10 day training? Are you high?

Nope,its probably in their files along with thousands of other complaints collecting dust.I did write FMCSA a long letter awhile back and they did write back.Took them 6 months but they did read it.

 

thats a really good statement!

Seems to me that the more the government gets involved, the more you see the good drivers leave out of disgust and loss of the freedoms they enjoy in their driving occupation.

 

You may not care but I do.It takes a lot longer to learn how to drive an 18 wheeler then a car.

 

Yeah that could be a double edged sword ! If the trainee is a good driver, the trainer may try to keep him because he is making him good money.

 

Maybe but the point is the training at most companies isn't really preparing a rookie to be on his own anyway. 10 days to evaluate whether or not a newbee has "it" or not to safely operate the equipment is fine in my opinion. Everything else is on the job training and school of hard knocks. New drivers make mistakes whether they are trained 10 days or 6 weeks. I got 5 half days of "training" from my father in law and two day trips with an experienced driver when I got my CDL back in 1991. After that I was turned loose on the world. Haven't wrecked a truck or hurt anyone yet in either of my full time or part time trucking lives.

 

Understood. I applied to a Flatbed Company 10 yrs ago and told them I didn't know ANYTHING about it. Their response? You'll be alright..You'll figure it out...That was also my first time in a bonafide OTR Truck-not counting farm Trucks. Did I kill anyone? Nope. Would I recommend this way for someone else? Nope.

I do believe if they would have given me training for 10 days I would have been OK to leave..At least SOMEWHAT better prepared.

 

10 day orientation, ZERO with trainer. It's why I chose them! Check out their safety record, it's not out of line with those that enslave people for months with someone they hate...

It's not for everyone, some NEED more intense training, some don't, if you don't, Watkins is for you...

 

That was back in 91,things have changed a lot since then.I will agree when u said training isn't preparing the new drivers though.I mean how can it when companies put them on team loads after the first week.If todays laws are all about safety then do just that,don't make laws to FMCSA benefit and forget all the motoring public.Trainers should have at least a yrs exp and a good safety record to be a trainer.Trainers we have now teach bad habits,use trainees for miles lack of patience,ect evt.

 

This industry is full of ppl that had very little training but their mvr says they need awhole lot of training.It doesn't matter if they think they need very little training or not.This industry should provide the best training possible with all schools and all companies.Not half ### so they can hurry up and turn that trainee loose to make money for the company.

 

If I add all the jobs I have had in the 33 years out here I don't think I have had 10 days training all together !
I have never been in a truck with anyone training me ever.

I have never put a scratch on a truck, trailer, pole or car.
I hear about all this training making things safer for all .
In the next line I read about all the crap these trainees have ran over under and onto .

A man that has common sense and sense of pride in himself and his work does not need to have his hand held and be taught ever little thing .
A man that has no sense or pride will never learn to be a safe and conscientious driver .
The old saying you can't fix stupid is true and man is there ever allot of stupid anymore.

You can train a man about the company rules and you can train a man about the laws but the only thing that trains a man about how to drive a truck is to do it.
The good ones can do it from day one the ok ones can learn it with lots of practice and then there are the ones that will never get it if they did it every day the rest of their life !!

The lesson you learn best is the one you learned on your own not the one you were told about .