To the trainers out there!

As a newbie therre are a few things I keep in mind.

1st. I have heard that roughly 85% of new drivers never make it to a second year! So for every100 newbies, only 15 will succeed, or at least begin a second year.
So, I want my trainer to show me the ropes:

A) Teach me what I need to know. I am not talking about driving the truck, but all the other things that make or break you. How to work with dispatch, the shippers, other drivers. How to live on the road, what you must have in the truck, what is nice to have and what you don't need. How to manage being on the road and homelife. How to avoid violations and so on.

During my second week of school a former student came in to talk with the instructors. He had just finished with his trainer two months earlier. He was taking a load to a place he had been with his trainer five times. He was taking his exit, which he had taken five times with his trainer, and he was in the same gear gong the same speed, and well below the posted limit, only this time he rolled over. The company said it was his fault, going to fast for the load he had. He lost his job, and having trouble getting on with another company.

I also remember reading about a new driver, who during his first month on his own was approaching a light, he missed a gear and was trying to find a gear, however, wile trying to get his truck in gear he ran the red light and hit a car killing the driver. He lot his job and has to live with killing that driver for the rest of his life.

I don't want to go solo till I can safely drive the truck. That not only means being able to shift, brake, and not roll over. But, there is a lot to driving a truck, keeping control, keeping awareness, steering, braking and shifting. Then there is all the different road conditions. I waitedt o start school and get on with company so that I would be with a trainer during the winter conditions, but those that started in March and trained through spring and summer, they may have only had to drive through heavy rain, not snow and ice with a trainer.

Training is not given the consideration and respect it deserves by many newbies, and many companies. You give alot of newbies the choice, do want be with a trainer for 2 weeks, 2 months, 6 months, or 1 year. Most will choose 2 weeks, some 2 months, but for most they want to make driver wages as soon as possble, ready or not. and with the sink or swim mantallity there are more on the bottom (85%) then swimming.

I don't want to go solo till I can do so safely and successfully. Unfortunately, cmpanies want trainers to train new drivers quickly not completely.

 

Cooly..... hmmm don't think I ever heard that before but cool.... oh wait I am cooly : )

 

Being with a trainer is a great opportunity. Take full advantage of it. When I hired on, I made one trip with a "trainer." Saint George, UT to Sugar City, ID and back. 545 miles one way. That was the extent of my "training period."

I won't go into detail, but there were a lot of headaches and heartaches that could have been avoided, if I just had a clue as to what I was doing...

 

Any more pics of that hot KW cabover?

 

Well; the way some of these companies turn trainers loose hopefully your trainer will have more stick time than you.....

 

Agreed.


The problem you will have will come regardless of how long you have a trainer. The dangerous part of trucking is whenever you have to make a split-second decision at the wheel. While your trainer is in the truck, you will be calmer. Youre not worried. If you have a question, he has answers.

But suddenly, youre solo.

A critical moment comes upon you and you have to make a decision. Not making a decision is just as bad as making the wrong decision many times. You try to remember everything the trainer said to you. Want to know what happens alot of times?

Your mind goes blank. Cant remember anything. Cant think. And you F'up. Miss a gear. Hit the gas instead of the brakes. Zig instead of zag.