On Training

Thank you for your service my friend,i was there too in 03 and it sucked.Thank god i never had to go back..

 

The Marine corp is complete opposite. For me to get my licenses in the Corp I just drove a couple of hours and just got it. 7 ton I past a course of driving backwards through a serpentine and driving on the road for about 5 minutes. The Marine Corp is pretty rediculous on how easy it is to drive things that big but then again we never really drive them off base or even on mainside where there is a threat of a truck/ car accident.

 

O I hear ya brother. You were in Iraq in a not so good time. I was there back in 08 but I was in the stan from 09-10, thats where I took it.

 

I was just thinking of Cabbage and how guys used to fly down that hill and how I just hoped I'd be able to keep out of their way. Actually, I don't know if that was their poor training, poor attitude, or major death wish! Fun thread. Thanks.

 

Well i sorta meant like training for the job over sea's.To get a license through your unit yes its easy as hell,and being in Maintenance ive seen some realllllllly bad drivers(Army side).They had no prior experience driving a truck and they send em out in a convoy,loaded with 4700 gallons of diesel.I flipped on out.I have seen a couple of our guys get in a few acidents and its not pretty.You would think the Department of Defense would learn a thing or two and properly train these guys.Its not only there lives at risk but also the general public.We had a guy probably about 10 years ago come flying down off a bridge(Bourne Bridge on Cape Cod) and barrel roll the whole system,there was fuel EVERYWHERE.Thank god no one got hurt.

 

Sorry for Hi Jacking your thread Jimmy P...lol...when i see another Vet i always gotta say hi and thanks,regardless of where and when.

 

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but . . . I think basic professional competence is assumed once a rookie successfully completes a post-training road test, and I think it has to be that way. Given the statistics, I'm not sure that we can assure the general public of much. And, really, there's lots of competent truck drivers, men and women, who got through their training (whatever it was) and moved on.

In a perfect world trainers would be paid to train, and paid well. But the economics of the industry dictate that trainer trucks are team trucks--team freight is where many carriers (and trainers) make their money. The dollars to hire people to just train--and to pay them well--may not be there. Margins are thin.

 

without the total number of truckers on the road and total of troops out there to compare the % of deaths, those numbers dont mean #### in relation to each other.

 

OK, 1st the creds. 22 years military (instructor in my field), then trucker.

Personally, I think a perfect training program would be 6-8 weeks, but I'll use 6 as an example program.


Week 1. Solo miles (400-600/day), various weights. Trainee drives up to 4 hrs a day. Trainee does ALL paperwork, inspections with strict supervision. Trainer gets additional $100/week

Week 2-3. More miles (500-750/day). Increase trainee driving burden. Trainer gets additional $80/week.

Week 4 More miles (750-950/day). Increase trainee driving burden. Trainer gets additional $70/week.

etc, etc.

The bonus pay should be in addition to the .01/mile bonus the trainer gets for having a trainee. Weeks 5-6 should be more of a team setting with only a trainer bonus of .02/mile.

Now that's not hard and fast, but that's how I generally think training time should go. That said, my trainer had a daily 600-700 miles run. By week 3, I did the majority 400 + of the driving. He'd take over driving claiming he was bored....


Oh, and if the miles seem low, I'm on the west coast... 55-60 mph limits.

And finally, Thank you to all our Vets. In this house, you are treasured.

Pal