Are You Ready to Be A Mentor?

wow.Thanks,I think,for sharing the above. could this even remotely have anything to do with the accident rate of the listed companies as well as the turn-over rate/revolving door of which you post? if the general motoring public had any idea of what transpires training wise,there would be even more regulations on us and none of us would have a job because trucking companies couldn't afford to stay in business.think about that.

rest assured(i couldn't hence i don't run teams of any kind) I'll get around(read pass) the above listed even more quickly than usual-

 

The bottom line is that it's not hard to point the nose of a truck down the interstate, hit the cruise, and turn on some tunes. Hell, it's really not that difficult to back one up either. And it's probably not that difficult to teach somebody how to do it. Where experience takes hold is when it's 32°, it's been raining all day, the sun is setting, and you still got 300 miles for your delivery in the am. What gear to be in before you start down Monteagle when you gross 78,000 and it's pouring rain. Where you need chains, and where you don't...and when you need to chain up. Too early, and you won't have any chains left when you do need them, and too late...well, have fun with that. Those are just a few examples that I can think of that you can't learn in cdl school.

 

So maybe training should take place when weather is at its worst ?

 

Tony: do you REALLY expect the kid to read that long paragraph (even though it's true)....... let me give it a try..........................

I remember when I first got my "A" and I was a little (lot) ####y.... good friend/coworker of mine told me while I was mouthing off some new law: " Hey "D" don't take this the wrong way- But I've FORGOTTEN more about trucking then you'll ever KNOW" :smt103 He couldn't have :smt064 me to bring me back to reality any quicker! He even tried to apologize to me later on that day- which i would have NO PART OF.... i turned around bought HIM lunch and told him thats what i needed to hear!

Moral Here: SHUT UP AND LISTEN when someone that has DECADES more experience is talking to you- and ya might actually LEARN something.

 

What would training in bad weather do if the person doing the training doesn't know what to do? My point was that there are situations out there that only experience can teach.

 

I'll chime in with my two cents here and if I'm wrong, please someone feel free to correct me.

I've driven a grand total of one year OTR. Before that I was doing local work in Toronto. When I started going OTR I drove a 2005 Pete 387 Expedite truck with a tandem axle and 24" box. 12 speed automatic transmission. Seemed simple enough. After about half a year of running combined solo and team, I started training other drivers. I didn't even get a pay increase, but I digress.

I've been around trucking my whole life. I had a vague understanding of this industry before I started driving, so I thought I knew what I was getting myself in to. I was in for a rude awakening. After a month I wasn't even sure I was going to make it. I gutted it out and I'm glad I did, because even as a company driver I've loved the job more than any other before it. But here is my issue on training.

I can teach someone about company policies, rules and regulations with respect to FMCSA, logging, working the Qualcomm unit, trip-planning, where to fuel, load securement and tips on how to drive long hours by staying alert. I can give pointers about how to stay connected to family from the road, certain speeds to drive under what conditions, general pointers and things of that nature, but what life experiences can I teach this person? I'm 27 years old, and regardless of age, I'd be in the same position when I'm 50.

I can't teach someone when to chain; heck, I can't even teach them HOW to chain. I was never taught myself. How embarrassing would it be if I needed to pay someone to chain the truck up in front of a trainee? I'd look like a fool. The blind leading the blind. Especially for TT drivers, do you know how to react when your trailer starts sliding around? Are you mechanically inclined to solve your own problems on the road? We (most of us) are more than capable of critical thinking, but it's the experience you'll need to draw on when your life is on the line.

I'm forever grateful that I stumbled upon this site because I've picked up invaluable lessons from many seasoned drivers that I've applied in real world situations. I hold the veterans to the highest degree of respect around here because they've been there, they've lived to tell the tale and they are willing to share their experiences with drivers like myself.

It's my opinion that three years should be the bare minimum one should require before becoming a trainer. There's just so much I don't know yet. Don't be so headstrong sometimes ladies and gents. Appreciate what the hands are trying to tell you at face value. You might even become a better driver for it.

 

I think it is important to understand not everyone learns at the same speed or through the same methods. It is not like classroom teaching. It is one on one, hands on training. You have to be able to adjust your plans to your trainee's needs. The goal is to put a safe, conscientious driver out there.
I will also agree with the people on here who have stayed doing it for the money is the wrong reason. Now I will confess that is exactly why I first started training, and I was wrong. But I did enjoy watching new drivers grow and learn. The training time is way too short, but that's another topic.