Our worst nightmare trainer/trainee scenario

We start at .43 right off the bat.

 

As a general rule of thumb, I subscribe to the "10,000 hours" rule. Of course there are always exceptions, but in general terms, I think it's appropriate.

On the other hand, it seems many (mega) carriers subscribe to the "fog a mirror" rule.

 

Central lets their drivers train at 6 months, and they only let lease trucks train. They turn out a lot of cdl holders each week, and they lose a lot of cdl holders each week. So for Central, it's easy to replace trainers and students.

 

Got my CDL sort of by hook-and-snook. Had no real experience, a CDL Learner's Permit. Back then some companies could just assign you a CDL. Schnookered a run from one with an experienced driver Van Nuys, CA to Buffalo. Finally told the driver the truth as we started to get too far out, past Ontario Truck Stop. Big, long, long silence as truck rolls down fwy further and further away from OTS...

Finally he says, "Kid, when we get back from Buffalo, you'll be a driver. What a stunt!" Well, he said a little more than that. Had kidney trouble, lotta pain. Did not come out of sleeper after Buffalo. I drove entire Buffalo back to San Fernando Valley. About two weeks later the company secretary asked me to come over. Owner had signed for my CDL. I was too embarrassed over the stunt I'd pulled to go back for a job. But that's how I got started.

(Before a lot of you were born, BTW. Early '70s.)

 

Great story Vic!

 

God I hope I get a good trainer !

 

Good Luck !!!!

 

My boyfriend is in his 2nd trainer with his company (1st trainers truck broke down). His first one had been with the company for 1 1/2yrs but was only teaching him the wrong ways to do things ("you aren't supposed to do it this way but it's easier/faster"). Boyfriend would tell me some of the stuff they were doing and I kept telling him that he needed a new trainer who would train him right. Less than a week later the truck majorly broke (engine failure) and his trainer is out of a truck for awhile. this was right after they got stopped at a scale for being overweight on one of the axles. Trainer kept making my boyfriend think he would get in trouble about it. To the point he thought he would get fired.

They assigned him this new trainer who has only been with this company only 7 mths but been driving a lot longer. Right off the bat, this guy acted like a trainer should act. Told him he does things by the book and will train him the same. They have been out less than a week and my boyfriend said his new trainer has taught him way more than the other did.

With that being said, a trainers time with the company isn't necessarily a factor it's their time driving a truck period. That's my opinion anyways.

 

Ah, I see everyone still complains about the Dumb and Dumber program, but still believe that it's th best way to do things.

 

Instructor fault should be watching student driver better ...... student should have stopped we need more regulation instructor should have a minimum of 500 k miles exp student should get 6 months of exp or 60 k exp with instructor ......