My Quality Drivers/Celadon experience April 2014

For training purposes they'll try to match you with someone that seems to be a good fit. I'm not sure what happens after that point. Maybe someone else can explain a little more. The only driver I ever had come out of the training program was running solo when he graduated from the school. Things have changed since then.

 

When I trained, I set my rules. I expected the company and the new driver to abide by them. Several of us got together and felt we the trainers needed to be trained or at least schooled in how to train. . I wanted to know how to teach what I already knew. It is not easy, at least for me it wasn't.The company saw it our way and brought in people to do just that.

I took no smokers or chewers. We did not drive like a team truck until after the 3rd week or so if my trainee was ready. I let the new driver do it at their pace. Some took longer to get used to the long hrs behind the wheel and the constant change of working hours. I stressed the importance of not becoming hypnotized by the road and to keep scanning the mirrors and gauges. I could not teach from the bunk.

When I first met my new drivers I had the company pay for a motel room and supper. I wanted us to get to know each other in non stressful conditions like over supper ,relaxed. I knew how stressed they might be coming off a long bus ride and I wanted them to make good judgment calls an decisions. We might fit together as trainer and trainee and we might not.
I did not care where on the list they graduated . 1st or last or how good at backing etc as I was going to see for my self how good they were at it.

For some reason it seemed I was often the 2nd or 3rd trainer for some of them. Yes, I failed some and sent them home. Couple of others I gave to another trainer as we could not communicate well and that was short changing the new driver. It happens that way some times. I tried to give all of them a fair shake and the benefit of the doubt. Just a few did not make it. Like the one that could not get the use of mirrors down right and ran a Cadillac off in the ditch in FLA.Home ward bound by greyhound. He could not look behind and along side and missed the car next to the drives.

I find today that far too many drivers with 2 or 3 or more years get upset when they have to sit behind some one that takes what they consider too many pull ups to back in. They forgot their first day at trucking. That pisses me off . We all had our first day at every thing we do. Our first step, or first time on a bike ,the first time behind the wheel of a car. the first time at every thing we do.

Ok,,,I am done now. I just wanted to let off some steam and let some of you new drivers know I feel your pain and frustration .

 

Thanks Fish. The reason I ask is because to finish the 240,000 miles in one year, it seems teams would have to average 20,000 miles a month or 5,000 miles a week. Any less than that and it could take well over a year

 

I talked to the Quality Drivers Recruiter today, Amanda was her name. OF course I am aware that recruiters in this industry often "shape" the truth to make it sound like the best job in the galaxy. With that said, I was able to sift through some of the obvious sales pitch and pick out a few grains to take a closer look at.

Ok school takes 3-4 sometimes 5 weeks depending on the individual. If you are highly motivated, study a lot, and volunteer to do everything first, you should be around the 3 week range as long as you pass your tests. Of course, things happen, and it could take 4....seems like in order for it to take 5 you must have messed up somewhere a long the line.

Right now, Celadon has agreed to take....and here was a phrase she repeated a couple of times...."Qualified Graduates" into their training program after completion of CDL training and the acquiring of an actual CDL A license. "Qualified Graduates" meaning pass physical, drug test, background check including verifiable employment history and verifiable driving record, proper housing history and so forth. DRug test and physical are given upon arrival at Quality Drivers and may be repeated during orientation of necessary. Blech.....ok enough quoting from my notes.....lol.

120k miles OTR as a team and tuition requirement is obligated. At that point keep driving as a team or go solo in one of the other fleets Celadon has to offer. Amanda mentioned that the 120k does not start until after the otr training portion has been completed and you are dispatched as a company driver. It is possible you will be teamed with someone from your class or not. It is also possible to team with someone who has finished the 120k obligation and wishes to drive team, or partially finished and what not......

So far this training route is the one I am leaning towards. MTC in missouri is also a school I am considering, but not a lot of good has been mentioned about them. Other than they are a school and offer sponsored tuition programs form several other carriers like US Express, Werner and Hogan........

 

A couple of real quick questions.

1. Are there simulators you can access in your own time to practice? I have a friend who drives and said the program he went through had simulators and computer programs to help out with everything from driving to trip planning....just curious.

2.You mentioned no school on the weekends, do you know what the students who stay over the weekend do to keep busy, or is it just lounge around and catch some sort of shuttle to the mall or something.

3. When you graduate, are you going to have a few days to go home before reporting to orientation? I am considering driving myself to school, but only if I get a few days after graduation to drive home and store my car....if not I guess I will take the bus or something. Only reason I ask, is that I am a pretty private guy, quiet, reserved, don't make a bunch of noise. IF there is free time on the weekends, it would be nice to hop in my car and just get away and find a nice chill spot to enjoy the outside world, people watch, that sort of thing.....so just curious what the schedule after graduating is like.