Question for trainers and or people who have completed tnt training

Discussion in 'Prime' started by crocky, Sep 1, 2017.

  1. crocky

    crocky Road Train Member

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    Btw, don't take my replies as if I'm trying to argue. Im just trying to get info from other people to see what the average training time should be.

    For the record when he 1st bought up wanting to keep me until Nov, was during my PSD training.

    I asked at that point why I'd need to stay that long and he said it's just the way he does it. I said then that Prime said they require just 30k miles which are combined.
    He said that he doesn't do it that way, that, he only counts "my miles" not combined miles.

    I said right then, that I'm not ok with that. I said I'm ok with a bit over 30k "combined" but I can't stay on the truck that long to do 30k of my own miles.

    Meaning the reason is not about how well I'm doing as a driver but more about a time line he wants to keep me on..

    This is why I'm asking others, because I don't feel I need that amount of time and honestly I won't stay that long. I will get off the truck 1st, but I'm asking others input to make sure I'm not out of line by thinking its way too long.

    To put it in perspective that would be me being on the trainers truck for 3.5 months not including my 1st week at Prime or my time back there to upgrade... That's way too long IMO.
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2017
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  3. Prime-Mate

    Prime-Mate Light Load Member

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    I am instructor/trainer at Prime. Been with them for about nine years now. This is classic bull crap they play with trainee's, they tried it with me also. Wait until you get your thirty thousand miles in and then inform your fleet manager it is time for upgrade, if he gives you the old song and dance, simply inform him that this is a deal breaker, and he needs to simply route you in or you are getting off the truck.. Your trainer is off course using you to make much more money than is possible solo, I train, and I give the trainees extra money if I do well, normally about three hundred a week extra....or ten percent extra of my net..... They upgrade as soon as they can as everyone wishes......
     
  4. crocky

    crocky Road Train Member

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    Yea see $300 extra a week is very reasonable. My guy was saying like $150 but only after November and I'm thinking there is no way in hell..

    I mean I know he's making very good money with me being in his truck. Im assuming my FM is getting money as well..

    I mean hell I pretty much match my trainers miles everyday. It's been pretty common that we can do 1,200 miles in a day assuming we have the right loads..
     
  5. FullMetalJacket

    FullMetalJacket Road Train Member

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    Will chime in a bit when I can, to give you my worthless little opinion.

    :biggrin_25525:
     
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  6. nofreetime

    nofreetime Road Train Member

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    Hardly, I gave you a more effective way to come across to your FM and trainer which from the 7yrs of experience I've with Prime I believe will help you get better results because I genuinely wanted to help you. I too went though the PSD & TNT programs. I chose to word my reply to you in the way I did because you've come here after only just over 2wks of participation in the TNT program with a grievance over when you will exit the program.
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2017
  7. crocky

    crocky Road Train Member

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    3 weeks in PSD and 3 weeks in TNT for the record that's a month and a half on my trainers truck that I've already spent as well as over 14k miles into my TNT. Not just 2 weeks, today actually starts my 4th week... (for the record I did 6k miles in PSD which only 1 person in my class did more than that and I drove the bulk of those miles)

    The reason I'm wording my replies back to you the way I am is because you seem to keep undermining the time a I've put in and seem to have the idea that how dare I question my training time. Like I'm out of line to question my training..

    I already know that I was kept out longer during my PSD than almost anyone else in my class. That cost me more money and debt in weekly advances. I'm now being told that he wants me to do 2 times as much training as required for TNT..

    For some reason you come off as I shouldn't question this extended training time.. Yet you still never bothered to mention how long you stayed in TNT...or if you are a trainer how long your students usually stay on.

    I wasn't asking for help in how to talk to my FM. I was asking for personal experience on how much time I should expect to be in TNT vs other people's experience.
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2017
  8. UsualSuspect

