New driver with NO trainer at all

on what are you basing your reply? i had ZERO training and merely a ga. class 5 chauffers license when i jumped in a truck.i ducked going under the overpasses on the interstate.what does one do to "learn" otr?

 

Quite often the trainer is only a chearleader to bolster your confidence. If you want someone with you then you might ask around and find a retired driver to go with you for a few days.
Driving truck is a serious job and you want to make sure you are ready. Having a CDL is only having a license to learn- it will be a year or more before you are a truck driver.

 

Does this company hire students/inexperienced drivers?? They may only put you straight in a truck if you've plenty of experience under your belt. May not even hire a new driver...

Don't know...just sayin.

 

well when i first drove 40 years ago you just jumped in and drove too
I believe everyone should have a trainer not so much for the driving but the system in place by the company and it's procedures
to be goverment complient
Driving is the easy part these days
when many of us started there were no DAC , HOS , DOT etc etc etc
I dont wanna go back to no power steering, quad boxes and if it holds air it is a good tire either

concern about no traing is appropriate I use to know how to spell....sigh

 

There is no law or regulation saying that you need more training after getting a license. If you go to a good school that takes the time to teach you most of what you will need to know you should be ok. It will still be a steep learning curve, but not that hard.
I did this after school myself. But this was over 20 years ago. And back then the schools actually taught you more than just how to pass the test. The schools were 8 weeks long, 5 days per week. You had many many hours in the cab of that truck before you ever took the test. And you were taught route planning. Time management. How to properly log. Etc.
Most schools these days do only skim the surface of logging. Do not teach you how to plan routes. Or anything else that you really need to know how to do.

 

You always had HOS. Unless you drove within 100 miles. They have been around since the 30's.
You always had some DOT. The FMCSA did not exist. But we had the ICC.
DAC has been around more than 20 years. But allot of company's did not use it. And allot still do not use it. It is a private company and not a regulation.
I remember 20 years ago in school talking about DAC. I got my CDL the year they came out. I was 21. And had a really hard time trying to find a job at that age in a truck. Now I am 42. And jobs are a dime a dozen lol.

 

I never had a trainer before going over the road. I drove locally for a small construction outfit. After a year or so, I went and took CDL test. Operated cranes for a couple years and then hauled equipment for county. After a couple years of crap pay, I moved on to OTR and where I'm at. I hired on with these guys and only training they had was on the pneumatics. That was because I didn't have experience with them.

During the three day orientation, you had to take a road test, but I doubt that is considered a trainer.

I don't think a person necessarily needs a trainer. Personally, I wouldn't want one. I'll figure stuff out myself. I never wanted someone looking over my shoulder, telling me what and how to do something. Driving a big truck was the easy part, IMO. Understanding the company policies, using the qualcomm, etc.... stuff like that is what I had to learn. And that's all covered in orientation. Of course, I had a few phone calls to tell me I was screwing up, not doing certain things right the first couple weeks....lol But that's what a phone is for lol.

 

JessCat do what you are comfortable with. Some new drivers already have some kind of background and are a little more familiar with driving and can go straight out on their own. Others have absolutely no clue and need a little more training.

Whatever your decision, don't be a "Super Trucker"! Take the time to learn the trade right and do things the correct way. If you don't it can really bite you in the ### in the long run or cause you to have a serious accident. This is also very important to keep in mind when heading into winter!

Personally I think with what you have posted and said I believe you will be better off going with a trainer. Don't rush yourself or get into something you aren't prepared for. It will only result in a mishap and like I said could possible lead to an accident and the end of your career right from the start. Be upfront and honest with yourself and don't think you have to compete with these other numbnutz! It was just the other day I was driving down I-10 and when I came to the scale there was a truck upside down, sideways on the exit ramp of the scale! How does this $hi* happen!!! Inexperienced Super Truckers! Its not the drivers who are new and taking things slow, its not the experienced drivers, its the ones that THINK they know what they are doing, have had very little training or proper training of any kind yet think they know it all and drive "balls to the wallls" until something happens!

Take your time.... Learn at your own pace.... Do what you think you are comfortable and capable of and you will have a long lasting, safe career.

Good luck...

 

it's going to be a learning curve. that's for sure.

it was for me after 10 years running dump trucks locally. i didn't think it was that big of a deal and no different then when i left the open road and became local. but i left pulling a box. and came back out flatbedding. and picked up a couple of citations here and there.

your running a dedicated route so it won't be so much learning for you.

main thing is just keep your weights legal. your vehicle clean. inside and out. your seatbelt on. and you won't get harrased toop much.

if you have questions. that's what this forum is about. it helped me A LOT when i came back out.

 

I would say go for it. Just be careful and try to use your best judgement. Learn from your mistakes and leave lots of following distance. Take your time.