Define characteristics of a great driving instructor/trainer

1) Knowledge. You should be familiar with the regulations, and know where to find what you are looking for in the little green book, HazMat book, motor carrier atlas, company manual, or any other reference book you may need. You can't teach what you don't know, and you need to know it well enough to be able to approach the subject from any angle the student needs to see it in order to understand. This knowledge comes from...

2) Experience. You have to have been-there-done-that so that you know what to expect in a given situation. Weather conditions. Traffic patterns. Parking availability. Routes. Alternate routes. Fuel stops. Terminal locations. You learn your way around by going to different places. An instructor/trainer should rarely be "lost", and if it DOES happen, they need to know what to do in order to get back on track. None of this does an ounce of good without...

3) The ability to teach. You've got to recognize what sort of student you have and adapt your teaching style to best fit the student's needs. Some are visual learners. Others do better hands-on. Some can read about it and know what's going on. No two students are alike, and you've got to teach to the student...NOT expect the student to adapt to you.

4) Patience. Whether you are trying to get an important detail to be understood by the student, or dealing with idiots in traffic, or waiting around at a shipper/receiver, you need to be patient.

5) Role model. Always show the RIGHT way to behave. Throw the "stereotypical trucker" BS out the window and act like a professional. If you need to relieve yourself, find a restroom...NOT a pee jug. When you discard trash, find a proper receptacle, NOT just drop it on the ground. Dress appropriately. Shower regularly. Don't cuss/swear...especially not around customers/shippers/receivers. Log it as you do it...the way the regulations stipulate. Etc., etc., etc...

 

A Great trainer would be hard to come by.

One tell tail sign I would look for is if they can back. If they can't back then what are they going to teach? if they can back then it's a good chance they have better experience all around.

 

Not necessarily. I've been backing trailers since I could reach the pedal on grandpa's lawn tractor...doesn't mean I should've been training anybody how to do anything @ age 4. Granted, as a basic skill necessary for success in this job, it should be something the trainer can do...but just because a person can do it doesn't mean they should be training.

 

You ought to be a instructor/trainer and teach newbees, refresher's and current trainer's.. Do you think you'll have the patience ? How many do yah think will get the boot or pass ?

I'm told women listen better then men, what do yah think?

 

I was being realistic. a great trainer is like a sasquatch. just hope to find someone that is competent.

 

I'm not a very good "passenger". I don't mind training a new guy how to run a piece of machinery or a different type of trailer, but I like to be in control of my own fate. Bottom line, with RARE exception, if I'm in a vehicle, I'm driving it.

 

I hope I get a good trainer who is willing to teach me not only how to properly drive but also how to be successful at it. I know that there are many different things that a driver can do to make his/her life a lot easier out there on the road. Preferably, a driver who showers regularly, who will allow me to shower regularly. Someone who won't just use me as a second logbook. Someone who,even after I go solo,i could contact if I had questions or needed advice. Nice things would be some space in their fridge,maybe a cubby hole. But maybe im asking for too much? This is a big change for us newbies, any input would be greatly appreciated. I am currently saving money so i can still pay my bills while im in the psd phase and technically not getting paid.

 

Being a previous Instructor, one of the biggest problems I had was the student not being prepared mentally for it, a fully 3/4 of my students DID NOT last a week. They were not mentally prepared to be away from home, they were not prepared for the workload, e.i. training after we would park up after the drive, studying and demonstrating the Pre-trip, Backing practice for 30-60 minutes a day, shifting practice and the crazy hours involved.
The stress of driving and paying attention was ALWAYS a problem. The best students I had were Ex-Military as they could handle the stress and being alone, they could handle the silence and had patience. They could remember things and they could improvise as needed.
The worst students I had were the "Super Trucker" types who thought they already knew everything. Being an instructor is showing and training the student the safe ways to drive, maneuver the truck and preparing them to take the CDL driving test, it was not baby sitting someone. We would park up for the night and I would tell the student, "OK we are here for 10 hours, we will be leaving after that, if you want to shower now you know where the card is etc" 9 times out of ten the Student was not prepared to go after the 10 hours.
So keep this all in mind if you are planning on a driving career, its lonely, it requires discipline, it requires a truckload of patience, it requires the ability to just let it go.
When I have people ask me now if I think they should go into driving, I tell them to go camping for 3 weeks by themselves. If they can do that then they need to go to Dallas or LA and drive through it during rush hour. LOL, if your still sane after that then you have a shot at it.
Hope this helps

 

Thanx buddy. I can fully understand all that. I hate the super trucker types..

 

The day i quit learning is the day ill hang up my keys and cut my cdl in half....those that think they know everything are the dangerous ones