    UsualSuspect Road Train Member

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    I am in TNT now, but have a feeling FM's and Trainer's like to keep you around for as long as possible. The first meeting with my FM he pushed leasing, told him numerous times I was not interested, then pushed staying with my trainer until at least March or April of next year.
    So far we are averaging 3,278 miles a week, team, which is way to low in my opinion for a team. Trainer blames his FM, but from the power of observation, he does not plan well, does not try to deliver early, and if you sit for hours waiting at a shipper or receiver, won't ask for detention either. We have not done any long runs, just 300 - 400 miles a run, have only seen 4 states.
    I have to bite my lip when he states "I am not a racist", then calls other races derogatory names, has even used the N word describing a group, and has nothing good to say about anyone who is not white, I can't wait until he finds out I am half latino, he will probably tell me to go back to Mexico even though I was born here. I am just hoping I can bite my tongue and not say anything until I am finished with training, which at the rate we are going most likely won;t be until the end of the year.
    As for the team aspect of it, since my trainer has never sat up front when I am driving, I think I am just here to make him, and his FM a few extra dollars.
    Maybe I am the exception, but not having any direction at shippers, or receivers has probably been a good thing, I learned it how to get in and out, and to function while he sits in the sleeper.
    I am hoping it will get better, I am giving it a few more weeks, then calling it quits and looking for a change, either a new Trainer, or a new Company.
     
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  9. crocky

    crocky Road Train Member

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    That sucks man, sounds like you just have a bad trainer or you guys just aren't a good match.

    During my PSD training my 1st week we did 3200 miles I di'd 2800 of that, but the second week went to hell. In a week we literally did 1500 miles.

    The reason is we kept getting Tyson chicken loads that were 300-400 miles max and had ridiculous wait times.. I know exactly how bad that sucks, specially when you are trying to get those miles churned out for tnt.

    I was dreading those loads when I started TNT but so far the shortest load we've gotten has been 750 miles, so I've been very lucky with that.

    I will say this, I think like anyone the trainers get into a routine and if they don't change it while teaming then it might cause problems.

    Something I noticed with my trainer/FM was if we didn't have a load going into the weekend, we would end up sitting after a drop waiting on a load from the weekend guys.

    I saw this during my PSD and my 1st week in TNT we had a load dropping on Sat so I knew we'd get stuck sitting til mid Sunday or later.

    I remember watching a youtube video about getting FM's to get you preplans. I mentioned this to my trainer and asked him if our FM would get us a preplan for the weekend.

    He ended up doing it and as a result we picked up a 2k mile load that Saturday and dropped it I think it was the following Tuesday early AM.

    Due to getting the preplan load we were able to get an extra 2k mile trip in my 1st week. I don't think we would have made those miles with out the preplan being assigned to us before our FM left for the weekend.

    The following week everytime we hit a drop we already had a prepLan assigned to us and we hit over 6k miles.

    This week wasn't as good though because we were running low on hours and had to do resets but man just something so simple as preplanned loads made a big difference to our sit time and miles.

    Maybe doing something like that might work with your guy. Gracefully remind him there are two of you on the truck with 2 clocks. Hint around at the fact you guys could easily be pushing 1k miles a day and doing those longer loads. Longer loads means less time stuck sitting at distribution centers or waiting on the next load which should mean more money in is pocket.

    Also when it comes to planning what we do is plan our trips at 50 miles an hour. Yes that's low, but it makes the math easy and gives you room for fuel stops, eating ect..

    So say it's a 1000 mile trip we plan it to take 20hrs. 20 hrs equals 2 drive shifts with extra time for pick up and drops (we do 12hrs shifts) So yes in the real world assuming you drive 65 in 11hrs 1 driver should get 600-650 miles with a 30 min break and maybe a fuel stop or extra bathroom break. Meaning the reality is it won't take the full 20hrs but by planning at 50 miles per hr it gives us wiggle room to plan in a shower stop or sit down dinner or something like that.

    I dunno if that would help your guy with his planning but that's how we are doing it and we are always on time or early.
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2017
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  10. nofreetime

    nofreetime Road Train Member

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    ????????

     
  11. crocky

    crocky Road Train Member

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    I hate to act like a dick but seems you are just a troll so I'll explain math to you.

    2 weeks =14 days

    2 weeks was your statement not mine...I said 16 days at the start of this topic.

    Topic was made Fri which I said 16 days.. Now I thought today was Wednesday so I'll give a day so my 4rd week actually starts tomorrow..

    2 days + Fri + Sat + Sun + Mon + Tues equals another week that has gone by. So as I stated I'm going into my 4th week TNT.

    ..or as I stated in your quote 3 weeks PSD, 3 weeks TNT. That's 1.5 months or 6 weeks, perhaps you better like 42 days or maybe 1008hrs? All of these requardless of how you like to count it is far more than "2 weeks" which you seem so confused about...

    Is that another problem for you or are you just a troll?
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2017
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