Seriously...what are my chances of getting a good trainer at school?

If you are going to work for a company that is a known driver exploiter, turnover machine, then I'd bet your chances are greater than 50% to get a bad trainer. If you go to work for a good company with lower turnover, then your chances of a good trainer should increase.

 

Set the tone from the first conversation be straightforward, focused, and serious about learning what you need to learn. Don't let any trainer trick you or intimidate you into driving when you're too tired or trying something you have no business trying. I also wouldn't train at a company that wants you to team with your trainer. The trainer should have his/her butt in the jump seat any time the truck is moving it's a training program not a partnering program.

 

I think that there are very few companies that are truly exploiting drivers. Most of them that get called exploiters are making a blatantly bad offer to drivers and suckers just keep signing up left and right. That really isn't the companies fault. If you had a company you probably wouldn't offer 20 bucks an hour if you could find desperate suckers to do it for 8 bucks an hour.

 

And as always ............... you get what you pay for. Nothing more.

 

i wear clean clothes and a beard and flip flops
so does that make me less then you?

as far as trainers there are good bad and inbetween
actually i have learned more from lifes adversity then the easier path
if you survive the trainer your home free

 

Um he seems to be wanting info about the school itself not after the school. My suggestion keep an open mind about it and remember most of diving is common sense if you know how to shift the rest will come. Most teachers will not hold your hand and you will need to figure most out on your own but that will make you smarter in the long run.
I wouldnt worry about the so called horror stories too much this industry isnt made for any joe smoe of the streets and most important you need to be able to take a mental beating because there will be things thrown at you that you just wont believe just happened but it did.

 

When I went to school there were 3 teachers.
When I started at Crete I was assigned to a trainer for 8 weeks.
In order to be a trainer at Crete at that time you need to drive for Crete for 3 years with no tickets or accidents. He told me that several of the big companies would make a driver a trainer if they had no accidents or tickets for six months.
If I were you I would ask the company how long a driver needs to drive before they are a trainer. If they say six month then I would keep looking.

 

Name some good starter companies.I'll give you a couple weeks,lol.

 

Too bad companies did'nt do that now,have to have 3 yrs otr before becoming a trainer.

 

How do you know it wasn't from crappy drivers blaming the trainers instead? I mean I had crappy trainers, but it nonetheless didn't stop me from matriculating into a professional driver. Driving a truck isn't rocket science. You got to continuously hone your skills, constantly pay close attention, always remain open minded, learn to emulate the best, maintain a good and positive attitude, become proactive, never assume you know it all, always remain humble, don't become complacent or overconfident, and most of all, always avoid hitting something you don't intend especially when turning and/or backing. Nevertheless, you shouldn't let bad training ruin your career. It certainly didn't ruin mine.