Trans Am Trainer Journal

Lugnut, this is exactely what I was talking about when I said earlier that instructors learn from their students. And why I think instructors make better (drivers/ operators, etc.) Training people means you will be asked question you never thought of before, and if you are any good as a trainer you will find out the answer if you didn't already know it. This way you have it for the next guy who asks it and chances are you will pass this tidbit of information on without even being asked.

LB

 

Nope, I dont think 3 to 4 weeks make a "Driver". I think a driver learns to be a driver over time. My point was that a more experianced driver would help the new driver by sharing more experiance.

The "It's driving a truck. It's not rocket science." comment sort of proves my point. From what I have seen or read there is a lot more than "just driving". If it were as simple as that, I doubt there would be such a high turn over in this industry. There are those on this forum with many many years of experiance who can attest to the fact that there is more to it than "just driving".

L.B. helps to prove my point to a certain extent. Having served in the military, I recall having DI's not much older than I was at the time. However, these guys received structured training (passed down by those with many years of experiance) that had been proven true over many many years. Additionally, they were put into a mind set that helped mold them into "trainers". Towards the end of basic, our senior DI came in and spent a long time talking to us about how to survive in the fleet. I would venture to guess that the senior DI had at least 10 or more years of service in the corps and thus the reason he spoke to us on how to survive. Never once in the corps did I hear, "its not rocket science, just point, shoot and kill someone". Had it been that simple, basic would have lasted about a week.

My opinion is simply this; A driver with 5 - 10 - 20 years can without a doubt give a rookie tips on how to make it in this business along with driving. Its not just about driving.

 

Alot of good truck driving techniques are from experiencing things when they happen.
The point I think everyone is trying to make is the more experience someone has the better knowledge they have to feed off of. I don't think their trying to attack your skill or knowledge.

When I played footbal years ago my coach was a man who had played ball for many years and he passed that knowledge to the players and it made for a great player, same thing in trucking.

 

i got to say LM$AO... if you don't drive a big truck then you have no clue sport... stick to the army... there is such a thing called 4 seasons drivers... and with 6 month exp there is only 2...driving a 18 wheeler is a total new playing field than driving a 4 wheeler... but if thats the way you feel on training so be it... i would not want to meet someone on the road with that much exp. i am sure i have passed quiet a few or let alone have a trainer with so little exp... i would turn them away.. guess thats why he is putting in his 2 week notice..

good luck lugnutz on the next job. when jumping from driving job to driving job it shows on your dac report... and good companies and O/O that are leased onto landstar they won't higher ya

piece jugg

 

First of all, unless you are a whole lot older and wiser than me, I'd lose the "sport" comments. Of course, thanks to the internet, one never has to stand up to the reprocussions of thier comments anymore.

Second, I have 17 years experience in my profession, which does involve quite a bit of driving. I have driven trucks ranging in weight from a 2250 lb. HMMWV to a 52,000 lb 10x10 Palletized Loading System vehicle, which when it is pulling a loaded trailer maxes out at 85,000 lbs. I have pulled water tankers, fuel tankers, hauled ammunition, explosives, and personnel all while negotiating roadside bombs, mortar fire, and small arms fire. But, you know what Jugg, I guess I am not a "professional" truck driver like you.

Third, I am a third generation truck driver, being raised in the family business I learned how to drive stick in an old KW cabover when I was 14. Drove an old double stike Pete cabover with straight pipes through the tunnels in PA, which may account for some of the hearing lose I have now. Joined the Army when my grandfather sold the business and wanted to do something else for a while, decided I liked it and stuck with it.

Fourth, I have been an instructor for 6 years now. While the subject matter may be different (I doubt your trainer ever taught you how to react to be shoot with a rocket propelled granade) the basic principles for effective instruction are pretty much universal.

You know what, I guess I don't know anything about anything, Jugg, so I guess I will just hang out in the Army for a while longer. When I grow up I wanna be just like you!

LB

 

Actually it should be "Peace Jugg" not Piece, unless your commenting on your body parts.

 

We had a former student come in today to my CDL class to show off his TransAm rig. He graduated in June and is driving for TransAm. Later today, we have a recruiter from TransAm coming to speak with our class.

I have to tell you, I was not impressed. While TransAm might be a decent company, this driver of theirs really turned me off from considering them. This guy had a FL Columbia and from the outside it was a nice looking rig. The inside looked like an absolute pig pen. I would have been embarassed to show a group of students my truck if it looked like that. Is this the kind of guys they hire? Is this how they want their company image to be?

In addition, he claims that TransAm is making him run over his hours and said "its a great way to make money". Why would he tell us that? Makes no sense.

And yea, since June he has already bailed from US Xpress because he did not like sleeping in the bunk house for orientation. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? Gotta eat bologna before you can eat prime rib!

I will listen to what the TransAm recruiter has to say but as the saying goes, first impressions are lasting ones.

 

You are going to see this problem industry wide. It's not just that guy !

If I had to put a figure on it. I would guess that 20-30% of the drivers out there, are complete slobs. While another 20-30% are complete "neat freaks", and spend a weeks pay every month getting their tanks and chrome polished.

My truck.....it ain't pretty. But it's neat. It could use a good cleaning right now, I spilt a HUGE mug of coffee in the floor this morning. I managed to get it cleaned up. But when it dried, it still left a stain on the rubber floor mats. I'll get that the next trip out, during a down period.

OH...and I didn't make my bed this morning.