How to negotiate with a trucking driving school to get only the training you need?

You quit the school because of “catty” instructors?

How will you ever make it in a truck? Don’t you know that you will be surrounded by morons, and backstabbers and liars and scum, and dispatchers who talk to you as if you’re a toddler, and A Hole shippers and receivers? Are you sure you want to truck?

 

You need thick skin in this industry. You failed the first test which should have been the easiest part of trucking. Best of luck to you

 

Actually TripleSix has the right slant on certain aspects of this industry that people as a rule are sometimes very bad. That's part of why if I choose to I can be equally bad back. It's really stupid but when you are faced with people who are essentially abusing you with words or some other actions that might include assault on up things are not recoverable at that point.

It's not so much the school but probably WHERE that school was in the first place. If the neighborhood is tough, the clientele and or instructors will reflect that as well. My schooling in Baltimore was pretty tough however they knew difference between right and wrong and no one got hurt and we all eventually learned to have fun. However on DMV test day for my Class A, three hardened students took me around to a spot where it's common to work out differences now and then as long first blood stops the situation before people really got hurt. They said to me that I did well in school with them on the trucks and they expected me to get my Class A today, if I somehow failed then there will be some violence extracted as a punishment not to screw it up the next time. I got my class A as well as everyone.

There are always better schools where you will see more professional communications and less problems among the people in all roles at the facility. The early part of my trucking involved going into say East St Louis at the Associated Grocers there at night 2 am and I don't know about the rest of you, but me and trainer were talking and refreshing what we knew about deescalating knifers if there is a problem or a wrong word or attitude creating a problem in that dangerous place. As whites it's even worse by our own presence in that particular spot that night. Nothing was said, but it is definitely common knowledge.

Sometimes I look back and credit a few dollars plus menthol and regulars depending on who is asking if I had a smoke or something for their coffee or whatever. To me the losses are not losses, it is more of a diplomatic situation buying safety until the load is delivered and out of there. Best case would be to put one or two to work lumping my stuff with me counting carefully like a boss and pay them some good money. They earned it.

If I took another path and chose to be disrepsectful or otherwise failed to function within my place standing up on my boots no matter the implied problem I would have gotten robbed, hurt or killed.

Fast forward many decades, trucking is not as dangerous as it once was because for example Baltimore. It's very violent as always but certain trucking activity has been paved over and replaced by Condo housing where there is nothing left for trucking to go make a living. Nor the people to come try to make a few dollars anymore. That's all gone. What's left is drug dealing to locate those who have lost access to prescription meds and then prey on them inside the condo property. Or better yet locate the ones who are pretty sick (Not hard..) and make friends with them while parasiting the drugs going to the bathroom. They are not your friends.

Ive gone a little bit with story telling or typing. But.. final situation. You act that there are certain things understood for example.

You do not lay a hand on another person
You greet calm and with respect expecting same
It is understood that there will be no problem unless you want a problem

But first, do you have some work for them in your truck. And in exchange they may offer say safe passage to the store so you can get what you need in the area. Their presence with you deters and informs the entire block that you are protected or better yet a friend provider. That's more valuable than anything.

Always speak softly the louder the other person gets. If they get abusive, end the situation. If they pursue and forget themselves then call the law and get ready to fight leaving the phone open to 911. Most of the time there will be no problem. But you have to be prepared for a certain amount of unmoderated (To use a word) people that do not have the same boundaries as you might. Or have the knowledge or desire to be nice. If you gave them any sass they will just club you silent and move on with whatever the problem is.

Finally. You do not accept anything said to you that is considered offensive, bad or crude etc. You remove yourself from the situation whatever it is. Quietly. With your eyes open. And never run.

Keep a black book and maintain and add to it dangerous shippers and recievers so that if dispatch sends you back, you tell them to give it to another driver and STICK TO IT. Even if they threaten to fire you. A economic loss from firing or quitting is very minor compared to having a assault and battery facing 25 years far away from home at that shipper where you knew there will be a problem.

As far as the catty people.. You have not seen anything yet. I have been consistently surprised at times from just how bad people can be, even if it is just words. Some of us have right and wrong. Others know how to fight if necessary but don't know how to talk, it's a waste of time. And others rely on Religion and so forth in life. But when you are around a person who has no compass at all and is apparently filled with bad things inside him or her, then you remove yourself from that situation. If that person is a teacher at a school you enrolled in? State your case to the Big Poobah quietly and in writing and arrange to go to another school if Poobah is unwilling to fire or disclipine said staffer.

Good luck.

 

You are in it now with trucking. There is a huge variety of people. Some good some bad and everywhere in between. I can go either way, but for purpose of this topic I choose to attempt to teach you that trucking can be good or it can be really bad depending on how you function around people in different situations you will be put into with that big truck.

I was lost in patterson NJ one night. Made it to a all night bar, walked into the door frame and stopped dead. Total hostility. Big black man advanced on me with a night stick and said git. I stood my ground and showed the bills of lading for the factory that has to be near this block and pointed to my semi truck outside. That calmed things down a notch. Mr stick said to me that place is down this way that way and off the third light get going. By the way since the riots of the 68 problem you and your race is never welcome here in this establishment. The only reason you can get going is because you help run our Country with that truck in my factory with all those shift workers with me. If I had been anything else or anyone else I probably would have been hurt very bad and left with no desire to enter Jersey at any cost. But that's not who I am. I take the people as they come and if I am right in my assessment we will solve the problem fast and get out so everyone can get back to doing what they are doing. They were not playing. So I was careful and dealt with Mr Stick without too many words and solved the problem of where his factory was.

I was to go into and through patterson in the future. But as far as that particular bar on that block, there is literally nothing for me. I made sure I was not dispatched back there again. I threw away the jersey book about 6 years ago when it became really clear that it's a place I will never see again in my life time.

I consider myself very lucky to have gotten this far with some people who have the ability to end it if they so desired to do so.

 

It does not matter to me your intent to block or not. I have tried to help you staying on topic and using some experiences in trucking. If you are led like a horse to good water of learning and lessons and refuse to drink or hear it then I cannot help you. And no one else will be able to either. And that I think will be a great loss on your part to learn by those who are going to mistreat you in real life out there in trucking. Its really important to communicate well. Not block.

In fact some of the very people with us in this thread are also on my list, HOWEVER they are not ignored or blocked like you intend. I do visit them once in a while and see where they are and support them when possible. But the underlying problems between me and them does not matter here. When we are trying to help YOU.

Block away if it makes you feel better. But you are not doing it right. Good luck to you and see you on the flip side. Be careful out there.

 

I'm pretty sure he was not trying to be a douchebag, just stating how it is out here nowadays.

The days of drivers being courtesy, respectful, and professionalism are gone. Sure there may be some out here that still are, but the herd of sweatpants, flip flop, wearing Neanderthals dumping piss jugs, and defecation bags in the parking lot are starting to outnumber us.

If this bothers you, cut your losses and move on