By golly, Panhead, that right thar is an excellent suggestion, --- for several reasons.
I hear you laughin', Phro, but I think you should consider doing what Panhead suggested.
OH!
And by the way, congratulations on your promotion to trainer. I hope you know what'cher gettin' into. If you do, and are goin' for it anyway, I'm impressed. There are those who wouldn't take that job no matter what incentives are offered, and there are quite a few who shouldn't have accepted the responsibility, no matter what.
The original post made us laugh, but considering that for something to be really humorous, it needs to be based, at least partly, in truth, albeit exaggerated, to illustrate the point. How much of the story is exaggerated, and how exaggerated the story actually is is limited only by the reader's imagination and personal experience(s). But chances are good that someone read the story and they weren't amused because it accurately described their real-life experience with a trainer, and for them it's a sad story.
Being a trainer is an awesome responsibility. As a trainer, you're influencing a newBee, molding them, if you will, into what they'll be when they're on their own, for many years. You'll be laying the foundation, probably the most important part of building anything. A strong foundation is necessary to support what's built on top of it. A weak foundation will surely crumble. Success or failure.
Back in the day, when I drove an orange Big truck, I was talked into becoming a driver trainer. At first I wasn't interested, but the company offered me incentives and perks I couldn't refuse. After training for awhile, I felt guilty for taking the incentives because I enjoyed the gig so much and found I was pretty good at it, --- based on trainee comments and performance. My trainees tended to remain with the company for years after training, whereas some of the other trainees were burned out in less than a year, and their training (trainer) had a lot to do with that.
Some trainers have one way of doing things. No exceptions. But not every trainee is the same. I found being flexible, tuning the training to the trainee's individuality, to be most effective for turning out a quality product, --- that being a new driver with an ability to continue learning as they encounter different situations during their driving career. As a trainer, we can't teach them EVERYthing, but we can teach them how to continue to learn what we didn't encounter during training.
And, as an added bonus, that works both ways.
As a driver trainer, I think I learned as much from my trainees as they learned from me. In my case, I was asked if I'd agree to take mostly female trainees because I wasn't married and most of the other trainers had wives or girlfriends that wouldn't allow that. I accepted. All I ask for is a good attitude.
One of the best decisions I've ever made. I learned a LOT by observing how a woman's perspective differs from a man's and can produce the same results, or vastly different results that were usually better than how I might have handled situations. I've incorporated some of those methods I learned and use them to this day, even things not Big truck related, --- and it's been around twenty years since I hung up my trainer's hat, (with a feather in it).
But, ................................... I digress, .........
My bad.
If I were you, I'd print out the story that begat this thread and give it to every new trainee on the first day, --- before anything else. Suggest they read it at their leisure, and mention there will be a pop quiz on the material before they're released from training.
As trainees, they're no different than we were, --- nervous, unsure, worried and maybe even scared. If that story doesn't break the ice and help them relax a tad, make note of it because that's an insight that may be helpful to you as their trainer. Actually, what ever their reaction is will be an insight. If nothing else, it should make them aware of what kind of trainer they MIGHT have been assigned to, and thankful it's you instead.
Another incentive for them to do well is to carry a banner, rolled up. Tell 'em if they mess up too often and/or too badly, you'll unroll it and hang it at the rear of the trailer.
What does the banner say? They'll ask.
Tell 'em it says,
DANGER -- STUDENT DRIVER
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE
If they ask how anyone would know who's who in the Big truck,
tell 'em you have a uniform, --- and encourage them not to make you put it on for identification purposes.
Training is serious, but it can be a fun experience too.
Seriously funny?
Hmmmmmmmmmm
Maybe.
Best of success to you and your future trainees, Phro.:smt023
Werner Trainer Craps Himself
Discussion in 'Report A BAD Trucking Company Here' started by later_dude, Mar 22, 2008.
Page 41 of 171
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:tearslol: ... Aftershock, OK. I even have a printer in the truck to print my training materials with..
I bet that werner trainer did crap himself, you know. It's just...the way the story was written is so... :tearslol:
I even have worked out how to maximize driving hours for training, or so i think....that is, running legally. And i tell you what, that student is not driving for one blink of an eye unattended for the first few days!
I missed the trainer class this week. No loads going to springfield..or so they CLAIM. Grrrrrr. Been on the road since monday, and guess how many loaded miles i have? 500...in 3 days. And 100 deadhead. And one minimum pay of $40 load. Grrrrr..
My dispatcher tells me that sometimes they cancel the class for holiday weekends, so there might not be one next week...Grrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!! I tell you what, if they dont have one next week, im going home again before i take the class. I set my hometime for 4 days in 4 weeks with the intention of getting a good 3 weeks in someones training done in the meantime!
It kind of bothers me how my dispatcher audibly perks up when i discuss the subject on the phone. Or maybe he's just proud of me? It just sounded like the "ooh...more money for ME!" kind of perky-uppy!
Anyway, i know i'm not the most experienced driver on the road, but im not the 6 month wonder trainer either. And i think i can do a lot better than most of the trainers out here. Back when i worked for CRST, i had 6 codrivers (and i worked there for 5 months INCLUDING TRAINING), and not a single one of them should have passed training. but one was trained by swift so he doesnt really count.
