Packing List for Students

If the company fires you , your on your own.
Do not take all the money you think you may need for a month or two . If you lose it it is gone. that is why I recommend you have debit card and put on some as you need it.
No matter what we tell you ,your experience may still be different. Just keep your eyes and ears open and be observant and you will do just fine.
How long you will be out varies. A lot depends on how well your trainer thinks your coming along and when your ready to hit the open road solo.
Each trainer is different as is the student.

Remember one thing. You are not a second class person and now and again a trainer thinks you are. They expect you to fuel every time. and every thing else including laundry. You will have to decide if you want the 10 hour in the bunk broke or interrupted. Training is one thing , being used is another. Your not a team driver so dont try to drive like one. trainers job is to train. Your is to learn.
Just have a good attitude and be ready for darn near anything.

 

I would expect for the trainer to treat me as a second class person so I feel as if I am prepared for that. It may not be right but I suspect it will be that way.
I feel I am in no position to put up a fight and would rather keep the peace. I learn better by doing things myself so if I have to fuel each time I will just think of it as practice and anything else I have to do.
I just want to use it as a good training experience and learn all I can. The hardest thing will be not being able to just go home after work as with regular jobs and I think this might get hard. Also not having easy access to bathroom/shower will be hard. I imagine never getting to leave your truck for a day off would be hard. Its hard to know what to expect and it seems the company just tells you to bring the basics. I think its good if you can get by on less for this job. I am still confused as to how much money to bring as I am not expecting to get a break in my training and it could be as long as 3 months. I liked the suggestion to get a debit card and put money on it as needed. I am not computer savvy and might need a lesson in how to do this but could set it up before I leave. I would think I could do it over the cell phone as needed. I also was told to bring food -not by the company but from other drivers. I just have no idea what to bring. I think it might be easier to just pack a few snacks and plan to buy some food while out just until I can figure out whats going on. But I would like to have snacks and water just in case. Although coming in with a case of bottled water is far too heavy. Any ideas out there.

 

As far a food goes. Snacks are ok. Perishable is questionable. I would recommend you see how it goes with the trainer. Water needs storage so buying by the case is it not a good idea. So buy as you go in the truck. 2 or 3 bottles at a time. We carry energy snacks. They are good to cut down the hunger urges and I like chocolate chip cookies, Gator Ade and if fast food I get root beer for a soft drink.

 

pinkshoes, I think you are inflating the negative balloon all out of proportion.

First - access to restrooms and showers is about the same as if you were out for a road trip in your car, with the bonus that as a professional driver you have private shower rooms for free at truck stops. If you are out in the middle of nowhere, then stop and relieve yourself on a bush. If you stay the night out in the middle of nowhere, then learn to wash yourself without access to plumbing. Untethering yourself from having to have modern accommodations in this business gives you greater freedom to run more miles.

Second - food. There's a whole thread dedicated to cooking in the truck. As a trainee bring your own food on the truck and replenish as needed at Walmart or other stops. If you do that you should spend less than $100 per week on food and eat very well. When I finished training I'd managed to save over $1000 just by living cheaply on the road (my wife supported herself during this phase).

Third - the length of your training period will depend on which company you choose. Some companies have very short training periods, like a couple of weeks. Some are longer, like a couple of months.

Fourth - most likely the company will give you the ability to choose how you want your money deposited. You log onto their system to let them know what bank account(s) you want your paycheck to go to.

There's no reason to be fearful of training. Your driver development department is a phone call away, in the event that you want to get off your trainer's truck. They will route the truck to the nearest terminal and put you up in a hotel or motel as necessary until you are on another truck.

 

I'm a fresh food addict. When I was in training I bought apples, bananas, sugar snap peas, bell peppers, and carrots. My trainer didn't have a cooler, so I'd buy only enough to eat the most perishable items quickly. Apples and bananas would keep very well for a few days. After going solo I bought a 12v cooler and most of my diet is fresh produce, lots of salads, etc. Don't bring any 12v appliances with you in training, as the trainer may already have appliances.

 

Thanks that is all very helpful. I hear of those that feel threatened by the trainer. I am good as putting up with BS so I might just be able to go with the flow until its over and I am on my own. I have heard from friends a lot of the trainers were too dirty/smelly for what they were expecting.
I think I can get thru this. I can wash up myself with just a bucket of water or bottle of water but prefer a shower as its easier.
I see a lot of people talk about wiping down with wipes and I will take those.

 

Lepton1

Well said. But taking in the fear of doing something completely new and alien to them is something they worry about. I understand pink shoes concern . Most newbies usually take too much money or gear and that is the real problem for those that do. If you can't carry it don't take it. Is a good basic rule. The unknown is the fear factor here. We have been there and My first days were many decades ago and it is nothing like how todays trucking environment is . Thank you for posting so many well versed words of advice and help for so many here. Great job. Keep up the good work.Even I have learned a few things.

 

You're right, there is certainly a fear of the unknown hitting the road with a stranger. While there's always horror stories of trainers that shouldn't be trainers, there's a lot of professional trainers out there as well.

Your advise to only take what you can carry is wise. No big solid sided suitcases or rolling duffles please, unless you like sleeping with them on a narrow bunk. Soft sided duffle bags are best, as they stow away easily.

Being able to carry everything you bring is helpful for taking buses to orientation, or in the event you need to get off a trainer's truck you have everything easily mobile to get to your next truck or the hotel. I brought a large duffle with my sleeping bag, pillow, and clothes; a smaller duffle with food; and my computer case.

 

Pink shoes. Do not at any time allow your self to be treated less than the person you are. 2nd class is not acceptable .You are a person, Just because your new and in training is absolutely no reason to be treated as a 2nd class person. NONE. If so it is time to get off that truck fast. It will get worse. Do not think because your not experienced or in training and learning and inexperienced is any reason to be or allow that kind of treatment. Do not be scared to say it stops now.
When you meet your trainer sit down on a one to one and find out what is expected of you. The trainer if worth their salt, will do that any way and explain the rules and what is expected of both you and them. Don't worry. Your building up too many negatives and what ifs. You will be just fine. relax, you will be OK.. When this training is over and your on a truck running solo you will have some experience to tell other new drivers about and offer advice. Just relax, take a deep breath and do 10 push ups. See, your feeling better already .

 

Do not let your trainer use you for miles like my 1st did. He never let me run to WalMart for food as he was always saying we didn't have time. We did he just didn't want to make it. I ate truck stop food the whole ten weeks I was out with him. Kept using cash advances, had no choice and had to use those to try and get money home to bills too. My 2nd trainer cool as hell. Let me go to store etc.