Milan Express.... Female newbies beware!!

If you're an attractive female, don't bother joining this company!! The trainer will put you through hell!! I just completed my 2nd week of OTR training, which will be my final. Milan Express has only one female trainer, (company policy does not allow a female to be trained by a male; no exceptions) who has only trained 2 women prior to me. One was physically attractive, and the other not. The attractive one dealt with the same abuse I did, but it wasn't quite as extreme, as her uncle holds a high position in the office. (go figure!) This trainer has been driving for Milan for less than a year.

She's a heavy-set black woman who obviously has issues with skinny white women. She mentioned my size and weight several times while on the road with her. The other woman she trained overheard her say she's got 'Farrah Fawcett' in the truck with her now. She told me she didn't want to be a trainer, but the company kept begging her until she finally gave in because she could use the extra .05 cents per mile while 'training'. She said she doesn't like anyone in her truck with her, and would much rather just be alone.

She did nothing but talk on the phone while I was driving, and when I was backing, she had NO clue on how to direct someone that was just learning. She'd literally scream and criticize me, and got me so frustrated that it just made me mess up even more. I'm a very good driver, but do need practice on my backing, which I thought she'd help me with.

On my first trip out with her, we left at 3am and I drove 14 hours straight (Now THAT'S safe practice for a beginner.... ) but she was still ****** off because we were 'only' 2 hours early for our delivery time. I thought the log falsifications came after you were on your own?

When I was in heavy traffic, I turned the radio down to concentrate, and she turned it back up; would only stop when SHE had to 'go'; kept turning her dome light on at night, (very distracting) didn't listen to a word I said while I was driving 'cuz she was too busy talking to her boyfriend on the phone. I could go on and on and on and on....

She's rude, smells bad, and cares about nothing but the extra .05 she's getting for having me there. After hooking up to a trailer last night, I started slightly rolling back, and she screamed like 4 times, "You're rolling! You're rolling!" I was barely moving, and wasn't even close to hitting anything. Sure, let me know, but don't freekin' scream at me. Sick of being treated like dirt for the past two weeks, I finally raised my voice back and said, "I KNOW!" Well, she didn't like someone talkin' back to her in the same tone of voice.... her reply was, "You don't back talk ME, girl; You don't wanna listen, get outta my truck! I'll drop you off at the Tupelo yard." (which is about 2 hours from home, and it was nighttime and about 18 degrees out) Thank GOD the load we had was running through our home terminal, and I told her to drop me off at the yard. Nothing was said all the way home.

WELL, I call the guy in charge this morning, and he said, "I know Carolyn, and that's not like her. She's a nice lady; very professional and I've been on the road with her before." Of COURSE she's gonna be sweet as pie with him, and make up crap about me. So he doesn't believe me, obviously, and says 'he'll get back with me'. I told him to talk with the other girl she did the same thing to, but he said this doesn't involve her. So now, because I had some horrible, jealous ##### of a trainer who's on some sort of an ego/power trip, I'm pretty much screwed.... oh, life is wonderful!! Thanks Milan!!!

 

Yeah, good ol' Obama!! What a joke! The plan was to team with my husband when I was done. I tried to tough it out with that #!#%! of a trainer, but I just couldn't handle being treated like that anymore. My husband didn't even believe me until he talked with the other girl that went through the same crap I did.

I was looking for a different company after finishing school at Milan, but everyone wants experience, so I thought I'd just stick it out with them until I got some miles under my belt. We were trained on auto-shifts too, which doesn't help matters any.

What happened probably would have been a good thing if I were independently wealthy, but unfortunately, I gotta work too. I do like driving.... not sure what I'm gonna do now.

 

Rollin.....

Thanks for the advice!!! I can't reply to messages until I have at least 50 posts, but I can read them.

Yeah, I was at Milan's Jackson, TN terminal. Does the company you mentioned have auto-shift trucks by chance? I did have VERY slight training on a 10-speed manual in school, but most companies don't wanna take the time with training someone who's not used to driving one.

 

Hi Mike,

He's at Milan right now too... driving solo until I was supposed to finish with a trainer. He was in school the month before I was.

 

Thank you SOOO much! Any advice would be appreciated! The reason I got out of office work is because of the problems with dealing with most women co-workers. They're just horrible with the gossip, back-stabbing, etc, etc.... I know it's not a good time anywhere for jobs. I just moved down to TN from Green Bay, WI. Got laid off from P&G up there. Came down here where the weather's more tolerable, busted my *** gettin' good grades in trucking school.... lot of good it did! lol Thanks again for your help!

 

Yeah, I even ASKED for a male trainer... actually would have preferred it, but it was against their policy; no exceptions. They only have that one female trainer, so it looks like I'm just SOL.