posting is I need to know....when other's have gotten out of training, do you still suck at backing and down shifting into the lower gears. That seems to be our issues. Grades, traffic, construction zones are pretty much okay. Just need to know that the other two will come, in time.

If you made it thru this....thanks for listening. Needed to vent somewhere!

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[quote=Willocouple;Anyways, the actual reason for this posting is I need to know....when other's have gotten out of training, do you still suck at backing and down shifting into the lower gears. That seems to be our issues. Grades, traffic, construction zones are pretty much okay. Just need to know that the other two will come, in time.

If you made it thru this....thanks for listening. Needed to vent somewhere![/quote]
Well, as far as the backing and downshifting goes, that's gonna come with time and practice. I'd say that a large part of you're "problems" are jsut the pressure from your trainer. Once you're in your own truck, it'll be a lot easier and you'll see your improvement and progress. For me, when soeone is teaching me something, I'm just doing what they say, without really knowing why. But when you're on your own, you'll quickly see when and why you need to bob and weave.
As for the trainer, have things improved since you spoke your mind? If not, I'd set down with the 3 of you and calmly lay it all out on the table. And if things didn't improve, then I'd go to the training coordinator.

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I really wanna care, I wanna feel something. Lemme dig a little deeper...Sorry, nothing.

Patience. thats what you need. This guy may be a weiner, but unfortuneatly your stuck with him. You've come this far so tuff it out. Once your through with training, give him the finger and go on about your business. A lot of the problems in trucking today stem from the fact that there are too many "I know it all" types out there trying to teach something they don't know a whole lot about themself. Backing and shifting are things that come with experience. Whats easy for some takes others longer. When I first started out it was in an old Mack with a duplex transmission{two sticks}. It took me 6 months to get smooth on it. Next truck had a 10 spd roadranger. After the duplex, it took me about 2 days to get the roadranger smooth. So just be patient, you'll get your own truck, and the weiner trainer is history.

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The devil made me do it the first time.............

I have to agree with what the others have said here. Keep biting that tongue and tough it out.
I was only with a trainer two weeks and, though he was a good trainer, and easy to get along with, it was a lonnnggggg two weeks.
Shifting was a big problem for me too. I just could not get it down. The trainer was always on me about that, didn't help me with it, just complained about it. As for backing, I don't recall him letting me back up more than one or two times, and those only into a spot in a truck stop, never into a dock.
But I've been in my own truck for 4 months now, shifting is now a no thought natural process. I still grind a little here and there, but I think everyone does that from time to time. And, though I know I need improvement on the backing, it's getting there.
So just bear with it. Keep your lips zipped, filter what good advice you can from the supertrucker babble and things WILL get better.
An additional tip, if I may. Try to do as much trip planning and route recognition as you can while you're with a trainer. The one thing that still ties my intestines in knots is trying to find my way to where I need to get to once I get inside the mazes and poor route markings in congested areas. Of course, if you can afford a good GPS this may not be an issue for you..... then again....

I'm sorry to hear you situation and it only goes to support my theory of having another CDL endorsement for driver trainers. But you're almost there and it would be a shame if you didn't finish. I've seen lots of drivers that can not back even after a few years. It's something you have to do all the time. I would suggest that the both of you relax and finish your training and then if you feel you need more training you can do it while shut down or waiting for a load. I don't think anyone would question you if you were practicing backing.

When I came into tankers they were super tankers that were truck and trailers. I could not back the 85' truck but I could back up a set of doubles. Of course just about all semi's are the same so you can get used to them no matter where you are.

Hears a little tip you might want to think about. You can go to Radio Shack or a place like that and buy a couple of walkie talkies and then when you and your husband have to back one can run around and watch and tell the driver where to go. It might save a scratch or a dent and who cares what others think anyway? If I saw you doing this or practicing I would think you're a good team trying your best to do a good job. So the heck what anyone thinks or says.

Thanks for all of the thoughtful and encouraging words. No, we're not considering quitting, you're right, come way too far. Just needed to hear that we'll be okay, even though we're far from perfect at this point.

I'll let my hubby know what you've said, hopefully it'll make him feel better, too!

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You got the right Idea, Just stick it out and it will get better. Don't worry so much about shifting it too will come in time I once got told that I would learn to shift after I tore up a trans or two... I still grin a gear now and again, after more than ten years so no big deal and I have yet, (KNOCK KNOCK on wood) toe up my first trans. Backing is something that is just practice, and the walkie talkie is a great idea, I have seen it done by more than one team before, gotta love that extra help in a tight spot. Keep your head up and Good Luck and good truckin'

Thank you

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Yesterday is History
Tomorrow is a Mystery
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This is just my opinion but I don`t understand how anybody with less than 5 years is qualified to teach or train.Its funny how some of these bigger companies will graduate someone then 6 months later they are training others.
Ever so often a person comes along who is the exception,but most only learn to back after they have been driving a while. Hang in there you guys will be thru with supertrucker soon enough.

My sister quit high school 1 month before graduation. Doesn't sound too smart, does it???

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