Trainers...

All the other stuff was bad but I don't have a problem with that part. I made the students map everything out (trip plan) using an atlas. I did let them use a GPS, but geez you can't blindly follow a GPS.

Pet peeves with students? I didn't really have any. Everyone learns differently. It was up to me to figure out the best method of instruction. Can't say that I had any bad students except one. Guy couldn't go 3 hours without talking to his wife.

 

I understand and appreciate the idea that students should know how to navigate and trip plan without a GPS. It's similar to my belief that one should know how to do math without a calculator. Anyone that blindly follows a GPS will get into trouble sooner or later. I also agree about a good old Rand McNally Atlas. I purchased mine before showing up for work, and I've never driven without it. There is invaluable information in it and every student needs to be aware of.

But training a new driver should include lessons on how to use a GPS effectively without getting into trouble. Some basic usage principles that probably most of us follow, like use a truck GPS with the proper truck parameters of height, weight, and length programmed in. Doublecheck the given route with another means, be it arial GPS, atlas or whatnot, especially in urban areas.

My problem with the trainer I had was that he knew all of the shipper/receiver locations that we went too, but expected me to navigate to them with just the company supplied directions over the Qualcomm. And as can be imagined, some of those directions looked a lot like shorthand taken by some customer service representative that was listening to a customers description of how to get there. That's not training a driver to use his head or all available tools.

 

His leash was pretty short.

 

Some companies requirement for "trainer" is so many days or months without an accident. You can have a guy with 6 months experience, and lots of bad habits, "training" a newbie with the bad habits of every driver of 4-wheelers. Some companies put 2 newbies in a truck to gain experience.