The misadventures of a rookie tanker yanker

I'm sorry if I was disrespectful. Full of pee and vinegar today. I apologize. I really like the company and follow it on FB and instagram and keep up with current trends and news from it, even though I dont work them. I guess I felt disappointed. In my mind, I thought ,"Oh they're going the training company route now" and the pee and vinegar took over.

I'll go to bed now

 

Likewise here as well, and as a recent entry level cut lose I'm all for this... I can't explain how much my driver trainers have taught me at SBL after getting my license. I'm roughly 30 days cut lose on my own straight from a cdl school overall now that the truck issues have largely subsided I'm really happy. Long days and home every night compared to system guys but it works for now, have expressed that I would like to do more at least 1 night out trips as I feel it would make it easier for me (I've got about a 30 min without traffic run to work which sucks) I'm much more comfortable now that its been a bit on my own but still sometimes get really kind of over whelmed when things start to go south, with time this is getting better though lol. The cdl mill school I went to was just about worthless honestly just 5k to learn to pass the test.

 

I’m a driver trainer, I’m noticing more and more students coming out of driving schools not knowing how to even set up to do a proper back! My company tells me that I’m responsible for teaching them how to back, and that’s fine, the problem is, they want to continue running me hard as if I’m by myself, instead of giving me a couple days to work on their short comings. But some of these driving schools are worthless

 

Coworker and I were talking the other day about when he went to one of those fly by night trucking schools says he spent most of his time talking about sports with the instructor instead of learning how to drive a truck although he laughs about it now is honest enough to admit he should have never been issued a CDL

 

This is probably an obvious perspective, but I think the choice of a school depends entirely on the individual. I had years of experience driving a farm truck (grain bucket and flat bed for hay bales). That was a huge advantage for me when I first pursued my current employer. All they wanted to see were my driving skills and abilities to take direction. After I passed those tests, it was a month of yard training and out and backs (just one overnight) in order to get familiar with some of our customers and different loading/unloading techniques. My trainer, who I still speak with on a weekly basis, told me he was happy I was a 3 Week Wonder. That way, he could mold me the way he wanted. I haven't regretted the process for a minute.

 

I went through jb hunt training center back in 1996, it was an 8 week course and I vividly remember one of those weeks being devoted to mapping and backing. I was not the best at backing, but at least I knew how to setup. These guys coming out of school today all they want to do is straight back, if you get to a truck stop after 7 pm, all you will have left is angle backs. If you can’t setup for a angle back, you just won’t get a parking spot

 

I don’t mind helping students who struggle with backing, it’s just dispatch wont give u time to work with them. Then they send you to a busy customer, the student gets frustrated, the customer gets agitated, it becomes a mess