Like, names changed to protect myself from femme fatales, there was Erica, who ran over a fuel island concrete barrier with the trailer tandems, Erin who went down cabbage patch in 10th gear around 70 MPH (lots of 45 mph curves plus steep grade...)..same girl also STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSTATE 80 because she ground a gear downshifting on an offramp...because "my trainer told me if i cant get it in gear to stop!".
Denise who took literally 2 hours to catch a logbook up, Bill (swifty) who thought it was ok to shift on and stop on railroad tracks, Gary who thought it was important to keep driving all night without stopping, via popping pills and urinating into a bottle..only stopping if he needed to buy more pills from a truckstop or buy fuel. And the one who made me quit, Eric who threatened me with physical violence because he didnt know how to operate his tomtom.
I remember the first load i pulled with my werner trainer..and he wasn't the greatest, with his "you dont have to stop before turning on red" and all, but i still consider him to be a friend....we were pulling 44k in the box and it had been over a year since i'd driven a truck....i smoked the brakes coming up to a red light, he opened the door and let me smell them..lol. I'm gonna use that one on my students..
In addition to the banner, im going to make and keep a uniform for the student...."WERNER TRAINEE - RUN FOR YOUR LIFE". I'll get one for me too, it'll say "im with stupid <--" -
Man-0-Man!
Talk about conveniences.
In my daze of trainin', I didn't even have a cell phone and QualCom was just being installed. Prior to QC, we had TripMaster.
The writer got the idea from somewhere. Coulda been from reality.
Planning ahead is good, but be prepared to change 'em because of the nature of truckin'. Be ready to alter plans when/if necessary. I found it best to make basic plans, and play it mostly by ear. It depends on the trainee. No sense workin' on backing, for example, if they're already proficient at that. Use the time available to work on their weak points.I'd be attentive for longer than that. When trainees were drivin', I was up thar in the jump seat. No sleepin', although I'd pretend to be napping just to observe how they reacted to that. Mostly they relaxed more thinkin' I wasn't watching. No problem with that.
Plenty of time to spit-shine the Big truck.
How long do trainees remain with their trainer at Werner? Mine were with me for 4 weeks. Two weeks, two days off, and a final two weeks.
I've always recommended than a driver should NEVER leave a bad taste in their dispatcher's mouth. A good dispatcher can make or break the best of the best. And when y'all are on their good side, it seems things run sooo much smoother and better.
I used to send mine postcards, and thank them when dispatched on the better loads. I figure if one complains about the bad, they should complement the good.
I had about a year and a half experience when I became a trainer. But thanks to my trainers and a few good co-drivers I learned quicker than I thought I could. Dispatch never had to worry about us, and offered me a dedicated military run --- 6,700 miles in 7 days, two days off, then do it again. That was pullin' doubles. Great gig for those who keep the left door shut.I only had one dud co-driver. That was enough. After he jack-knifed the trailer and bent up my fairings I told dispatch NO WAY am I teamin' with him any more. That's when I was offered the dedicated gig.
Smoked meat smells good. Smoked brakes or clutch not so good.
Careful --- they might report that you've offended them.
The first time a trainee successfully backed into a dock with relative ease, without sweatin' bullets, I give 'em a buck for "valet parkin'". It ain't much, but knowing their trainer is payin' attention and recognizes a job well done seemed to go over well.
The ability to observe your trainees and determine where they need the most training is an attribute. Actions speak louder than words. Don't be excitable, don't yell at 'em, don't cut 'em any slack when it comes to the most important stuff. Easy to say, but not always easy to do with some of the trainees you may get.
I'm glad to read that you're goin' into this with a good attitude and confidence. Good trainers seem to be in short supply and in big demand. Some do it for the bigger paychecks, some to improve the quality of drivers, and that down-deep good feeling felt when a better driver is turned loose as a result of their trainer's efforts and abilities.
Above all, communication is paramount.
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I trust you're aware that part of the duties of a
Big truck truck drivin' trainer is to introduce trainees to
The Trucker's Report, ----- if they're not already aware.
Givin' 'em extra credit, or one free pull-up while tryin' to hit the dock straight when backin' if they sign up is your decision.
Here's a thought --- have 'em sign up as a member here, introduce 'em and let 'em tell us what it's like durin' trainin'. That should offer an interesting and varied insight for those who are about to take the same adventure in the near future. We're asked what it's like for trainees a lot. I'm thinkin' it'd be an interesting read and could wind up bein' Must Read Educational Material for newBees and wannaBees that can't be found in any text book(s). And, as an added bonus, it'd be like a trip down memory lane for the seasoned drivers among us. Exactly like rollin' back the ol' odometer ---
only different.
You could also include Tips For New Trainers for the readers who're thinkin' 'bout becomin' trainers. What goes through a trainer's mind? Impressions? Emotions? Reactions?
I don't think just anyone could pull this off, but you're not just anyone. I think you could do it justice.
Through the eyes of a Trainer.
Through the eyes of a trainee.
Everything folks wanna know, but are afraid to ask, --- all right here for the readin'.
What's not to like?
Who knows?
You could become famous.
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