trainers putting out trainees is that very common

Not all companies give prehire letters, but you can still apply after starting classes. Make a list of good companies you are interested in; here's some to research:

Melton Truck Lines
Howard Transportation
SVTN
Superior-Carriers
Schneider tanker division
CTL - OTR division

Dry van (pay not as much as tanker or flatbed)

Ozark Motor Lines
Paschall Truck Lines
Watkins & Shepard

 

Nah. Doesnt happen very often.Theyll yank him out of his higher trainer pay position if no drivers get thru his boot camp.Usually they try to match people up.You know they try not to put a gangster type with a redneck from Mississippi. Just saying.Now YOU may be ready to hurl the trainer out of the truck (especially if hes annoying ie yells at you,listens to weird music,farts a lot,stinking feet,whistles thru his teeth etc). Best to just keep an open mind for 30 days.Let them mold and sculpt you. Afterwards do things how you want (legally and safely of course).Try to learn a lot. 30 days isnt that long to learn it.I had good and bad days with my trainer. I mean your living together in a truck 24 hrs a day.

 

Yes most companies will pay you a modest wage while in training. Each company is different and varies so much. I would check out Crete/Shaffer.

 

You don't have to start on the bottom if you plan well which you seem to be doing. Many students only apply with companies the school recommends which limits them usually to mega-refrigerated carriers. Some of the companies I listed you may never hear about in school, yet they hire new CDL graduates. Put in as many applications as you want, then you will have more choices when the job offers come in.

 

Just to clarify, it was an o/o and the o/o was the other half of the team.

 

Man that's funny!.......as long as it happens to SOMEONE ELSE!!!!!!

 

Most trainers buy their students dinner if they do well!


To silverdrifter, no it's not common but it does happen. Some companies have no scruples and every decision is based on a dollar bill. Students have been sent walking for lying on their application, failing drug test or have some other skeletons. Once they make it in a trainers truck it basically boils down to personality conflicts. When I went through training all trainers were well experienced. Today you might see someone with 6 months experience training that still needs training themselves. Some train for only the money and do a lousy job as they don't care. That's the trainer you don't want. Then you have the good trainer that does it for the money and he cares about doing a good job. Like with any job there is good and bad employees. One might be a great driver but sucks at training.

A trainer needs to be calm, not get upset easy, is well adapted and understanding to different cultures. He should have a set training program. A student on the other hand has to understand they are not only learning they are going through a major life change and starting to find out things about trucking they never thought of before. Some are just coming out from under Mommy's wing, are not yet adapted to the real world and blow up easily when dealing with difficult situations because that's how they learned to get their way growing up.

What ever the situation you get dealt remember why you are there. 3-8 weeks isn't that long at all. I had an old 60 year old woman trainer. I crawled in the truck it reeked of urine. Did i complain? No, I shampooed and vacuumed the carpet. She turned out to be a good trainer. I was so overwhelmed seeing the country the first time and finally driving after years of planning nothing else mattered. She even got sick one night I drove my shift and hers too. We were running 5/5 split back then.

I heard nightmares from both parties being the cause. If worse comes to worse get off by yourself and call the dispatcher and discuss the matter. If they don't give you satisfaction call the operation supervisor and request a new trainer. This is nothing new to them and they should be understanding. But give everything a fair chance and like all new truck drivers learn to have thick skin. Eventually someone can yell and call you every name in the book and it shouldn't bother you.

If you can I would have a couple hundred tucked away in the back of your wallet for the unexpected. Either that or a credit/debit card. But with a little effort everything should be fine.

 

Just do what ever your trainer wants you to do and it will be fine, :smt008 make sure you have some shower tickets! LOL

 

Jesus !
After just reading the original post - what a terrible reflection on the industry in this day and age.

I hope you find a carrier with a responsible training program.