Getting trained for car haul makes me hate my swift training even more

I understand what you say. And I understand how unfriendly trainers can make it more difficult to learn. All of us have those stories. Doing well is the goal. You must be doing OK so that is what matter.
Trainers often have LOTS of bad experiences with BAD students. Too many students think training is a partnership where both sides will equally contribute and achieve the desired outcome. NOPE. "You're here BECAUSE you don't know what we want you to do." It's NOT a conversation. Truck drivers are not the "talk it out" personality types. I heard an Army vet explain boot camp is about being told what to do, you doing it the way you are told, and doing it when you are told to do it. No part of that included a 2-way conversation. Ideally they tell you, they show you, you do it. EVERYTHIING else is wasting someone's time.

 

Not learning is unacceptable and deprives other students from learning while the instructor is tied up with the hard case. Fire bad students and withstand the sob stories, IMO. Not every job is meant for every person, instructor or student.

 

Good for you, for getting into something I’ve always wanted to try.

I’ve been a trainer, three different times in my career, including in the military. I’ve never been stern toward any driver. It simply isn’t necessary and just adds stress for the student and trainer. If one wants to get both drivers killed, elevate the stress inside the cab to the point the one behind the wheel can’t think straight. Training needs to be an stress-free, 2-way street, so the trainee can process the info, ask necessary questions, then, properly execute the maneuvers. Keep it simple and drama-free, so everyone safely gets home.

 

And how long would school be if every student was accommodated until they learned the skills? The skills are simple, but not what students are used to doing. Presumably every one of them has driven a car and backed up a car already. They already know to drive on one side of the painted lines and stay on the paved surface. So they aren't learning to juggle flaming house cats in a dark room. The hard case can step aside and watch other students learn the task and maybe not having pressure will help. You don't have to be expert by day 5, you have to follow directions. You can teach a car driver to fly an airplane in a month. That's a 3-D activity with a ton of regulations, complicated flight planning, weather, etc. The more new drivers I've seen the more sympathetic to angry trainers I become. The basics of CDL operation are on thousands of YouTube videos from CDL schools and there are many many good videos that explain the tasks. There is no excuse for showing up to CDL school without having already read and understood the CDL manual and the over-achievers should have watched those videos. A lot of young people expect to have knowledge and experience piped into their head under pressure while they stare at their phone. I'm sure you are a great student and will make a fantastic truck driver. I'm sure you will survive if an instructor yells at you. Customers will yell at you. Car drivers will yell at you. Other truck drivers will yell at you. I don't like being yelled at, like everyone else. It can be quite motivating if one wants to use it that way.