Trainer vs No Trainer

look its this simple some people can jump right in a truck and not need much teaching

some people need more than they get

i do not believe a 6 month driver can teach anybody squat might as well just turn the new guy loose

if you're stuck with a trainer whos been driving 6 months and hes training you in the winter guess what hes just learning it him/herself

boils down to this yes it sucks to share a box no bigger than most peoples closet with somebody but the fact remains if you get a good trainer seasoned been out there a few years who knows the tricks and been in some serious situations you can learn a great deal

if you get a trainer thats after nothing but the money you might as well be by yourself

i was lucky my trainer was great (and he cut me loose after 2 weeks) taught me some tricks showed me some different ways to do things so i cant complain

 

Its a shame WS doesn't teach people skills.

 

the greenhorns that have the accidents are usually the lazy ones g.o.a.l.

complacency will get you everytime drive everyday like its your first trip
(you all remember holding on to the steering wheel with both hands and wide eyed)

once you stop respecting this beast we drive around everyday is the day youll mess up thats why the older drivers have more accidents you get complacent

 

I admit, if I wasn't in a government sponsored program, I would have gone on my own in about 2 or 3 weeks. However, the gov't was paying for me to be with a trainer for 6 weeks, and the company was being paid by the gov't for me to be with a trainer for 6 weeks, so that's what I did.

I started on flatbed, so my trainer(which was a great trainer) showed me ways to secure different loads, whether it be steel, wood, vehicles, machinery, etc. He also showed me ways to make tarping faster, and how to have everything be neat and snug and not end up flopping while down the road. He also kept an eye on my shifting skills when driving through the mountains in BC(which I nailed...yay me).

This is a small list of the things that a trainer helped me to learn quicker. Now, I could have gone and learned everything on my own, but why not have a good trainer help you out so that you're ahead of the average noob?

I'm a firm believer in hiring coaches for different things in life, and a good trainer is just like a good coach. They help you to get to where you want to be, faster than if you were looking to get there by yourself.

And thus, you now have my story, and my reasoning to go with a GOOD trainer.

 

If you'll allow a fellow North Carolinian to weigh in on your trainer vs no-trainer poll, I'd have to go with "trainer." My decision is based on my lack of any combination vehicle driving experience before attending a Truck Driver Training Course, and a lack of confidence to head out on my own so soon thereafter.

Like you, I attended a course through my local community college. As member "mizdageeragn" mentioned earlier in this thread, I was taught just enough to pass the CDL road test. We were shown how to couple/uncouple a trailer only once because it wasn't on the test. We were shown how to slide tandems only once because it wasn't on the test. We practiced only straight-line and 45-degree backing because they were the only scenarios on the test.

While I did pass the road test on my first attempt, I can honestly say that I would not be comfortable with the idea of just a week or two with a trainer before being cut loose. I guess it all boils down to the student's confidence level and their ability to demonstrate competency in the basic skill set. It sounds like your a lot higher on those poles than I am. Good luck to you!