be a trainer Or not?

I drove for USXpress for one year and then became a Trainer.....my FM told me "You need to be a Trainer so that you can teach others what you learned the hard way because your trainer didn't teach you"......I trained 7 students...1 was a former Swift, 1 had driven for a lot of years doing local type runs.....of my four newbies, 1 was "paranoid" because they always knew where we were and she couldn't stay on the right road and she "had" to eat at the TA at least 3 times a week, 1 I took over after another trainer didn't teach her or let her drive, 1 was a youngster (27), and 1 was an absolute hoot to run with and we laughed the whole time, and my last student did nothing but complain about EVERYTHING.

Unless you are a really patient person and able to put up with all different personalities, don't be a Trainer. Others will tell you that a person shouldn't train until they've driven 5-10 years and I think they are probably right.

I love running solo and setting my own schedule as much as possible. I don't stay in truck stops, usually rest areas, sometimes I get stuck at the customer which can make it hard on a student.

As for the pay......there were a few weeks when my student made more than I did......and looking back the only time I didn't mind not making much more money ($20 a day) was with my favorite students (the 2 drivers and the one that made me laugh all the time)..............................BTW I don't run for USXpress any more.

 

7 months IS NOT enough experience. Please get at the very minimum, 2 years. Because as i see it..??

it's the blind leading the blind. not that you aren't good now, but you ain't been through a whole lot yet.

 

I did the same thing with Werner,get loaded after hometime didnt think to weigh it and the ts is just down the street,actually 2 truckstops.I get in MO enter a weigh station and 5000 over on the back axle The closest I got to being legal was still 800 lbs over.So had to go all the way back 200 miles to have them rework the load.Far as training goes,get a good yr in.Right now if you trained that would be like the blind leading the blind.After being with werner for a certain amount of time its standard procedure to ask drivers to train.I was asked many times.

 

I'm glad you started this thread. I'm going through similar situation w/ my company. Been on the job around the same time as you, and was recently asked if I wanted to train. I'm not sure I have the experience, but like you said, I don't think anyone under a year could be much of a trainer. I'm also concerned with giving up half of my space to an unknown commodity (like my choice 0f words)?. I value the space, and solitude I have. At the same time, I could buy my own truck twice as quick training. I like the idea of helping new drivers, and teaching them what I had to learn the hard way. It could be rewarding on a personal aspect on top of the financial aspect.

I've decided in a few months, when I get a full year under my belt that I'll train for a month, then take a month off from training. That way I can help others, make better money, and still have a little bit of solitude left. Another question you may wanna ask is if you have to keep a student with you at all times, or if you can go solo in-between student if you want. Or, what happens to the student when you have home time. It's not something I'm gonna take lightly. You're gonna have to put a lot of faith, and trust into the person you're training.

Does Werner team train, or are you up with the student at all times?

 

LOL,I said the same exact thing before reading your post,the blind leading the blind,lol.

 

I didn't start training any students until I had 17 years in. I was a city driver and I got the students that couldn't back up. I never did any road training, But was offered the job before I came off the road. I told them if I was a trainer then I was a trainer and not a team. When I told them that I was never asked again until I was driving city.

Remember if you teach them wrong and the have an accident and kill someone in your mind you will know that you are at fault. Be sure they get it right. If they have problems and can't or won't learn cut them lose. you are doing them and the trucking industry a favor.

 

yeah, i caught that too..!!

 

although i do not know Werner's way, most companies let the student drive for about a week or two, then the trainer put's them into a "team operation". when the truck stops, they both get sleep, at first.

But if a student is exceptional good, the trainer may try to "team" asap.

this is at least how things "used to be".