My Experience with Werner training. Good/Bad

I started training on Feb 27th of 2007, they sent me to Indianola Mississippi to run Dollar General Dedicated, I told them I dont WANT this, I want OTR 48 state, they said "you have to do 3 weeks here before you got OTR", ok whatever, got 3 weeks done, as soon as we got back to the "roost" in Indianola on my 21st day...I called my dispatcher and said "I'm going to the hotel, I'll be waiting on my bus ticket to my OTR trainer".

Now, lets talk about the Indianola dedicated trainer...He was GREAT, he showed me stuff you can do with trucks, how to do it, when to do it, and everything. He got me in a pickle, that I had NO clue how to get out of, he said, "go that way and do exactly what I say, and you'll be fine" I told him...no, I dont feel comfortable. So he took over, I dont know how he did it, but he got us out of there. He said he does it with every student. Anyway, he spent ALOT of time with me on backing, ALOT, he was more worried about that, then my actual driving, if you ask me. WHICH I AM THANKFUL FOR! Great trainer, great guy, really knew his stuff.

Now, for the OTR trainer...

My OTR trainer was a O/O and when I got on his truck he said "You will drive this truck the way I tell you, or you wont be going with me", I was like #### chill out man. Anyway, all he wanted me to do was powershift or whatever it's called, use the RPMS to shift. Easy enough once you figure it out. We ran like chickens with our heads cut off, LOVED it. Great trainer and great guy too. Mostly drop and hook, occasionally you touch the freight with an OTR trainer. I think I touched the load once, and it was a load of brand new harleys being delivered to different dealers.

Perils of O/O trucks...They have no governor on them (meaning, you can go however fast you want)...well I wasnt paying attention, it was 3am just outside of Miles City Montana, and I got a ticket for going 79 in a 55...had to pay $65 on the spot, never heard anything more about the ticket. 3 days later in Gilette Wyoming, after a collission with a SNOW OWL at 2am...I got a red light ticket in Gilette Wyoming.

Overall thoughts about Werner's Training:

Provided you have good trainers, like I did, it can go VERY well. I loved it, pay sucked but it was well worth it. Would I go back again, #### RIGHT! Would I recommend them, #### right. Does every company have their good and bad points, #### right.

I read the werner posts just like alot of you are doing, and thought "great, what have I gotten myself into". Truth is, everyone has their own experiences, dont base your decision on what you read on here, If I had done that, I wouldnt have gone with Werner.

 

My dedicated training experience was good/great, really no complaints. My trainer was home every weekend, which meant I was in a Hotel every weekend. I think the company sends students to difficult situations purposely, there were a few stores that were a NIGHTMARE (blind side backing, one way in, one way out, etc). Overall it was a good experience.