Bad trainer percentage

I take that to mean you don't think all trainers are like me? That would be true, however many are (like me).

Not knowing what kind of a truck you did your training in, it's hard to say why a trainer wouldn't provide SOME place for you to store your stuff. I take it you didn't have an unreasonable amount of stuff. If so, a trainer should be sure there's somewhere for your stuff's storage, IMO.

Unless you can grow your own in the truck, it doesn't sound like that trainer gave you much choice. That trainer sounds like they were on some kind of power trip -- which happens with some trainers and I wouldn't consider them to be "good" trainers.

A "good" trainer SHOULD take into consideration that a trainee is new to the trucking world and doesn't yet understand the importance of keeping the wheels rolling.
Although keeping the Big truck clean is something some drivers stress more than others, and frown on food and/or drink in their truck, the trainee's comfort and well-being should also be considered.

Then I'm sure you've noticed that the more you try to get along with SOME people, the more they resist. SOME trainers are like that, which isn't a good thing. I don't think they have to become life-long friends, but I think they should at least be professional about it.

As long as a trainee is cooperative, threats are uncalled for --- especially threats of violence. That WOULD be a good reason to request another trainer.
And unless it's company policy to run training like a team, so would a trainer sleeping.
IMO, a trainer isn't training if they're sleeping. Which would be another good reason to request another trainer.

Logging can be somewhat of a gray area. IMO, there's "cheating" and what I like to call CREATIVE LOGGING 101, which is done to better utilize time --- usually spent on loading/unloading docks and/or to spend sleep breaks in better areas than if one logs 100% the way desk drivers think it can and/or should be done.

I would NEVER suggest logging that would cause any driver to drive tired or fatiqued, or driving beyond legal driving times just to drive more miles or for a so-called "hot" load. Safety is the number one priority. I usually suggested fueling in the mornings, and/or after a sleep break to combine the pre-trip with fueling, rather than log time for doing both which can save 1 1/2 hours a week, or more. That equates to 50 to 75 miles paid, and helps the paycheck.
If loading/unloading takes several hours, I didn't always indicate the full time spent there, but I make the trainee fully aware of what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. If the trainee is uncomfortable with that, I'll log it real time for their benefit.

Those who preferred to log it real time when in training often told me later, after being on their own for awhile, that they now understood what I was trying to show them and now did the same thing.

YeAH!
I'd tend to agree with those figures. Although I'd be inclined to say about 5% may just be on a power-trip and bossing trainees around unnecessarily feeds their egos.

 

Ok thanks aftershock appreciate your input i was hoping you woudn't take it personally cause it wasn't meant that way just giving my 2 cents. They are giving me new trainer but i think they should give u list of numbers and stuff up front only one they gave us was liason office which done me no good on weekend. thanks again aftershock.

 

Nope!
I didn't take it personal.
And you're welcome.

 

I bet if 99% trainers were "good" it wouldn't matter to you if you were the guy with one of the 1 percenters.

Trainers can take liberties and they will. Human nature and all. It is their home/work area and you are not a guest. You are a trainee. Its only four to eight weeks though.

My trainer and I got along wonderfully but he would raise his voice a lot. He didn't yell towards me or at me but he just talked way too loud in general and especially towards me. I like a quiet low key environment. He was comfortable with the racket. I finally told him that he would never talk so loudly to or around his father, so not to do it around me. That solved it.

 

Gosh Colts, had you mentioned your mentor crushing up pain pills and snorting those several times a day, doing a lil X, or coke, or doing a few shots at Hooters or heck if you'd even mentioned parking the rig in "cracktown, usa" on a Sat. nite while you were expected to get some sleep so you could be ready to drive when your mentor came out of the crackhouse, I would swear that you had the same mentor my husband just had! But you didnt mention the rumble strips that you awoke to every night when you tried to sleep while your mentor nodded off. So you must not have had the same mentor. AND Rod, it would be nearly impossible to gauge or guess a percentage of bad trainers. I believe that alot of the time, newbies like my hub will try to "just get through it" so that they can get there own truck and be on there way. Most newbies have families at home to support and getting off that truck & waiting on another trainer can cost precious time and money and possibly your home. Thats why you wont hear about what "really" goes on sometimes. My husband has just gone thru this so this is an open wound right now. It will take some time to not regret his decision of going into the trucking industry. This exp. has left a bad taste in our mouths. And to anyone wondering what company to go with, LOOK at these boards, READ them carefully. There are certain companies, one in particular that is mentioned often. If my hub had it to do over, he'd say GET OFF THE truck and get a new trainer the minute you start to question things. Your staying alive on that truck could depend on it! And to the good trainers out there and we know there are plenty, we salute you for your patience! Its gotta be a tough job!

 

What you have described is a nightmare. Since people are so stupid and insensitive, greedy or whatever, to others, the government should step in. What you have pointed out is the very reason why unions came to being. If companies can't do things right by their employees maybe we need to go back.

I have been concerned about this kind of training since I started thinking about driving for a living.

Bad food:

Bad food, bad sleep will weaken you and make you ill. They feed on each other.

Trainee's and Night Driving

I have a sneaking suspicion that there are other abuse as well. What I have read suggest that so called driver trainee's are being used as a way for some drivers trainers to get someone to do their night driving.

Trainee's, Cheap Team Drivers

Driver trainee's, in some cases, is another way for companies to get team drivers, and get them cheap, because so many drivers are against the idea of driving teams for the reasons you mention. Another problem is the truck never stops moving.

 

The last thing needed in any aspect of the trucking industry is more government control or regulation. We've got more than enough now.

When I was a trainer for PAM back in 2004-2005, we trainers were encouraged to have our trainees do the majority of their driving during off peak hours for the first few weeks while they were getting comfortable with driving a 70' vehicle that they had previously only driven for maybe an hour or two total during their 3 week CDL "school". That meant trainees were driving at night. I told my trainees to stop whenever they got tired. Some of them would stop around their previously normal bedtimes, others would trudge on through the night with me cat napping in the passenger seat.

Depending on the learning ability and skills of the trainee, by the second or third week they would be driving during peak hours. Again, I would not be anywhere but in the passenger seat when they were going through a major city during rush hour.

I remember one of my trainees who admitted to me he wasn't able to see well at night. I communicated this with my superiors and was instructed to only allow him to drive only during the day until his 4 weeks was up and they would handle it from there. I complied with their instructions and when I dropped him off in Tontitown he was given the choice to upgrade his eyewear prescription or go home. He chose the latter. I suspected that he might as he had previously (for 30 years) been in upper management for a large grocery chain and quickly found out that being a truck driver wasn't the same as having a corner office with a view.

 

It's great to hear there are decent trainers out there. And it's good to get a sense of how the training process works. Can this be counted on from most trainers and companies?

What are considered to be none peak driving hours. None peak could be between late morning and early afternoon correct as well as after6-7pm? I guess it would depend on were you are at.

 

I reckon that depends on your definition of "counted on". One thing is certain in this industry. Nothing is certain. Certainly you can appreciate that.

I would say that 85% of all respectable companies train this way, but that's just my speculation which combined with $1.00 + tax will get you a large sweet tea at just about every McDonalds in the country.

Non-peak is typically recognized as M-F from 6pm to 5am. However, as you stated, depending on where you're at it could be at different times. For example, the great state of Wyoming has about 400 miles of I-80 running through it. At least 380 of those miles is pretty barren and has very little traffic, other than fellow big trucks. In other words, it's not bad for brand new trainees to drive it any time of the day except in the winter months (which for Wyoming runs from Sept.-May).