How to trip plan using a TRUCKER'S road atlas. I meet a LOT of people in my travels, both young AND old, who can't read a road map. Even if you use a gps, the atlas helps in checking for low clearance and restricted routes. And that gps is gonna crap out one day, at the worst possible time.
A totally new to trucks driver??? Take them out into a stubble field in an old beater truck you can afford to destroy. Leave them there with these instructions: "Drive laps around this field shifting up through all the gears and immediately start shifting down through all the gears, repeat... When you can make 5 laps without stalling, or completely stopping call me." Then go sit in the shade and watch. When they call, tell them to do the same thing, in reverse.
I'd make sure the learned to match their track suit and flip flops. Fashion sense isn't being taught enough to the new breed.
I’m assuming you mean company training, not CDL teaching. I had three different trainers when I started driving trucks. The first two were mostly useless (one wouldn’t let me do anything, the other was an angry shouter), but the third was great. He put me in the driver’s seat and had me do the job. We talked about every aspect of the work, things like trip planning, how to handle the paperwork and e-logs. I did all of the driving, all of the backing and docking, and he mostly observed without comment unless I asked for his advice, which he then gave freely. I’m not stupid, so I asked a lot! I’d train the same way, if I was willing to have someone else in my truck. But I’m not…
The English language, If they can't speak, read, and write English in a manner that's required to do the job they shouldn't be on the road. This is America. We speak English here.....that sign hangs on the gate to our truck yard.