Starting Prime Oct.2

Of course he wants you to stay on till Feb. If he's a company driver like me he likes cashing those trainer instructor checks. My trainer check was $1800 this week. I imagine its probably even more lucrative as an L/O

Perfect time of year to ease you into winter weather and then convince you you need his guidance to get thru the rest of winter after you finish your 30. Do yourself a favor and think long and hard. If he's truly honest, he'll let you upgrade at 40k miles, run team with you, and you'll make more money. Then you can part in the Spring. However, I suspect he'll balk at the thought of his paycheck getting lighter at the expense of you making a decent wage.

Hundreds of trainees have upgraded without the benefit of running winter months with a trainer, and do just fine.

There is nothing he can show you without putting himself and the truck in danger that he can't describe when it comes to winter weather. You'll be teaming. If he starts to Jack knife he's got bigger worries than to wake you up to show you how to recover. Vice Versa, you ain't gonna wake him up in time for him to guide you how.

It's pretty easy as a solo to shutdown and tell dispatch you think it's unsafe to drive in winter weather at Prime. How easy will it be when your trainer is trying to make money, has already ran 11 hours and is trying to convince you that if he can do it, then so can you?

He can show you plenty of winter driving over the next 30k miles. There is plenty going on weekly right now. tell him to go to 48 hour rain and snow map on the Weather Channel website. Then get dispatched on a load going thru it. Running team you can get anywhere in the US within 2 days. A little longer if you are in the extreme east trying to get to the west coast and vice Versa. (Right now Montana and ND is looking like prime snow situation) I imagine he'll balk at that idea too.

 

A reefer driver waving?! Y'all know how to do that?!

 

The benefit is to him, He gets the team miles, you need to upgrade and get out on your own so you can make MORE than with him as his sidekick

 

I agree, the benefit is mostly to him. Come 30k he's got you trained and more than likely you will have seen some winter weather. He can sit back and count the dollars and not have to worry about training a new guy from scratch. With you behind the wheel he can put his business on cruise control.

Believe me, its a big headache to start training all over with a new guy. Especially in winter. If given the choice, Id never give up my trainee once he's trained. Cheap labor. However, I let my guys go. Its part of the deal. I make a few dollars extra and I show him how to do the job.

You cant teach or learn everything in 30k. However, you can get a whole lot crammed in, and should anything not covered be thrown at the new A seat driver, then he has the skills to evaluate and communicate to the appropriate individuals to get the help he needs.

As far as winter driving. Once you are on your own, you are the only captain of that ship. If you think its unsafe, you get to park it. You can do the same with your trainer, however you'll have to listen to his ######## if he doesnt agree.

 

Will you be close enough to the truck to check in on the Qualcomm every morning? That way, you'll keep your weekly guarantee.

 

He ain't getting paid if he goes home.

If he wants to sit in the truck in his trainer's driveway, then yah, he'll get paid.

 

Good for you and don't be nervous, you have been doing it, just do it alone now