Training

You make a valid point.

My student and I were passing through the main terminal and he ran into one of his buddies from orientation. Come to find out the trainer and student were in town for a safety visit...the student had a backing accident. If the trainer wasn't a lazy p.o.s. that wouldn't have happened. I have watched that particular trainer work before....never leaves the cab.

Yes, the driver (student) is responsible for not hitting anything, but it is the trainer's job to ensure that until the student is up to snuff.

We can use more guys and gals like you Clyde. Go for it!

 

Blame the poor trainers on the companies that hire them.In todays trucking no one cares about anyone but themselves.This trainer very seldome weighed his loads,can u imagine what other things he.s done or haven't done to make trainees safe and successful.I have read more horror stories about trainers.Good safe trainers starts at the top with the company.Seem they don't care who trains.What I see is the blind leading the blind.

 

Nice work, but let's be reasonable; this single sample consists of 1 rookie... and the remainder is what the rookie alleged to have occurred... and he apparently found himself over axle weight, then gave up and parked.

 

A good trainer is like a good school teacher. They are "called" to teach. A bad trainer is like a bad school teacher. It's all about the money (don't laugh - I know school teachers are underpaid but they usually have really good benefits and with a little time good job security). A good trainer is a true professional and takes his responsibilities seriously. There are a lot of them. I know several and back in my trainer days I considered myself to be a good one. Unfortunately, the cons of training push a lot of the good ones away from training. Just like school teachers. Also, the bad apples in the barrel get all the attention. How about some praise for the good ones that go quietly unnoticed everyday. I'll start.

Here's a shout out to my good friends out there putting up with some crazy students yet still doing their level best to give them everything they need for a successful career. As my best friend says; You can do everything you can to teach, you can give them every tool in the box, but you can't make them use them. We were parked at a Lowes across from a Walmart just chilling when his student that upgraded that morning comes over and turns into Walmart and takes out the big old sign that says NO TRUCKS (that's why we were at Lowes). I know my friend. He is a STICKLER about signs and grills his students throughout the day everyday; "What did that information sign say? What was that bridge clearance? What mile marker did we just pass? They'll be walking in the warehouse to the clerk; What were the receiving hours posted on the door? You gotta learn to be in the habit of reading everything. Even look at billboards. Why? What does Billy's Truck Chrome Shop have? Yeah. Chrome but what else that might be important to know? Truck parking. Read everything. Think. This truck has no brain. You have to use yours."

I looked at him: "Isn't that your student?" He shakes his head. "Unfortunately. [sighs] Dude, you know how I am about signs. How could he possibly miss that sign? Then he runs over it. You watch. Somehow this will try and get put on me. I don't know man. You can give them the tools but you can't make them use them." About a month later we met at another terminal and he introduced me to a former student who just clocked his first year. Accident/ incident free and no lates. We were walking down the hall to the break room and the former student says: "Ladies Room". "Yeah. what about it?" "You were about to ask me what the sign on the wall said." We busted up laughing. He probably was too. If not he was thinking about it. LOL.

You got some good ones out there too so here's a nod to them.

 

I get the urge to run over them "no truck" signs all the time. I have to deliver to the tire and lube sections at walmarts up ro ten times a day. These are usually on the opposit sides of where the trucks are supposed to go and they always seem to have that no truck sign.

 

It's really sad what this industry has become over the last decade.I hear and see a lot more accidents and poor training then when I first started driving trk.If companies don't care who trains then why should the trainer care how he trains.Just extra money for them is how most see it.Companies are looking for ppl to deliver their loads rather then actually training the correct way.I've had quite a few new drivers that's asked me questions over the yrs that should have been taught during training.It's like why even have a training program if they can't train the proper and most safest way.If FMCSA doesn't enforce laws on this then companies will keep hiring newbies to be trainers.

 

Aminal, you make an eloquent and valid point. There ARE some very good trainers out there. However, as with the teaching profession in general they are unfortunately the minority.

The main issue that I see is in order to become a trainer you need to attend a few days orientation. From what I understand there isn't anything covered in trainer orientation in regard to HOW to teach. Each trainer has to work out for themselves the methods they use to teach, and many are lazy, or have anger management issues, or have cleanliness issues, etc. etc.

It would be great if there were a REAL trainer's academy, with role playing with "students" that are really teachers, etc. to help trainers become effective trainers.

As soon as a driver is put into my team dedicated truck I'll be taking the plunge to become a trainer myself. I look forward to it. I think I'll have a head start, having taught before and having a clue how to teach effectively.