My first month with a trainer…

Video games on driving a truck?

seriously you can’t learn much unless you are backing up the truck yourself.

the “trainer” isn’t there to teach you how to drive, he is there to mentor you into a position for the company, training is you behind the wheel driving and it never stops.

nav unit? Buy NEW! This way if you have issues, you have a warranty and ability to get your money back or another unit.

why can’t you afford one? Didn’t you sign up for a points card from where you fuel? get points and pay for one that way. Your “trainer” should have told you to use your card when he fuels to help you get started.

a warning for you about using your phone as a nav system, some cops will see that as handling your phone while driving and nail you for it. I just had a driver who was given a ticket for this, one reason why the company phones are locked - meaning they can’t have anything installed unless we install it at the office.

as for parking. Do not park anywhere other than a truck stop, you get off the road when you need to, truck stops are the best location and don’t be a moron driver pissing in a jug and tossing it out the window. If you have hours left, learn how to run the hos properly and keep rolling when you can, also never forget this isn’t about you and your needs but it is all about the customer and their needs, they pay the company to pay you so take your time and deliver safely.

 

Start early, finish early

 

If you think you got more from a video game than your trainer then one of few things could be wrong.

First your trainer might have sucked!

Second you just weren't listening to everything he said.

Third you said you understood everything he said and really didn't.

Fourth you failed to ask questions to help fill in the blanks.

Fift (my favorite) due to so many panzies in society the trainer couldn't push someone who needed a more hard core approach.

Sixth not enough practice

Seventh ( an other favorite) they gave you a football field of room for every training and testing exercise.

Eight (yet again a favorite) the trainer can't back worth a #### themselves but this is kind of covered with the first reason.

 

I use the Hammer app.
Stop at the smaller truck stops,or rest areas,usaully more quiet and easy parking.

 

Lol Me personally I would have asked for a new trainer

 

Buy a "Pocket Truck Stop Guide" sold at truck stops.
It will have Edition # and truck and travel dot com on it.
The guide includes rest areas, and you can pick two or three stop options in seconds.
It comes in handy when it's 10 o'clock at night and you have 20 minutes left on your clock.

Buy a $5 hammer and do a pre-trip and post-trip walk around hitting the tires.
Keep it in the floorboard next to you.
You will catch a lot of problems doing this simple thing.
And a flashlight of course.

 

Don't depend on GPS!
Study and write your route down.

Also if your trainer is not training demand a new one.