How long with driver trainer in your company?

I think on average it's around 200-250 hours. Roughly. For most starters. So that can be 4-6 weeks. It's what I'm anticipating.

 

There's two companies that riding with a trainer is 10 or 11 days, but the pay is low.
Schneider dry van and TransAm refrigerated.
Stay just long enough to qualify for a better company without having to use a trainer.
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Schneider Jobs - CDL Truck driving, Diesel Mechanic ...
https://schneiderjobs.com
Schneider’s hiring CDL drivers for company truck driving positions.
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TransAm Trucking | Trucking Jobs & Truck Driving Careers
https://www.transamtruck.com
TransAm Trucking’s mission is to further the noble purpose of truck driving. Trucking is a noble profession and truck drivers are noble people.

 

Check Abilene Motor Express:
Give a call:
Nationwide Motor Freight Company | Abilene Motor Express
https://www.abilenemotor.com

 

I’m definitely not an experienced driver since I’m laying in the top bunk coffin right now after wrapping up my 11 hours and trainer is driving, but I’ve done this process twice already and a lot depends on the company and the individual to answer your questions; Schneider National is 3 weeks for dry van, a local company named Big M is 6 and Western Express is probably about the same as Schneider and a lot of other mega carriers (2-3 weeks); I’m currently doing Western flatbed and since I was at those first two companies for the majority of that time (up until they let me go) Western gave me only 100 hours to train; to summarize it varies from different companies. As for trainers the ones I had I find you either get a really good one or... yeah. If you’re lucky you’ll get one who isn’t only in it for the money and actually trains you like the one I currently have; if you’re unlucky you might get one who doesn’t care about anything (especially doing his job the right way) and views you as extra income to his/her paycheck. Apologies for any typos, still trying to sleep in this bumpy coffin haha

 

It dont matter 1 day 1 hour or 1 year. That time u spend with a trainer will feel like the longest time of ur life

 

Good opening line for a romance novel right there hehehe

 

Butler Transport is 160 hrs of drive time which takes about 3 weeks.

 

Don't do square feet.
Maybe it would be easier on your mind if you think about it as 768 cubic feet?

(I don't know the exact dimensions. Just guessing to 8 across, 12 deep and 8 high.)

 

With Swift, it is 200 hours total. The first 50 hours, the mentor has to be riding shotgun. After that, you can run as a team if your mentor deems you safe and competent to do so. Also have to have a minimum number of backs, 40 I think. Unsure about any other quotas needed.
My first week with a mentor was my toughest. Mostly having to do with me having to adjust to being with someone, anyone, in such close proximity, along with everything else. After a week, I thought I was done. I took myself off the truck for a night and got a hotel room. Anyway, after calming down and realizing it wasn't forever, plus the 'Driver Qualification Manager' talking to both myself and my mentor, the next day we got back in his truck and continued on. After that, I was able to see past all the crap that had pissed me off and realize 2 critical things. 1. My mentor had 16 years of experience, much more than most mentors, and I had the opportunity to learn from him the things that years of doing this teaches you. 2. Past his gruff and crud personality, my mentor had a heart of gold and was a VERY good soul.
Overall, I will always be grateful for the mentor I had. I learned and experienced the insight of his many years of experience. And, after that first week, we started having a lot more fun with everything. We laughed so much. My mentor took on trainees primarily because he had a personality where he wanted to teach and share, the extra money was secondary to him.
My mentor has since retired, so I was also lucky I got him before he quit.
I know many folks went through several mentors and took much longer to get through the mentor phase than I did. And, I suspect, many didn't learn nearly as much as I was able to, having had mentors who mostly mentored for the money and/or simply didn't have as much experience to share.