Questions to ask trainers.

Do you shower everyday?

 

You gunna finish those fries?

 

U ask me if im clean or messy we are going to have issues.

 

But......inquiring minds want to know.

 

Im sure they are but u will find out when u get to my truck.

 

Truckinwithjosh,

Most of your questions will be answered right off the bat. Is the truck clean and tidy or messy, is there a trash can full of food wrappers, is the dash loaded down with papers and junk? Simple observations will answer those questions for you.

i used to be a trainer, so as having been a trainer I can offer up for you the routine I had. I would pick you up, get you loaded and I would drive us down the road all the while talking to you. I would get to know you and ask personal questions about bf/gf or hubby/wife, kids, parents, what brought you to trucking, what you hoped to learn from me, ect. I asked those questions to see how potentially distracted driving you might be about your home life because at some point I have to sleep when you drive. I provided some simple instructions such as you will do all of the backing into any docks and parking spots, if you make a mess you clean it, and sadly I had to explain to a student that showers are free with fueling and that they were expected to shower at least every other day. After all of that you could do your interview of me just the same as I had done to you. If I were the student I would ask some questions like: have you ever put snow chains on before?, have you been involved in any accidents?, have you ever blown a steer tire?, have you burnt up your brakes going down hill before?, ect. I would ask some questions like that to try to gauge the trainers experience and skills.

Lastly, if you have never backed a semi it can be very intimidating at first, take a deep breath and listen to what advise your trainer gives to you. I always left my students with a promise that if after 1 year of driving they weren't able to back as good as I could I would take them out for a day of anything they wanted to do including meals and hotel. I have never had to pay out that bet yet and I was a spotter for Mitsubishi motors.

Best of luck to you.

 

1st how long you been driving
2nd have you finished training yet
3rd who did you get your training through

 

Just remember if you don't jive with the first one you can always get another one...companies understand not everyone can live/work together. First one I had kept a gallon milk jug cut in half behind the passenger seat for his "urinal" as he called it. He would then dump it between the drives in the morning and then say "Don't forget your pretrip!" What a sweetheart he was...ah the memories.

 

Ice Queen where you training at you should train me