student on the road, what I didn't expect

I was lucky I had a very short time with a 'trainer'.

In that short time though he set the standard for a lot of things. Mostly good.

It amazes me that these companies don't do more to ensure their 'trainers' are setting the right example.

 

As a carpenter/painter that goes in many different peoples houses from different socio-economic backrounds, this doesn't surprise me at all.

50% of the houses I go into are plain ol nasty. People don't flush their toilets. Their kitchen is dirty. I wouldn't eat or drink anything that entered their house. Food exploded all over the inside of the microwave. Black mold in the shower, food stuck to the counters, crusty dishes in the sink for days, stinky diapers in the trash for days at a time.Rabbit crap under the master bedrooms bed...and they haven't had a rabbit in 4 years, over flowing litter boxes. dog doo on the carpet... I have seen it all. Doesn't matter if the house is $50,000. or $500,000. Doesn't matter if its the hood or a gated community.

I would buy that trainer a bar of soap, shampoo and underarm deodorant, along with a shower pass and break it to him that he is nasty...as nice as I could. My wife worked with a woman like this in an office. All her coworkers chipped in and left a 'care' package' on her desk. She got the hint. No one should have to smell someone else's ### funk or pit stink!!

6 days??? I am going to have to get used to 'only' one a day!! I usually take 2 showers every day. But at home this is easy. lol. I know I may miss a day for circumstances beyond my control... but a 'hobo' shower will have to do. Washcloth, some water and a sink will get the funk off ya! WOW.

 

Made my Walmart stop today for my 30, with a fast jog from the distant parking lot to the store and back. $40.20 gives me plenty of produce, soup, and canned meats for the week. No matter what, any trainee that is in a team driving situation can and must use their 30 any way they want... whether it be a Walmart stop or a shower... PERIOD!!!

By the way, I'm an avid nonidler. I love fresh air and hate the sound of running diesel engines, so when I'm on a long haul even in very hot or cold weather I rarely if ever idle. That means I often won't be spending my 10 in a truck stop, sometimes in rest areas (but often those are full of idling trucks), and frequently at out of the way spots that are more "primitive" in nature. By choice I will go days without a shower... however, with Big Wipes and putting a bottle of water in the dash on a hot day to have warm/hot water for shampooing my hair I stay clean. I even pulled into a customer after 3 consecutive nights of pure "camping" with no idling in 80-105 degree temperatures and was complimented on how good I smelled... thank you Big Wipes and really good deodorant...

Regarding "trainers" that have such disgusting hygiene, there really should be rules in place from companies and training that they need to be held to a much higher standard for representing the company. I too had a trainer that I decided to stick with through the entire training period that had such poor hygiene (and a morbid fear of fresh air) that made it very difficult. Rather than go through the time and conflict to find another trainer I plugged my nose (sometimes literally) and put up with it. I did put in a word to my trainee manager about the situation after the fact and I'm sure he was "educated" about the issue. In future I think I would likely lean toward getting off the truck and asking for a different (more professional) trainer.

 

Your trainer is teaching you exactly how to be the kind of trucker that gives us all a bad name. It's guys like him that make the companies think the impossible can be done. Sure, we can make that deadline if we never shower, never brush our teeth, take a Cr*p in the trash can & eat truck stop junk food. Yes it can be done but that's never the way it should be done. Companies should think about the image it presents when someone is delivering to their clients that hasn't showered in a week & has Cr*p crusted on his behind.

We as drivers need to stop giving these companies way too much power. We're already working 14 hours a day then expected to sleep for 8 hours then with 2 hours do everything else.

We don't get paid enough to sacrifice our health & mental well being for a load.

 

it depends on the truck, the volvo I used to have had 2 on the dash, one in a cabinet for a tv, one in the bunk, the prostar I have now has 2 on the dash, 1 where a tv goes, 1 under the bunk, one next to the bunk and I have a truck meant for teams but im solo so there is a 12v port on the top bunk aswell which I use a 12 foot extension and run it down the side for an extra port next to my bed.

 

That is Sooo true,try moving those nasty folks crap..ugh even some of the wealthiest ones with live in maids were nasty!!!

 

I want a live in maid, maybe my wife needs to come out on the road with me after all

I actually just spent a hour organizing, detail cleaning etc of my truck while im sitting here waiting for a load. Went shopping at the Walmart across the street too and refilled my one food cabinet and organized it to look half decent.

 

If you're spending $200/week on food regardless of the source you have problems. When I was OTR I didn't even spend $100/week eating fast food only. Usually $70-80/week.

 

eating fast food can be expensive depending what your getting, if you go for the value menu its not as bad but still...
When I go to arbys I am picky and end up spending $8 on a combo.

When I go to subway I get the foot long, eat half for lunch and eat the other half for dinner but I ate subway almost daily for a month so I got sick of it and hardly ever go there anymore. I did however try their new sandwich last week, it was some kind of southwest sandwich that had bbq meat, fritos and cheese on it then I added my normal lettuce, tomatoe, jalapenos and banana peppers and that sandwich was really good. I dont see it on the website menu so not sure what exactly its called.

 

For the "in between" days without showers also use baby powder....but that won't even help for 6 days