I can confirm much of what has been posted here. I just got off my trainers truck (275 hours completed, 39 days total driving including a few weekend hotel nights for trainer home time), and tested out yesterday.

I was told several days ago by Driver Placement and my sdm that there were no openings on 48 state otr, and that there would not be any "for some time", per my sdm. But they were able to put me on Western Regional, so I thought I was all set.

When I tried to get a truck assignment yesterday, I had to call Driver Placement, and was told that I was NOT on Western Regional, and that there were now no openings. Called my sdm, and she was able to pull some strings and get me back on that division.

Today I'm sitting in the hotel in Dallas hoping to get a truck assignment, but I'm not feeling too confident. Guess we'll wait and see what happens.

Other points:

1) By virtue of no openings on 48 states, and the fact that I was just able to "squeeze" into an opening on Western Regional, it does appear that Werner is experiencing a slow down.

2) However, I went down to the "motel meeting" this morning, and there were at least 20 student drivers there waiting for trainers, or for other reasons unknown to me. I also peeked in the orientation room yesterday and there were 6 people in there. Remember that Werner does 2 orientations per week (I think), times 12 terminals, so thats alot of students coming into the pipeline every week.

3) I heard a comment by a reputable experienced Werner driver in the field the other day that there is going to be a "hiring freeze", but take that as you will.

4) To those of you who are being requested to do more training time in lieu of graduating to solo status, you should bargain with your sdm for substantially more pay for those additional weeks. My trainer (over 9 years with Werner) told me I should get maybe $500. weekly (as opposed to the $350.) for additional training weeks beyond the initial 275 hours, but you have to ask for it. That wouldn't be so bad, assuming you can deal with the rigors of team driving for those added weeks (which I can't!).

5) Others have mentioned it, but I will reiterate: My opinion with Werner is that their training program is setup for the purpose of creating a 2nd tier "team driving" division. By constantly hiring new students and putting them on training trucks, they have a cheap source of labor to keep their trucks moving 24 hours a day. I'm almost certain that the Werner business plan allows for the cost of training and turnover for a massive number of students, in return for the profits generated from cheap driving labor for these 2nd tier teams.

Good luck!

So I just finished my two days of orientation in Allentown and now I am just sitting in the motel waiting for a trainer. There are aproximatley 35 other students waiting for a trainer as well and they are supposably sending 12 to the Omaha terminal tomorrow morning. My roomate has been waiting for a trainer for about 3 days now and hasnt heard much. Everything Mrplug said seems to be the general consensus here in Allentown aswell. My guess is Werner knows it does not need all of us but likes to have a nice cushion of available drivers and cheap labor from student drivers.

Wow, I didn't expect so many replies in only a couple of days! I finished my orientation yesterday and spent last night in a hotel in portland. Another woman in class and I are getting shipped out to Denver in an hour to get our trainers. I'm excited, Colorado was the first state I wanted to see anyways. So far things are working out. I am lucky that I am not too pressured to make a lot of income, my husband is the real breadwinner. I can handle the student pay for quite a while, I will just consider it more practice time Thanks everyone for joining the conversation!

Hi everyone
My husband is a trainer for Werner. When he has a student, the student drives full time and my husband hardly drives. My husband then tells me that he is required to "supervise the student 5 hours a day", and that is the reason that he hardly drives. I know my husband has a strong tendency to get out of working. I don't buy this reqired supervision of 5 hours daily. He claims that this is "fact". I said it sound like fiction. If it is true then it would be in an employee handbook. Of course, he can't find this rule documented anywhere. What is the truth here? How many hours a day is required for student supervision? I don't like being conned and it seems to be like he is trying to snow me. Thanks for any info.

Originally Posted by Cece

Hi everyone
My husband is a trainer for Werner. When he has a student, the student drives full time and my husband hardly drives. My husband then tells me that he is required to "supervise the student 5 hours a day", and that is the reason that he hardly drives. I know my husband has a strong tendency to get out of working. I don't buy this reqired supervision of 5 hours daily. He claims that this is "fact". I said it sound like fiction. If it is true then it would be in an employee handbook. Of course, he can't find this rule documented anywhere. What is the truth here? How many hours a day is required for student supervision? I don't like being conned and it seems to be like he is trying to snow me. Thanks for any info.

It is true. This rule started when I was in the middle of training (last oct. or so). I believe the trainer only has to supervise for 30 hours total or something tho not five hours a day the entire time the student is on the truck.

Also there are a lot of rules that are different from the employee handbook since it never gets updated.

Originally Posted by Cece

Hi everyone
My husband is a trainer for Werner. When he has a student, the student drives full time and my husband hardly drives. My husband then tells me that he is required to "supervise the student 5 hours a day", and that is the reason that he hardly drives. I know my husband has a strong tendency to get out of working. I don't buy this reqired supervision of 5 hours daily. He claims that this is "fact". I said it sound like fiction. If it is true then it would be in an employee handbook. Of course, he can't find this rule documented anywhere. What is the truth here? How many hours a day is required for student supervision? I don't like being conned and it seems to be like he is trying to snow me. Thanks for any info.

15 hours per each period or phase....will have to look it up but saw it written somewhere either in manual or trainer manual--probably trainer manual. My trainer did it as 5 hours a day since it was as fairly easy chunk of time to knock out as we went from last DG store to the DC which was usually 5 hours.

is werener team training or trainee out of hours so is trainer?