A Thread for the Trainer

Unfortunately birdman,driving a dumptruck is no where close to driving a 70 foot tractor trailer weighing 80000 lbs down donner pass in california in a snowstorm.Gonna have to go through the training to get where you want.There is no comparison between the two.Totally different animal than what you have been doing.Good luck to you.

 

After reading many posts in this thread I have the following observation - trainers don't think much of student drivers.

Just finished Swift academy and waiting for a mentor so I thought I'd check out this thread. Patience seems to be the biggest short coming of most of these folks with horror 'stories' to tell. Remember, everyone was a newbie.

Heard of a trainer that went down Lewiston, ID, 'hill' way too fast and refused to use the run away ramps. Anyway, experts say he was going over 70, flipped over on his side. Not sure how fast he was going before he rolled it. He was one turn away from the bottom of the hill and lots of people in fours wheelers sitting at the stop light. Luckily the trainee/student was fastened in tight in the sleeper.

Call me silly, but this trainee thinks that trainer needs re-trained.

 

Some trainers are in it just for the money, and they don't think much of student drivers. If that is the case, it is the company's job to make sure they do not train any more. The company needs to do a background check, and one on one interview, and try to determine what the motives are that one wants to train. Some people are just natural teachers and enjoy the job... Then there are the scum bags that lay in the bunk with a poor student at the wheel scared out of their minds. That is a recipe for disaster. I wish more people would see that. I have been a trainer for several years, I will take some time in the bunk near the end of training, to watch and see what the student does without someone sitting in the right seat. There is always paperwork to do, eval to email, that kind of stuff. But in the begining, the trainer needs to be in the right seat all the time. Doing what they get paid to do, teaching someone to drive.

 

Question for you trainers out there. How much stuff is to much for a trainee to take on your truck? I know that 5 suitcases is out of the question, but what about a rolling duffle bag about 33 inches or so and a laptop? Dufflebag can go on top bunk and laptop behind a seat. sounds reasonable?

 

I'm not a trainer but...
most of the time you will get the upper bunk. It is 80" long and 36" wide (+-).
And most trainers will tell you... "you sleep with what you bring"...

My wife used a duffle like you are talking about and a back-pack for the computer and she did ok....
I used a back-pack and an army duffle bag....

 

Thanks, Klingon. I just didn't want to over do it, trying to be a good house guest (truck guest?)

 

Is it true some of you trainers dont shower for up to 8 days?

 

What is the longest you have not had a shower?

 

Havn't read thru all the pages on this thread so sorry if my question has already been asked but here goes....

Which companies train their new drivers as a solo driver instead of running you as a team?

 

i know conway runs as a solo