Werner - Not What I'd Heard (Thank God.)

And this is exactly why I decided to NOT go Team with Werner or CRST...both opportunities I had confirmed orientation dates for. I figured that the tractor and sleeper areas are just way too small for two human beings to co-exist for weeks on end especially when one is a slob merely teaming to try and earn more money. Just couldn't go that way.

 

I read your old post's, your old post's suggest you thought Werner was a great place, were did things go wrong? The post's were before your training, so when did your hopes get crushed? Not trying to start anything, just wonder where it turned.

 

Are Warner trucks equipped with APU?

 

Most trucks are, most of the old trucks (long nose) are being sold. All of the new ones have apu's

 

I still think Werner is probably the best selection. While you are in training you are paid. Even during time spent in hotels while your trainer is on home time. Werner pays for the hotel and they are usually pretty nice.

The problem with Werner, as it is with any company, is the lack of responsible leadership. I will share more and be far more specific in the near future. Individual employees want to do a good job. I visited with terminal managers and safety managers who were extremely professional and well versed in the needs of the company. I visited with trainers who had a handle on the scope of their mission and trainers who were at best street people and at worst little more than monkeys not fit to be considered human beings. Those trainers are who they are. Leadership should have singled them out and made the appropriate changes. In this case leadership failed. They think their training program is succeeding. In their defense, one of the sensible trainers I spoke to told me that they are looking into setting standards for trainers.

I must admit that my trainer was not one of the good ones. However, I like him very much as a person. I was told that I needed to write him up if there were problems. I declined. I explained that writing him up would not fix a broken system. Maybe that makes me part of the problem. But with my leadership experience I am aware that writing him up would not make me part of the solution either. Sorry, I wont burn a decent guy unless it solves a problem.

For now, lets leave this at that. In a couple of weeks I will share specific incidents. My goal is to help those considering their options to make a decision. I will only share the facts and will not jade those facts with opinion. When I state opinion I will tell you it is opinion.

My opinion will not be acceptable to many of you. I am old and an experienced leader and manager. I don't tolerate whiners. The mission and the company are always first. The company must make money to pay you. The industry is loaded with drivers who are whiners. If you ask me a question and I perceive it to be whining, my answer might step on your toes. If you aren't strong enough for the answer, don't ask.

 

Whatsup man, the only way to learn all the ins and outs about trucking is with seat time. You can read all the posts and threads you want, but until you get in the truck and start logging miles behind the wheel, alot of the stuff you read here won't make all that much sense unless you were raised around the industry.

 

Well thx for the write back. Iam a trainer myself and can understand what you are talking about. Ill get back with you soon on this thread, but iam on hometime and its time to go out and get away from trucking for a while, hang in there and things can work out, be back soon, next day or 2.

 

You can also get fired for backing up on a public access road or street without a spotter. I saw a guy do this once in Chicago and a car ended up under his trailer (his company will remain nameless so don't ask). The guy was arrested on the spot.

Bottom line, just because you think noone will see you do it, doesn't mean you will get away with doing it. Use your brains guys and gals, it isn't worth someone dying over just to drop your load on time.

 

The secret to safe backing is indeed to get out and look, even if it looks clear. Always drive to your hole and stop and look down the hole for anything that might cause conflict or damage while backing in.

The most common mistake new drivers make is using up all the space on the passenger side of the truck and not rechecking clearances as they back. If you don't do this, you will hit some **** eventually and find yourself out of a job. when setting up to back up in the hole, dock, or whatever the case may be, ALWAYS CHECK YOUR HOLE!!!!, use half of the available space to ensure clearances are accounted for. In a small shipper, and especially in rail yards, ports, and city drops, this tool isn't always going to be possible so CHECK YOUR CLEARANCES AS MUCH AS YOU FEEL IS NEEDED AND THEN CHECK EM SOME MORE!!!

You can never be too cautious when backing.

 

You're exactly right! I lost a job once when I straight-backed into another truck in a yard when I was about to drop a load. He wasn't there before I got in the truck and he pulled up RIGHT behind me - about 10 ft away - in my blind spot.

He never hit his horn while I was backing (probably wasn't looking up) and after I bumped him and pulled up further than I was initially parked, there he was in my mirror. Keep in mind HE WAS IN MY BLIND SPOT AND WASN'T THERE BEFORE I GOT IN MY TRUCK.

I NEVER had a problem backing or alley docking before. I ALWAYS GOT OUT 2 or 3 times at truck stops, yards, whatever to look at whatever hole I was gonna back into and made sure I did it right.

But sometimes no matter how much u watch yourself **** happens. You can never be too careful. ESPECIALLY WHEN BACKING.