Getting trained

OK, I'm looking for some input from people who really understand driving trucks.

I'm going to be getting trained by a company with a contract to work a few months (other options to pay for a private driving school are just too unrealistic. The economy on the jersey shore SUCKS). I'm OK with low pay, I'm OK with the idea that home time is gonna be really limited... Basically, every negative I've heard about the company (I understand it's the internet, and some stories are exaggerated or untrue, and the good stories tend to not make it to forum sites), I'm ready to just deal with it and get my CDL and experience, except for one thing.

To be a trainer, you only need less than a year of experience, and I've read stories of people crashing trucks, stopping in the road, just generally being pretty unsafe... My question: Is there that much different about driving a truck compared to a car that this is because of bad training, or were these people just bad drivers from the start who managed to get lucky and somehow not get caught and ticketed or crash into something?

I trust my driving ability because I know I'll do everything I can to drive safely, but from what I've read, this company forces teams. I'm wondering how much I can trust my partner's driving ability.

 

Unemployment won't help me because I have a job now. NJ likes to punish you for actually being responsible.

I'm OK with the company sucking and everything, none of that is a problem. My only issue is the other driver. I get along with almost everyone, so that's not a problem, I'm just not OK with someone crashing into things while I'm sleeping.

 

Why? Is it the company, or the training? Again, the company can treat me worse than the slaves were treated, I'm just looking for the CDL training, and experience. Anything else, I couldn't care less about. I'm just questioning if the accident record is because of bad training, or if these people were just generally bad drivers who had their lucky streak end.

 

Really good point moosetek. The biggest issue was the fact that the person I'm driving once my training is done would probably be just as new as me. While there's no real difference in experience when you can drive solo, when you're solo, there's not another person responsible for your safety. It's not the training I'm worried about, but the time after the training. (I won't be able to go solo with this company).

Accidents happen, this site just did a great job making me wonder if my partner is going to kill us. I'd like to hope his trainer would have spoke up to the company if he wasn't safe, but the requirements of only one year on the road makes it questionable, beacuse that really isn't that long of a time doing something... But you've seen how people drive, so you understand how many people out there you have to be amazed they even figured out how to start their car.... I just don't want to be stuck with that guy behind the wheel while I'm sleeping and can't even prepare for a crash to try to make sure I walk away from it.