Rookies training Rookies

Never said they suck once again read post. Just saying they would not have as good of advice as a longer driver.

 

A driver of two years tells you its okay to park on the fuel island for extended periods of time, its okay to hang out in the middle lane, its okay to tail gate. Do you think it's good advice because he is experienced? Experience means nothing when you have poor attitude. You don't know what your next trainer is going to teach you, or what he knows. It's the wrong approach.

I know what you said, I know what you read. Just because you don't say, "An inexperienced driver will suck for training," doesn't mean I don't know what you mean.

This is no different than talking to a driver who says, "Don't buy an old truck, it will be in the shop all the time and breaking down." But, an experienced driver told you this, so it must be true.

 

IMHO---it is not the teaching part that is the problem....in fact I agree w/the OP...that he probably could teach someone all the proper techniques...and explain and show all the ways he stays Safe on the road...etc
and While I've been doing this longer than many of you have been alive...that doesn't necessarily mean...i could do a very good job of teaching you...
BUT there has to be a balance....for the most part it starts w/the whole school and then new hire training model...Face it at most of the Megas its just an underpaid team...and the socalled trainers do it for$$$...which again IMHO...is the reason for so many of the problems....
Where exactly that balance is I can't tell you...but it is not 1 year....
If I was forced to make a determination...like it or don't I would argue strenuously for a min of FIVE years All weather experience with an ABSOLUTELY UNBLEMISHED RECORD......
of course I expect many of you to jump all over me w/your reasons & theories.....

Be my guest...im kinda thick skinned anyway...
so b4 you start...think bout this....there r so many other things that effect newbies out here that have Nothing to do w/driveing...first&foremost is dealing w/the pressures that this tottally new lifestyle brings&how to cope...Then the $$---how many really understand what it is NOT to have a STEADY paycheck...and HOW to put that ALL behind you BEFORE you get behind the wheel...
You just can't scratch THAT surface in a year or so...
How many Blizzards have you waited out w/no $$$$....How many times have you thrown iron 6x in a day and only run 200 miles....etc etc
Have you done a good job for a year?? I'm sure you have...but talk to me 5 miserable lonely long winters from now...still doing ok? Great I'm happy for you...and NOW you MAY have gained enough insight...into this wacky way we live to start&help someone else....and then ask yourself WHY you want to do...if the answer is STILL because you think you can help & you WANT to pass along some knowledge....then by all means dive right in...

 

I'm not saying one year drivers don't know anything I'll be one of them in a year. But I would rather get trained as a new driver with someone with advice from a experienced driver that has been driving for a while. I don't expect to know everything no matter how long I drive. Just am saying I'd prefer someone with better knowledge with trucking that's encountered more situation with trucking.

 

Really, your Mr. Experienced Trainer after only less than a year. That's EXACTLY what is wrong with our industry now. I've been out here 26 years and learn something every day. The "I've got a year experience and know it all" are the ones I stay away from. You DO need 2-5 years experience to be a trainer.

This line right here, "It has little to do with experience and everything to do with the right attitude," WILL get you or someone else killed.

 

I talked to an ex-CR England trainer once and she told me about all the "bad" trainees she had. One hit a tree going 55 mph, another rolled the rig, and another backed into a car, etc. She said she had 6 months of experience when she started training and had the right attitude so they made her a trainer (the "right attitude" at CRE means the same as having a death wish apparently). Obviously, it was all the trainees fault... so she swore and yelled at them any time they did something "stupid".

Luckily, at Knight I had a great trainer with 5 years of experience (this guy was IMHO the best trainer they had and the longer I do this the more I respect him). He showed me what to do and not to do and gave me tips on stuff like backing, trip planning, when not to use GPS, etc. He said none of his trainees got in an accident ever and he had been training for over a year. He was very calm and never yelled- if I was tired or did something dumb he would simply make me pull over and we'd figure out how to fix it. He was big on humility, patience, and GOAL- but most importantly he always had a plan and taught me to always have a plan, a lesson which proved 100 times more valuable than shifting, backing, or any of the other crap. He really made me think things through.

