Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

I'm on my way home. Sorry folks, but 3.5 weeks out is a tad too much for me. Sorry if anyone can't understand, but just let me explain. I have absolutely nothing to prove or nothing to try and obtain. 2-2.5 weeks is my limit. I do an excellent job for my employer, I was even asked to cover this load that would put me home 2 days later than requested. I'm ok with that. I am one that truly believes that if you step up and help, it's not forgotten.

Like most of you know, I train. I had my first trainee since before the holidays that lasted just 2 weeks. I don't need to train, I don't need the extra money, and I sure as hell don't need the brain damage. I do it because I want to pass along some of what I've accumulated the last 39 years. The problem with that is this, only 1 out of 10 stay around long enough to make a career out of this. @chralb is who I'm talking about. The last 9? History.

This last one could drive, and drive all night long. On my recommendation, he was graduated from stage 2 to solo. Last week on our way in to West Memphis, I was instructed to drop him off at WM, get him set up in his assigned truck, got him hooked to his trailer with a load going 30 miles from his house in Baltimore, made sure his fuel card was working and moved his stuff from my truck to his, all at 3am in the morning.

So what does he do? He drives to Richmond, drops the truck and trailer at the yard, leaves the paperwork in the truck, never unhooks the trailer, tells no one at the terminal and has a friend waiting there to take him back to Baltimore. I get a text message from him telling me what he did. Like I am in operations. So I text Kimberley, she goes through the roof and now everyone above me in the pecking order wants to know what the deal is. Last I heard he was unemployed.

My feelings about training? A complete waste of time, resources and money. If I had my way I would outlaw training and institute a mandatory 6 month schooling. I don't know what these new drivers want or expect. I've heard and seen it all. From new drivers hitting everything in sight to drivers questioning why we are gone for days and weeks on end. I sit in total amazement watching people trying to force this truck and trailer into places that the common person just knows won't fit, or having to explain to a new driver that if you look over your right shoulder, and see a bed with a pillow and blanket, that means you aren't going to be home every night. I am dumbfounded at the shear lack of common sense I see. I'm also at a loss trying to figure out why most of the trainees I have had can't function outside of their comfort zone and are totally clueless as to how to handle issues on their own. I'm just tired, and need some time off.

I'm sure there's people out there lined up waiting to be the next 39 year driver, I just haven't had the pleasure of training him yet. My immediate goal right now? Get home Monday morning and spend time with my wife and dissapering until Saturday, and not give one rats arse about the next person that's able to fog a mirror. Good night all, be safe and God Bless.

 

Tough living in the truck? Dude, 2 grown adult men sharing a sardine can? Absolutely it's tough. My problem is that I treat everyone as an equal. I leave my house with 2 weeks of home cooked food, every conceivable creature comfort possible. My wife makes sure I want for nothing. And you know what? It still costs me $100 dollars a week to feed and house a trainee. I don't mind, I'm not going to eat and live large out here and have a new driver drink a Mt Dew and eat a bag of chips for their meal. It looks to me that recruiting is going under bridges looking for new drivers.

I never knew my training hat covered housing, feeding and financial support. 3.5 years left of this and I'll be done.

 

About 10 years. You're right, it is my choice. That part I'm not complaining about. The part that I am complaining about is people coming into this new career with absolutely zero idea of what it takes. Now, that isn't saying everyone, but for my record, it holds true. It's kinda of like saying not all Muslims are terrorists, but so far all terrorists have been Muslim.