Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

It seems it changes on a daily basis. I’m only basing it on what I get assigned as a trainer. When a trainee is good, it’s a month long party for me, when they can hardly fog a mirror, then it’s as if I was sent to hell with all it’s fury.

 

12 days and counting for vacation.

I was assigned a new trainee on Friday before leaving Richmond. I knew about this coming out of the house on Wednesday. I will say this, it’s a crapshoot on what will end up on a trainers truck. My last 2 have been horrible with issues that 2 years in training wouldn’t overcome. My saving grace for myself and the company is that I have the ability to quickly see if it will work or a waste of time. My last two only lasted 2 weeks each and are now probably driving an Uber.

I have the husband of a husband/wife team that I’m working with. 2 very nice people that have a goal and plan in place and are following through with it. I’m very lucky to be involved with them. The unfortunate thing is when we get back from Las Vegas, he’ll have to get off my truck and go into another trainers truck. But the good part is it’s all been worked out with the company to get him into the right trainers truck and not miss any time. Every so often I get a trainee I like and want to see succeed, Paul is one. Hopefully he can become another success story with his wife here at Abilene. I found out that I lead the training department with successful trainees that are still employed here, 8. Some are celebrating 2 years of employment. The downside? It’s probably taken 25 to get these 8.

 

Unfortunately she’s not. She bought a new boat and found out spending time on the Outer Banks was far more important then spending time in a truckstop.

 

“Train the Trainer” it was enlightening and informative. I enjoyed it.

 

Simple thing right out of the gate. There are 3 positions to every lane. The middle, the right side close to the fog line and the left side close to the dotted line. I want my trainees to do it like I do, the right side near the fog line.

Lane control, don’t jerk the wheel every 30 seconds, I get nauseous.

Always know what’s around you, check your mirrors.

When you are being passed by another truck, slide over to the right a little. If you are passing another truck, slide over to the left a little.
This Trainee, right out of the box with a total of 559 miles under his belt does these things.

Not a good truck driver? Telling your 40 year trainer with 4 million safe miles he’s wrong. Or saying to him, “this is how I do it”