Prime Trainer can't train...

I had a trainee last near the end of last year that was an excellent driver, and when the time came for him to get off my truck, I went to my fleet manager and said "this guy should in no way be allowed to get his own truck." Why, because while he could drive just fine, he had issues with directions, and seeing what was ahead of him. For example, Minooka, IL Pilot, you don't exit the Pilot the same way you came in because you can't make a left turn back to the interstate. There is a sign at the exit telling you which way to go to get back to I-80. He didn't see it, and went back and had to make a right turn away from the interstate. Instead of waking me up like he shoulda done, he drove into downtown Minooka, and was about to make a U-Turn in the parking lot of the local fire department when I opened up the curtain. So while he could drive down the road fine, use the QC fine, and do all the paperwork fine, there is only so much I can do when you can't figure out which way the arrow on a road sign is pointing, and this was not an isolated incident with this particular trainee. Last I heard, they didn't give him his own truck, and he was driving with another trainer. He'd do ok in a permanent B-seat situation I think, but of course, there is always the chance of him missing the 11' 6" sign.

 

So about a year of side by side training in your estimation?

These so called community college and Driving schools are supposed to be superior Truck driver training. They are supposed to teach these guys how to drive right? They should show up knowing how to drive, right? They've had hours and hours of practice, with professional drivers teaching them. Right?

Company training is supposed to get the trainee up to speed on company policy, paperwork requirements, familiarization with freight handling, security procedures etc.

I will take a Prime CDL school grad as a trainee over any other canidate... hands down. They've already had 4-5 weeks of side by side instruction in real world situations, with real world freight, and experiance with variable terrain. They've already backed into docks, backed into truckstop parking lots. I gaurantee they've driven a couple of steep grades, up or down. All they while with a real load in the trailer behind them.

When it comes to the training portion, my fleet manager doesnt run us full speed as a team until I tell him so. I have a responsibility to my own safety to make sure the guy can drive before I can get any decent amount of rest in the sleeper.

Im with Sazook. Intitally I try and get my trainee some bobtail experiance around the terminal area before we get our first load. I will usually drive first... Show them how to safely operate the vehicle, various features, etc.

When its their drive I will sit up with them for a couple hours to observe, instruct, regal them with trucking anecdotes, and experiances.... I have them get on and off the interstate a couple times. Navigate a truck stop during a break.

Once I am somewhat comfortable with their interstate driving skills, I will attempt to get a nap. I can place myself in various levels of sleep simply by the level of anxiety I have of my faith in the trainee. Im up and inquiring the moment I feel a reduction in speed, or a downshift, unusual breaking etc.

First couple weeks Im always up with my trainee when encountering city driving, fuel stops, navigating neigboorhoods for pickups and deliveries. Im especially up when to help my trainee on new terrain... My current trainee hit Cabbage Hill, Tejon Pass and Vail within his first 2 weeks on the road with me.

I gradually become less and less involved with his driving, as I become more comfortable with his abilities... all the time being available for any questions or problems...

The rest of the training isnt half as structured. We pick up freight, we move freight, we deliver freight. Everyone of these cycles has different challenges or procedures and we deal with them and I instruct on them as they arise. Many of these situations breed discussion on my previous experiances and I try to relate them to the current situation. Things to look for etc.

I expect my trainee to be up for every stop just like I am.... initially. However I dont keep them up... I send them back to bed immediatly after we do what we have to do, and as a couple weeks go by I will tell them to go ahead and sleep through a stop if I think that there is nothing new to be learned from it. (How many times does one have to do Wal-mart procedures before they get the picture on how its done)

Its 60k miles of training. The trainee will see alot, however it wont be enough. If we dont come across a situation Ive delt with I can only describe my experiance so well. Its my job to give the trainee the tools and resources to answer the questions he will face on his own. Who to call, who to ask, what kind of questions he should ask, what info to gather and to who to get a better decision.

Nice example. We are loading bulk bag of some kind of food grade protein from a port. Forklift is leaking fluid all over the trailer during loading. My trainee spots it, notifies the forklift driver... driver says not a problem. Dock supervisor says not a problem. Trainee thinks its a problem but not sure....I tell him, Im not comfortable with the situation so we are going to have the clerk note it on the bills that we arrived with and had a clean bill of inspection on the trailer, and that the fluid was the responsibility of the shipper/loader. Basically cover your butt type stuff. Clerk doesnt have a problem with it, but wants to check with the boss. Boss's problem is not with my request, but that the situation was unacceptable on their part and that I would have to be unloaded... and the level of contamination determined.

The Boss took full responsibility and notified Prime that the load was being canceled and it was theirs and not my fault. My FM kicked us some money for the time and trouble. It was a good job on my trainees part, and he told me... "you said if something doesnt seem right, speak up, if your still not comfortable, cover yourself, notify the Fleet Manager, get guidance."

My current guy has about 15k left. Im confident he can run his truck now, but training dept dictates the full 60k.

He is going to have to face winter driving on his own, like I did... Ive given him all the advice and everything Ive learned on the subject. In the end, it boils down to be afraid of it. Being afraid makes you cautious and focused. Forces you to check road conditions, weather reports, talking to drivers at the fuel island a getting the picture of whats down the road....

Id done alot of it and seen alot of it (winter driving) and I got pretty confident last year in my second full winter. Right up to the point I wathced a KLLM guy jack knifed half a mile ahead of me on frosty clear morning outside Grand Island, just after a freezing fog had lifted. I mentally nocked myself down a few pegs, pulled into the Bosselman for a break and doubled up on the caution scale for the rest of the winter.

 

We get it...NO PRIME...find something/someone else to deal with / post about...geez!

Prime does not "NEED" you, sorry you failed. I am sure there is some company out there for you.

side bar; Talk about repetitive negative bliss...

 

Im still waiting for your response to my question if your trainer quit you, you fired him, or you quit him.

Which is it?

 

Did you find that better company yet? Very curious to see how this turns out. Unfortunately, what can't necessarily be put into quotes is you general attitude. Your attitude is a prediction for your future, and I'm sorry but it isn't good.

I'm also waiting for a response to the question U2 asked. You contradicted yourself there. First you said he kicked you off. Then you said you left because he was always sleeping....but that he yelled at you for hopping a curb (how does he yell while he's sleeping???). So what's the truth?

 

When I did a "mentoring" program the trainers were brutal.

I was going along fine. I thought I was doing pretty good and getting better all the time.

Well at one of their meetings the trainers got hell because they sent a guy out on his own who couldn't drive. All my daily assessment marks went down the very next day. The recruiter then wondered why I was getting worse rather than better when in reality I was improving.

Learn to drive however you have to. No matter how good you think you are getting there will always be more to learn.

I wise old driver told me one time you won't become a full fledged truck driver until after 10 years. I agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly.

 

Sadly even "10" years does not make make a professional...it's all in the attitude and how you "Treat" others around you...what I have seen lately on the road...not many professionals left out here...a few, but not many!

 

I see guys around here that are just out of school that I'd rather see training than some of the million milers that I do see training. I was talking with a million miler yesterday that was bragging about how he would hold back trips sometimes for 3 months, so he would get a check when he took a week off. Not only is that just plain friggin stupid, he is hurting the company he works for, as they aren't able to bill that load until they have the paperwork.