This in my opinion is the big difference- the guy training with 90 days has the "right attitude" (false bravado backed up by ego-driven incompetence) but the guy with 5 years has a plan. Out here you need a plan, especially in the Winter. The guy with 5 years would intentionally let me get stuck in stupid situations and then ask "so what are you gonna do now". If I panicked he'd just laugh until I got the right answer and wouldn't release the parking brake until I got the right answer.

This worked. The more I started to think and plan the less sticky the situations became. In my honest opinion, attitude is meaningless... some days I love this job, others I hate it. The fact is no one cares about my attitude but me but on the flip side everyone cares about my plan- what route to take, when will I be there, where will I fuel, how should I set up my approach to back up, why should I chain, etc.

After 2 years I can say I plan a hell of a lot better than I did with 3 months... most rookies don't have a plan.

 

I agree that you dont need a lot of experience to just teach a new driver how to shift and drive... but can you teach them the ins and outs of the business.. do you even know yourself how to negotiate with lumpers... how to communiate and negotiate with your dispatcher to get more money on a load.. how to communiate and work with the shop to get your truck in and out quickly.. or do you just hand them the keys and ask when it will ready.. then complain when it takes two or three days...

I drive for werner... I generally run 2500 to 2800 miles as a solo driver, week after week.. which is easy to do at werner, cause they do have loads and miles to offer... yet, there are always drivers on nere that complain of not getti g miles... I have even seen other companies pulling loads for werner... Hogan drivers were getting miles from werner a few months back... yet, there are werner drivers who not only dont know how to make sure they get 2500 miles a week.. they do things that will more than likely cut the miles they get...

I learned from every trainer I had.. even tne worst trainer I had I learned from.. especially things not to do..

But, I learned what I really needed to learn from my last trainer.. he taught me when and how to get money added to a load, how to make sure I will get the miles, how to get my truck in and out of the shop quickly, how to get better loads... he taught me a lot about the business and how to succeed...

If all you can teach a new driver is how to drive, how to drop n hook, or deal with shippers and recievers... then your not teaching them enough...

 

What did you learn yesterday? What did you learn today? What do you think you will learn tomorrow? Good for you and your 26 years, thank you. But, you don't get it either.

What would the difference be if we compared two drivers side by side, one of which trained by me and the other trained by you? What do you think they would be? Be specific and detailed in your answer.

You're not giving any valid reasons what separates a driver of 1 year from 2-5 years of experiences. What does a driver of 2-5 years know that a driver of one year doesn't know?

 

^^^^^Seriously--or are you now just trying to be argumentative?

Let me ask you this...your profile says your from Fla....or did you relocate there....I was born& raised there&while I've been at this a very long time.....But was taught by 2generations of family members b4 me when things were VERY different..

and started at a much younger age than anyone would dare try today....and even w/my Grandpa....only letting me drive on the road up North in Winter on bad roads....My 1st couple of years out here alone...i still wasn't all that comfortable runin in sniw&ice....especially in the mtns....two of the things you don't have in Fla...&Frankly even IF you grew up elsewhere and did drive in Winter or in Mtns....w/only 1 yr drivin truck...outta Fl....YOU are no where near ready to Train someone how to run across 80 or 90 in December....

My ok man usta say "Trouble with most new drivers is 1st 6months they're scared....then they think they got it figured&turn inta Cowboys....and if they get thru the next 18mos or so....then they got a shot......

So as I posted earlier....im sure you can TEACH someone all about the technical side of things....but there is So much more....

Oh and BTW---B4 you go questioning Sho--ck out some of His other topics&see What he actually does for folks in terms of REAL WORLD driving....might prove interesting.....

Good Luck& be safe out here

 

Do you really need some to point out the difference?

Do you seriously believe that you have seen and experienced all that a man with 26 years has in just your short time out here ?

A driver with 2-5 years has 2-5 times more experience than a driver with 1 year has to point out the obvious .

A right attitude will help but attitude can't teach what experience can and 1 year can't learn what 5 years can.

You can claim to have all the experience you need to train but until you have the 5 years in you still have not got the experience that he has.

I know you don't think there is a difference between how long you drive and what you know but I promise you this you have not seen anything yet.