Training Violations: What Would You Do?

If the company is actually that then it should want to hear your concerns

 

RMU91, you posted a mouthful. I've reread your OP a few times to try and get a sense of if all. My response comes from the point of view as a trainer for Swift on e-logs and running flatbeds into the oil fields now on loose leaf paper logs (which are sometimes referred to as "coloring books").

Before I begin, please note that my comments are meant to help you and other new driver/trainees become successful. I feel we may be only getting one side of an important story. The fact that the trainer felt you had to get off his truck may be testament to your inability to perform the job, or his inability to train.

If I could have a dollar for every time I've heard this out of the mouth of a trainee, I'd be a rich man. Some of my trainees had me wanting to drive on their hours, although I never did. The reason why I wanted to drive on their hours? Because driving 35 mph on a freeway with 75 mph speed limits and 45 mph minimum speed is DANGEROUS. Some trainees were so highly incapable of being able to DRIVE it was nerve wracking to sit in the passenger seat, especially early on in training. Sometimes I'd not say a thing as the GPS system is counting down the miles to an exit on the freeway, just seeing if the trainee had a clue. It was amazing how many times they would blow right past a turn, eyes fixed in front with tunnel vision, and go "WHAT!???" when I told them they just missed their exit.

Be honest. Were you THAT driver, not keeping on the schedule? Taking too many breaks and putting the load in jeopardy of being late? Guess who takes the blame for a service failure? Your trainer does. When I was with Swift my bonuses for on time performance amounted to $8000 a year as a trainer. One or two screw ups by a trainee and I can kiss that bonus goodbye.

Welcome to the world of trucking without e-logs. While some drivers had multiple copies, I don't. We call them "coloring books" for a reason. Sometimes to keep a schedule on coloring books we get .... creative.

A valid complaint that should be brought to the attention of Safety.

Were you taking an hour and 50 pull ups to get into a dock? I've seen situations at shippers/receivers where drivers couldn't get into a dock and were told to leave. Warehouses often have a tight schedule and can't wait for those incapable of getting into a dock.

Again, were you staying on schedule during your times behind the wheel?

I'm sorry the middle digit is so small. I use wide mouth Mason jars.

But seriously, if I'm in a team driving situation and my teammate is behind the wheel running well the last thing I want to do is break the mojo because I can't hold my water. Deal with it.

Okay, this is officially weird now...

... and???? Did you think driving a truck was all five star hotels, or what?

Yawn... so what was the average speed limit along the way? I've averaged more than that in Texas and Oklahoma.

Your trainer did you a service. He got you to your home town. Was that 1800 miles deadhead or under a load? If it was deadhead it shows you how motivated he was to get you off the truck, and I'll bet the company approved it.

Again, there's two sides to the story. I'd certainly want to know more about the particulars.

 

Okay, now we're going somewhere. You are in a truck governed at 64 mph. If the trainer is averaging 68 mph in his "coloring book" that might be a red flag. However, they are using "coloring books", hence the company doesn't care as much about the governed speed. Again, what was the average mph maximum speed on the route you went?

 

RMU91, many shippers/receivers have signage in their yards noting that their yards are not practice facilities. This is because many trainee/trainer teams have taken advantage of their facilities for backing practice. When I was a trainer extra backing practice was done in a company yard or at a truckstop way in the back where we weren't going to interrupt a driver's sleep.

As for getting a hotel room on a 10, that's pretty much unheard of. A 10 is taken in the truck. On a 34 MAYBE get a hotel room for the trainee. Longer than a 34, like if I'm taking home time with a trainee in a truck and THEN it's kosher to use the company's dime to pay for the room. Even if you wanted to pay for the room yourself, as a trainer I'd be against having you get out of the truck, then get back into the truck during a 10.

 

A couple of thoughts - backing while waiting for a load is going to screw your clocks up. Anytime the truck is moving you "should" be logged on line 4. Adding in that the "trainer" has to be present (if you hit something he's still responsible). Even if you both stayed off duty - how rested would you be when the load came in and the truck needed to roll?

How far away from the truck stop/yard was the hotel you wanted? I have had issues with trainees not being ready on time - at least when they're sleeping in the y uck I can kick them out of bed.

 

My thoughts exactly. A given trainee might be totally cool and capable of being back in the truck in exactly 10 hours, ready to rock and roll. On the other hand with experience with trainees that didn't even wake up until 8 hours into my driving after I told them to "Wake up when you are ready and you can have the wheel anytime" I became REALLY gun-shy of any trainee wanting to sleep or get out of the truck when it is parked. While the OP may have a valid point that his trainer was .... less than perfect ... this seems like 1/2 the story.

 

what you should have done is turned your trainer in immediately.don't let that one trainer sway you from this carreer.you may get another trainer like this guy,you turn him in right away and request another trainer.there's many of you that's went thru the same crap wtith their trainers.just because you are new does not mean you have to out up with bad trainers.don't let them intimidate you.