My first time with a virgin

Usually guys like that bury themselves eventually. Now this is what I would do, but this is just me...

First impressions are everything when meeting someone new. If he comes in with a positive attitude, and eager to learn, asking a lot of questions, that's a good sign. If he comes in with an attitude, PUT HIM IN HIS PLACE from the get go, and let him know your the BOSS and you won't tolerate no BS.

Day one, I would start off by teaching him the basics, doing pretrip, paperwork, logs and what not. Throw him in the passenger seat, and YOU drive for the whole day first. Go about your business as normal, showing him what your daily routine is and the tricks of the trade, and see if he pays attention. If he continues to have an attitude, it ain't nothing that turning up the radio can't solve, and besides, if anything, he's just anouther person to give you a hand unloading. At the end of the day, report back to management on what you think.

Day two, have HIM drive for the day. Ask him what he learned, and watch if he does a proper pretrip and what not. If he's as GREEN as you say he is, YOU may have to take over in some of the tough delivery areas, especially if he's starting off on a pup, because they jacknife like crazy. Have him do EVERYTHING, because the only way to learn is from actually doing it himself. If he takes too long, you may have to eventually take over. If at any point, your not comfortable at what he's doing, TAKE OVER, and throw him in the passenger seat again. If he asks a lot of questions, it's a good sign he's willing to learn. If he continues to have an attitude, put him in his place AGAIN, and throw him in the passenger seat. At the end of the day, report back to management about what your opinion is so far.

Day three, four, five, etc., etc., etc......Wash, Rinse, Repeat. If he continues to have an attitude, or your not comfortable at ANY point at what he's doing, just throw him in the passenger seat and take over. And make sure your battery is fully charged on your phone when he's driving if theirs an akward silence when he's driving, because of his attitude.

Just do what you gotta do, and in a couple weeks, let someone else handle baggage.

 

"Word around the campfire is dude has a pretty crappy attitude as well, just cares about when he'll be getting a raise."

I recommend going into the experience with an open mind, and ditch preconceived impressions. I'm sure you have butted heads with people in the past, and have experienced/seen good guys get a bad rap over a personality conflict. Give the guy a fair shake. If you have a chip on your shoulder towards him before he arrives, he will sense it... not a great way to get the ball rolling (for either of you).

Also, he is motivated to work towards receiving a raise. No kidding? Who wasn't, when starting out cherry?

Basically, you are the senior man with experience and wisdom to share. Sure, the guy may turn out to immature. We were all there once. Treat the guy how you would want to be treated. You have to train the guy, might as well make the best of it.

 

Don't let the generation conflict get between you guys.
You're "old" and the other for sure is younger and may have a different behavior like you. If you feel like it's going to be too much then speak up and show your seniority.
I wouldn't have to much headache about it. You're already there, where the youngster wants to get.

 

With a trainee? *Rubs hands... grins....
Logs time and more log time.

Let's see you do a pretrip. How bout the company paper work? The satellite. The lumping. Bills of Lading. work your way up.

Driving? Trainee only needs to morph into uncle earl and make trouble with too much hammer, wilful bad behavior or something else to get him or herself sent home. Especially if they do not listen and modify and settle down. Trying to show off and jamming the trailer back scraping something is enough to be your last day on the spot.

Im a hard trainer, but... I would like to see a steady eddie who knows what he is doing or learning to improve rather than a showboat who is going to be trouble. Even though Im hard, I have been known to reach into my pocket to pay trainee's meal if that person is worth keeping.

The good ones you wont hardly hear anything from me at all. It dont take but a half hour to discover them. Once I find one, I will have that trainee work the rig into backing, sideways hooking which is occasionally needed to pluck a truck that has say been dropped against another trailer by a yard jockey or other creative and really tight situations I can think of to see where their limits are.

Then if they go through all that, I find a large city, throw them into rush hour dog eat dog traffic and see how they do. Then if they are still with us, I find a mountain. If they get through that, I look for a high bridge New River Gorge for example. Or the Bay Bridge. Something really high. If they... last is a run through a desolate area with 300 miles of nothing. See how they do.

Moral of story, I seek that weakness that will manifest itself in the trainee. And generally I will find it. And when I do I help trainee with it. If trainee wont take instruction because his or her fear or mental refusal is too great then... home they go.

Is for their good.

 

Excellent post.

See, there's a problem wth the campfire talk...it spreads poison. It poisoned you against this guy and you don't even know him. How can you bring your A Game if you've been poisoned? You've been handicapped. Any "I don't do this, I'm not going there" talk is between him and the boss...you don't have a dog in that fight. Show him the job, show him that those difficult backs can be done...and any negativity from him, let it roll off your back. Because that's him handicapping himself. Has nothing to do with you. He will know it can be done. And that's all that counts.

Personally, it would bother me if there was somewhere that I refused to go because I was afraid. So, if he gets negative, smile. He will never be at your level of the game.

And remember, in those old kungfu movies, the master is always calm. Do what the boss wants you to do. Bring your A Game. And do not go back giving status reports to the campfire club, okay? Now go drink a beer!

 

Alright, I take back what I said about Sgt. Hartman. Need Mr. Miyagi instead. Good call Six

Just make sure you only show him "sand the floor " and "paint the fence" He needs to "wax off" on his own time. You don't need that mis-interpreted rumor at the campfire.

 

Look at the positive; he has a bad attitude, so he's a perfect match for food service customers.