Boss wanted me to train a new driver

The new driver he hired had very minimal experience. The guy got his CDL in 2016 but was working b.s. jobs when he was hired at my company, in fact he was a gas station attendant at 7-11. His previous driving experience was 6 months to a year of driving 26' mostly automatic box trucks. He worked a dump truck job that literally had him driving half an hour a day and work as a labourer the rest of the day. he never was broken in via otr, I very much believe the little otr I did was beneficial.

I allowed him to drive bobtail and pull a tanker in a low traffic area. He missed a gear once and wanted to bring the truck to a stop and start over again. Really? I told him push the clutch in give it some fuel, I look at the speed from the passenger side (20 mph) and shifted into 4th from the passenger seat.

He is not a bad guy but lacks lacks experience, I told my boss I'm not really completely comfortable training him on driving. boss said he would put him with someone else. I'm not getting paid to train, and was never trained on being a trainer. I will also not really be paid to be a driver trainer.

I have no issues training someone on the non-driving aspects of the job, but when it comes to effectively training someone how to drive I'm not comfortable.

I hope I handled this well and wonder how other people on ttr would handle this.

 

This is a local driving environment, not sleeping with a driving to trainee, something I would never ever do. I myself only have 1-1/2 years or so of driving experience myself, nearly 100% local driving. I don't think there is anything wrong with that but the fact is I drive a little over 100 miles per day, much of my day is spent loading milk waiting for the pump. An otr driver does 400 miles per day. My own experience admittedly is somewhat limited. I know how to safely operate my truck in different conditions but I don't think I know enough to train anyone on driving.

I feel like I need to be in control. My boss, a 40 year trucking veteran who trained me should be training him in my opinion. My boss had a knee replacement many months ago and seems like he uses it as an excuse not to get in a truck. If he thinks he has enough drivers and doesn't feel like driving that's his choice.

As far as training an inexperienced newbie, it's his truck, his company....he is an excellent trainer and did well by me. I think he should train the guy. If my boss can mow his lawn and do things around his house, no reason he can't get in the passenger seat and teach this guy.

 

School doesn't teach recovering a gear.

 

Admittedly, I knew how I was when I was with that level of experience. I would not be comfortable teaching myself lol. I never said he was unsafe for the road, he has not seen what can happen. He doesn't know what to anticipate from moron 4 wheelers, I'm still trying to figure that one out lol...I think we all are. Impossible to figure out people driving cars, that is worse then it has ever been. I think cars are the biggest hazard. Nearly everything else you can control, cars are a wild card

 

Then there is the remaining issue of compensation for training. I don't believe there is much if any. Your taking a significant risk. The short period of time I was with Werner I just about doubled my trainer's pay and he was not really all that great. He would sit in the passenger seat and not say much, your doing fine....look, tell me how to be better.