What to expect with your trainer/ bulk division.

I get a few questions about this regularly so I thought I would put it all together in a thread. This may turn into a book and I am typing on my phone so please forgive spelling and grammar mistakes. This thread is not about orientation, it has been a while since I was in orientation and things change. This is what to expect on my truck.

First the basics. Bring some type of bedding. Sleeping bags or sheets and blankets work great. Don't forget a pillow. Bring a shower kit that includes deodorant and a toothbrush and toothpaste. Bring some tennis shoes and some steel toes boots, preferably slip ons. You do not have to drive in your boots. No shoes of any kind are allowed in the sleeper, at all. Please be able to get in and out of your footwear quickly, hence the preference to slip ons. Snacks are always a good option because we may get stuck at a customer. In fact we probably will get stuck at one. I can't imagine any trainer not having a cooler so buy some water or soft drinks. Personally I provide all the water, it's cheap and I want you to stay hydrated.
Bring some entertainment, not porn, again we will have downtime. Movies are a great option and with an audio jack the truck has one of the best surround sound sytems you have ever heard.
Bring all your assigned PPE and whatever paperwork Schneider gave you.
Bring some extra clothes and a hat. Also bring sunglasses
Bring some general first aid, aspirin, pepto and some band aides etc. In short, just pack for a business trip.

Most important thing to bring is a good attitude. That will get you through this the quickest. Don't be afraid of me, there is absolutely no reason for it. You must talk to me, if I don't know what's wrong I can't fix it. Talk to me, I will never shut up. I am going to point out everything I see and I don't miss much. I will tell you to watch your mirrors, to watch the trailer while turning. If you want me to shut up then you tell me what you are seeing and what you are watching. If you don't talk I just assume you didn't see it. I can't let you hit something because I thought you saw it., doesn't work that way. Ask questions about everything, that is kinda why I am there.

Don't worry about shifting so much. When you miss a gear please do not look down at the shifter, drive the truck then get back into gear. I don't care if we come to a complete stop, don't take your eyes of the road. Shifting will get better over time. DONT ROLL BACK!!!! No excuse for it and it is a major safety violation. I will not pass you if you have this problem. Watch the trailer when turning, please.

Don't overthink and worry about the Qualcomm. It will get easier. If you can just do three things Schneider will not have a problem with you. Don't hit anything, be on time and don't spill anything. If you do those three things you will be fine. You can get help on the Qualcomm.

Finally, relax. Your not the first new driver. Everything is going to get easier. You have support, your not alone. If you need extra time on the truck then you will have it. I am in no rush to get you off the truck. When you do solo you will still have my number, call me. I will help you. Have fun, enjoy seeing the new states. Be excited, you have a brand new career. You will be okay if you use your head, I promise.

 

If you have a specific questions feel free to ask me. Keep in mind that I am in the bulk division and have never driven a van for Schneider. There are plenty of van drivers on here though that can help. Don't know if we have any van trainers.

I thought of some other things. We will have real loads going to real customers. Therefore we need to be on time. So try not to be slow. Like eating, showering etc. Not saying rush everything, just be conscious about the time. Every bathroom break can't take thirty minutes. We have to go.

Also, of course this is just me. Most trainers I talk to are very similar but we are all a little different. You will more than likely not end up in my truck. This was intended to be a mere guideline for what it is like for one trainer and I hope that this helps some people.

 

Oh no, those days are behind me. I actually only wanted to be a Marine once, the other 3 years and 364 days I stayed because I was contractually obligated.

 

Smaggs, I do not know what they are hiring for but Pittsburgh is a major freight area for us. Nice city by the way I like it. Back to the point. I would say your chances are excellent, even if not with Schneider. I mean there are so many bulk companies out there it is ridiculous. I am sure you can find something.

Driving a tank is similar to any other type of trailer. Guys tell really big stories about how bad surge is. Other than that the training for you would be minimal. I live in Dallas.

Again if you have driven before you can transition to tank quite easily. I bet you will have a new job before the end of the month.

 

I am going to add some extra answers to some questions I get asked a lot.
Is surge really that bad?
No, sometimes it can hit hard but that is usually when you stop on a hill. It rarely surges on the highway. It will not push you through an intersection, that is a trucker tail. It feels like you got rear ended, best way I can describe it.

Will I have to unload the product myself sometimes?
Yes.

Is unloading hard?
It can be, depends on the amount of hose. Most I have ever used was 12 hoses. That was a mother. The other problem is how thick the product is. Longest unload I have had was 12 hours, very thick polymer.

Is the product dangerous?
Sometimes it is very dangerous. Usually the really bad stuff is unloaded by plant personnel. Air offs are always dangerous because of the pressure. The one and only time I took a chemical bath was due to a ruptured hose during an air off. That sucked really bad. I might as well have jumped in the tank, I would have had the same amount of product on me.

Will I be sitting at customers waiting to get loaded/unloaded?
Yep.

Does DOT check tankers more often?
Not in my experience, that award still goes to flatbedders.

Do I need hazmat?
If you don't want to sit a lot then yeah, you need it.

Do I need to be in shape to drive/unload a tanker?
Don't make me laugh, it's not the Marines.

Can a woman succeed driving tankers?
Absolutely.

These answers are for Schneider Bulk only, I have no idea about other companies.