Just curious about the difference?

So while I'm waiting to hear back from some of the local companies I've been in contact with, I've been spending my time reading the comical emails and listening to relentless voicemail's that all of the mega bs companies are bothering me with since I obtained my CDL last week. (I do have strong beating pulse so of course I'm hired no questions asked) So I've been searching around just for the hell of it compiling a list of companies that I'd even remotely take a look at as a backup plan if I can't get a local gig quickly.

While I've been searching around one of the things I look at is how long you're required to go out with some random stranger. (We've all heard the horror stories) Well, while searching strictly looking at the requirements for recent graduates, I see everything from 4 weeks with a trainer, to 6 weeks and hell some are even longer. Then I stumbled upon Watkins and Sheppard and was caught off guard when I read, and I quote from their website:

"Two weeks of onsite training then you go solo."

• "No weeks of riding with a stranger"
  
  My initial thought was "well #### yea that's what I'm looking for if I have to go OTR or Regional" and I say that because frankly from what I gathered during CDL school, driving these trucks is not rocket science. I found it to be "easy" for lack of a better word. I feel 2 weeks tops just to get some tips and tricks, and brush up on things as far as qualcom and how to best utilize your time, pre-planning and dealing with shippers and receivers is about the most I need. The driving part is not a problem.
  
  So my question is, apparently this approach works for them. Why are so many companies all about making you go for ridiculous amounts of time before you go out on your own? Are there really that many people that take THAT LONG to pick this stuff up in a proficient manner? Obviosuly the answer is YES. When I was in school we had people that you'd swear after 4 weeks of driving EVERY DAY, had never touched the interior of a semi. I think your time with a trainer should strictly be based upon how quickly you pick things up. Not a predetermined "4 weeks, or 6 weeks". I know that trainers can sign off on you a bit earlier, but I'm seeing companies wanting a SPECIFIC number of miles driven with your trainer. What if after 2 weeks its obvious you're ready to go on your own? Can you not get the go ahead if your trainer believes that to honestly be the case at these other companies? Maybe I'm foolish in the ways of mega carrier training or maybe I'm a quicker leaner but my god there is no way I need to ride with some fella for 6 #### weeks to learn how to get a truck from point A to point B in a timely manner. Flame on.
  
  Dave
  
  

 

I guess I could live in a small world, I'm not sure.... are there prerequisites for what determines that? Please let me know. One thing I DO know, is there's no reason for me to be all over the country if I'll only run a REGIONAL (southern at that) portion of the US. I certainly don't think I know it all, please believe that, but to act as if it takes 4-6 weeks AFTER you've already spent a month or more driving every day, just to learn to drive a truck proficiently is a stretch. I think a week of VERY thorough training in the classroom and on the yard covering everything from trip planning, to qualcom etc etc, maybe a week in the yard backing specifically, then 2 weeks on the road seems to be a more appropriate fit. This 2 weeks of class, and 6 weeks on the road bs is absurd. You're right, people who put a lot of money (say 4300 out of MY pocket) do want the most out of their training. But I think it can be exaggerated. Like I said I think it should be up to the trainer fully. If it's 2 weeks fine, if it's 6 or more, fine. But it should be per the trainers discretion as they will ultimately be the ones that say you are, or aren't ready. I was merely pointing out that apparently it IS NOT an ABSOLUTE requirement for a company to have to you with some random person for over a month to learn to get a truck from point A, to point B in a timely manner. Especially when you're just going to run a regional area, and Watkins and Sheppard is a perfect example. I was just curious (if you read carefully) how so many companies only do it one way, but another company has obviously made it work in the complete opposite direction.

 

Don't get me wrong, I understand that. I was just curious how a company is apparently staying in business by NOT doing it the "typical way". I was really just trying to open a discussion on the different time lengths of training and how it correlates to success, and what some of the REAL motivators are for such long periods of training which IronWeasel touched on.