Finish training early?

Discussion in 'Werner' started by wanttotruck, May 27, 2014.

  1. wanttotruck

    wanttotruck Light Load Member

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    Is it possible to test out of training early with Werner? I've heard a few drivers say that they finished early, but when I talked to my SDM about it she pretty much hung up on me.

    I'm not here to say that I know everything and have nothing to learn, but I have gained very little from training other than some more confidence.

    My first trainer was suspended for an issue that turned out to be an error and now I'm getting less drive time with my new trainer and get put up in a motel 3 nights a week. At the current rate I'm looking at over 2 months of training time. I simply can't afford to stay in training this long.

    I hope I don't come off as a know it all super trucker. I know there is lots to learn and I will continue to learn every day I drive. It's just frustrating to run as a team 24/7 and get none of the benefits. With all of the crap I've had to deal with these past few weeks I'm contemplating forfeiting the $500 bonus and going home to get some mental relaxation and a good meal.

    Thanks for any info.
     
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  3. Puppage

    Puppage Road Train Member

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    2 months in the grand scheme of things is nothing, really.
     
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  4. nshore harleyguy

    nshore harleyguy Medium Load Member

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    It is possible to test out early in some cases. It all depends on your sdm, trainer, and how big the demand is for the acct you are going on. I was able to test out early while 1 of my buddy's I went to orientation with was told by his SDM (a differnt 1 than I had it was a woman don't remember her name) that "they do not let people out of training early anymore" he was told that the the same week i was asked if i was comfortable testing out at about 200-210 hrs.
     
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  5. nshore harleyguy

    nshore harleyguy Medium Load Member

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    I know the training pay can suck. But 2 months isn't really that long when you look at the big picture. If this is going to be your career for the next 10-20-30 etc etc years. What's 2 months? The time can drag on but 6 months down the road it will seem like nothing
     
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  6. wanttotruck

    wanttotruck Light Load Member

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    Thanks for the info.

    I know that 2 months isn't long in the grand scheme, but I hadn't planed to run into so many financial walls during training.
    Had I known that my trainers wouldn't have coolers and that I would be eating at truck stops for every meal, or that I would be in motels so often (This is my 5th straight night in a motel) I would have saved up significantly more money before starting CDL school.

    Unfortunately I never expected that I would have only completed 70 hours in 3-4 weeks.

    I'm young and trying to build my credit, so I wanted to avoid having to put money on credit cards. Unfortunately this is what I am going to have to do soon and is a big reason I am asking about finishing early.
     
  7. nshore harleyguy

    nshore harleyguy Medium Load Member

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    I can say if you have any chance of testing out early you will need at least 200 hrs and near perfect scores from your trainers. I was in a similar situation finished training in about 2 months and I feel I had a really good trainer. I do know it def. Does get tough financialy. My trainer had a fridge but ate at truck stops 2-3 times a day and that gets expensive. Once you get your own truck you will be able to live a lot more conservative. I get home every weekend and make all my food for the week. I eat out once every 2 weeks and make all my meals at home ahead of time or on the truck.
     
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  8. gpsman

    gpsman Road Train Member

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    Then you need more training.

    What do you intend to do to pay the bills after that relaxation and meal? Most guys don't try trucking if they have better options, and trucking is usually their best option.

    Sometimes you have to suck it up, no better time to learn that than now. Rather than punt you might try explaining your financial hardship and exploring the possibility of small weekly advances on future earnings.

    If they think you're going to punt that might prove fruitless, but drivers are getting harder and harder to find.

    I wish you to make your own luck.
     
  9. wanttotruck

    wanttotruck Light Load Member

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    If by "punt" you mean "quit" that is certainly not what I intend to do. I left a much better career to drive because it is something I have a passion for and truly want to do, as it will give me a chance to live with fewer expenses and invest money while I am still young.

    As I stated, my reason for wanting to finish training is to avoid putting myself in debt. I paid cash for my CDL schooling and had saved what I believed would be enough to live comfortably while I went to school and completed training. A paycheck advance is not going to do much.

    I'm also a little perplexed by your "need more training" comment. I don't see how training can prepare a driver for every situation they may face on their own. Every driver I have spoken with has stated that nothing can prepare you for unpredictable actions and hazards on the road, but you need to be trained and confident in your driving to know how to safely react when the unexpected happens. Though I could be misunderstanding your statement.
     
  10. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    If you think you're ready - then push the issue.
    I had zero training and made out OK, every body is different.

    They're not paying your motel bill?
     
  11. gpsman

    gpsman Road Train Member

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    Then I must have misunderstood "I'm contemplating forfeiting the $500 bonus and going home to get some mental relaxation and a good meal."

    Then it doesn't sound like you left a much better career, you're already complaining about being out of cash. How long did that take, 90 days?

    You turned down a 0% interest loan for your CDL schooling in favor of paying cash? You're going to make one hell of an investor.

    You could, and are. If you're not learning anything from training, you need more training. That doesn't seem so unreasonable from here.

    Training doesn't consist of "prepare a driver for every situation they may face", or learning to safely react to the unexpected, etc., since there's no place to teach or practice that crap, and 99% of the time your only option is going to be hitting the brakes. You presumably already know how to do that.

    What you should be learning about "driving" is patience, and avoiding the circumstances that lead to having to react, and crashing, managing momentum, etc. What you should be learning about trucking is what you purport you aren't learning during your training, like how to load your trailer, how to slide recalcitrant tandems, and catching and covering any and all mistakes of everyone involved in that load before it was handed to you to not just suffer the consequences, but be blamed for them to make up for it.

    So you need more training. I promise you, CDL school and 6 days on the road did not qualify you to judge your need for training. It is not as if you can get too much of it.

    When you hit the road on your own and find out what it's like when it's all on you, you'll be thankful for all the training you got. Or you'll wash out in 6-12 months, like so many if not most newbies do.
     
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