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

Ok, as my wife and I are sitting at the pool, cruising back to Miami after spending yesterday in Cozumel, I will answer all your questions pertaining to training here at Abilene. I can only speak for myself, and based on my track record as a trainer, you might want to put some faith into what I will share with you. Right now, I have 8 trainees that have gone through the training program with me and are still here driving. The longest is 2 years, the shortest is 9 months. After almost 6 years driving here, 40 years doing this, and 4 million safe miles, I’m pretty sure I can share some useful knowledge with you.

Let me give you a little insight about me. I tell everyone, including the people in operations, the light at the end of the tunnel is not the train, for me it’s the end of the tunnel. I have 3 years and I’m retiring. If Abilene doesn’t run me off, I’ll finishe here. My wife and I are very fortunate in our lives, I train not because I have too, but because I want too. Abilene had been very good to me, I feel as though I can give something back by training someone new that wants it. The 8 that are here all want it, they all made my job as a trainer very easy, the ones that were on my truck taking up space and didn’t want it, well, they aren’t here. So, here goes.........

Our training is based on 3 stages. Stage 1 is for someone like yourself. On my truck, you will not drive the first 1-2 days. You will sit in the passenger seat and observe me. Hopefully, you will ask questions and take notes. While in stage 1, it’s my job to get you use to the truck, trailer, load and of course policies and procedures about the company. I pride myself on knowing how Abilene runs and how they do things. During stage 1, after you start driving, you will work on building your stamina. You’ll have very little night driving the first few days. You will not be given the truck at 7 pm and be expected to drive until 7am. We will work on what areas I think you need help in and what areas you think you need work in. The length of your training in stage 1 will be based on your progress, usually 1-3 weeks. I’ve had trainees graduate to stage 2 in as little as 10 days, then others as long as 5 weeks. It’s all based on you.

Stage 2.......
In this stage, you will now have customer interaction, drive at night, and depending how the logs are running and the particulars on the load assignment, you will drive some overnight. This stage too is solely based on your progression. 1-3 weeks is the norm.

Stage 3......
You are required to do 2 turns to Brooklyn NY to our big customer, Boars Head. In this stage, you go with one of our north east driver. This stage only lasts the most 4 days. Here’s the issue I have with stage 3. I was born and raised in the Bronx but for whatever reason, I don’t take trainees up there. My second load I ever did back in March of ‘78 was to Boars Head in Brooklyn, for me it’s a no brainer, but the company sends them with someone else. Brooklyn is exactly what it is, the 7 th largest city in the world. It is what it is. Do it, then get a good working relationship with your DM and if your lucky, you’ll see it once a year. I’m from there, the city doesn’t bother me, I go there with no map, and deal with it, but yet, this year, I’ve been up there just once, and that was 2 weeks ago before I went on vacation.

Now, with all that said, here’s what happens while in training. When it’s time to graduate from stage 1 to 2, you will have a sit down, 25 question test in order to move on. It’s a verbal question and answer. Same thing going from 2 to 3. When you are done with stage 3, you wil have a very short road test.

While in training, including orientation, you will be paid for every day, whether the truck moves or not. My suggestion? Before taking hometime, finish each stage. This will be worked out between you and your trainer.

I’m sure you’ve been told by Trish about what to pack and bring. Bring 10 days worth of clothes, shower kit, a towel and shower shoes. Leave everything else home. Your trainer will have the map, GPS, truck stop book. Myself, I always have 2 cases of water on board. My fridge is always stocked with 2 weeks worth of food from the house. As we go on, there will be space in the fridge for you to put things in. Have about $100 per week for living expenses. The last thing me as a trainer needs is to eat my food while the trainer can only afford a Mountsin Dew and potato chips. Showers will be provided by me off my rewards card. As you go through training, you will get your own rewards card to build up points. Me personally, will make sure once off my truck, you will have $20 in points and shower power. Hope this helps with your fact finding and questions, need anything else just ask, there’s s bunch of us that will answer your questions. Time for a swim.....