Released and ready to roll again..

Yes I am alrignt... got to go run for a couple of days.. no student...just me and my newly assigned Cascadia. .. glad I got to go run a couple days in the truck all by myself....

I think I will be getting a student Monday... I nave the truck all set up and ready for them..

I did have a run in with another trainer... it was at a recievers and he was coaching is student into a hole... but the way he had his student doing it was rediculouse... it was taking a long time.. his student was getting stressed and discouraged. . And he was frustrated and yelling at his student which was not helping..

So, I went over and said to him... yelling at him isnt the solution and suggested he walk around and calm down and I will get the student in the whole... he didnt hold out any hope and threw his hands up and said if I could get the idiot student in the whole he would be a monkeys uncle. .. which for the record, I actually never understood that expression. ..

So.. first, I talked to the student and assured him we would do this and he will find it easier then it has been.. then I had him pull around so he could get set up rignt... then I talked him through each step.. had him line up his shoulders with the glad hands of the trailer just past his spot, stop , turn the wheel all the way to right, and go forward until the mark we picked was directly in front of him, stop, turn wheel all the way to left, go forward til his truck and tracker were straight, stop, GOAL, then had him back until his tractor was almost 90 degrees, stop.. had him GOAL again and showed him what to look for.. he was set perfectly too.. the yellow line right through the tandems.. a quick discussion of what he needed to do.. and with only 2 short pull ups he was in the hole... and ne felt good about it. .

So, that felt good.. to be able to help that student. .

But, what really felt good.. was the trainer was trying to have the student set up so he could just staight line back into the hole. . And I said you couldn't do that with that hole.. he snapped that maybe I couldn't but he has 9 years experience and could. . He was being a jerk.. but the yard dog jumped in and said "I drove for 23 years, and have been here for 5 years, I have put trailers in every hole and know what can and cant be done.. and the young lady is rignt. You cant straight line back into that hole wnen there is a trailer in that doc..

That humbled him a bit...

Anyway... That was Thursday... and Friday I found out that the recievers and a couple other drivers one from Hogan called werner and complained about how long it was taking him, and his yelling at the student.. they also got my trucknumber and told werner that I helped... werner called and asked me about it..

And I think he will be disqualified as a trainer..

Sad part is, that student was a nice guy and sharp.. even though he was tired and frustrated by the timeI helped out.. he did really well and took direction very well...

 

Yes it is exciting when you are getting started... hope it all goes well for you... important thing to know and remember is that you and your trainer are co workers... trainers do not have authority over you.. the only authority they have is to take over driving if the conditions dictate that... for safety... so, trainers must treat you with respect and consideration....

You deserve to be trained properly. .. so dont accept or put up with less.... you have the rignt to request a different trainer... if your trainers truck is dirty, if the trainer is dirty... also, do not put up with no snowers.. you shojld shower at least every other day, if not daily... also, it is against werner policy to pee in tne truck, no pee bottles, no portable toilet. .. so you and and your trainer will stop for rest room breaks...

Do not feel bad about demanding good training and being treated with respect and courtesy, talk to werner abojt any problems or concerns. ...

If you have any questions or concerns post them here. ..

There are good trainers out there.. hopefully you get a good one... but there are also bad ones and if you get a bad one turn them in and get another trainer...

 

Thanks Appalachian.... I am going to do my best and want to provide the quality training I belive new drivers should get..

I got my first trainee.. she has been with other trainers and only has 70 hours to go.. they switched her to me to work on her backing... so, I figured it would be pretty easy... well.. turns out she needsa bit more then just backing..

I picked her up Friday and had her drive... her shifting needs some work.. and she has afew other things to smooth out.. but, she is sharp and takes direction really well... so it makes me wonder about her prior trainers...

Friday, we drove from Omaha to KC and back... I am home on weekends.. but instead of going home Friday night I checked her into the hotel and stayed at the terminal. .. then Saturday we spent a few hours in the lower lot at the terminal on backing. .

I like utilizing the lower lot to work with them on backing.. that is what it is set up for.. there are trailers set up to back in between.. there are cones I can set up... and most importantly. . I can take the time to really teach them without holding up other drivers... at a shippers or recievers sometimes traffic is heavy and it frustrates other drivers if they have to wait while we explain things... and it is stressful for the trainee too... so the lower lot is a great opportunity. .

So, we spent a few good hours in the lower lot.. working on backing... she did really well... afterwards we went to the cafe for lunch... there we ran into another trainer and trainee and chatted with them.... the other trainer told me I was foolish for spending my own time with my trainee in the lower lot.. cause, we as trainers dont
get paid for that time.. but, actually he is wrong on that.. while it is true that we do make mileage pay, and we do not actually get a accessorie pay... as trainers we do get paid $300 when our trainees make it to 30 days, 60 days and 90 days with the company... and, statistics show that what trips up most new drivers is backing accidents..

My belief is that if I take the time to truly teach my trainess how to back in the lower lot.. then they are ahead of the game when they get their truck.. and there for can go 30, 60, 90 and hopefully much much longer without backing i to something. ..

So, we will head back out Monday and I hope to smooth out her shifting and a few other things... we already found her a good dedicated account to get on... again, kinda annoyed that her other trainers didnt take the time to get that set up for her... also, knowing what account she will be on we can focus on things that she will need to know for her account... and it will make the transition from a trainers truck to being assigned her own go quicker.. if we communicate with her fleet manager and fleet assignments during the week then they can get the process started and have a truck ready for her... when trainers fail to do that.. then it can take days to a week for a new driver to get a truck.. and since they are finished with training, they dont get paid...

I will let you know how it goes...