Understanding Company Training

As a former driver trainer I would like to offer up some words of encouragement. First of all, don't ever let anyone else "bully" you into driving in any way that is not comfortable or safe to you. I mean this, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER let this happen. I don't care if the owner of the company is calling you on your cell phone or messaging on the qualcom, DON'T DRIVE BEYOND YOUR LIMITATIONS/CAPABILITIES!! This means whether it's your experience, the weather, or how tired you may or may not be...if you're not comfortable DON'T DO IT! I commend you for being this way so far, now just stick to your guns. Seems to me that your company just lacks the patience necessary to train someone properly. Did you do a lot of research before you chose this company? Regardless if you did or not, the only person suffering by this lack of patience is you. I used to tell my students all the time that I already knew what I was doing, they needed to get the experience, and I gave it to them. Everyone catches on to things at a different speed. In time, you will be just as fast as your trainer(s), and not only do you need to find comfort in that, so do they! You'll be surprised in a few months when that scale that seems so narrow now will seem like an eight lane super highway by then! However, no matter how good you get or think you've become, keep a level head and don't get over confident. I've made more than one mistake out here on the road because of over confidence, and I know I'm not the only driver who has.

I know I don't have to tell you that tanker hauling is an altogether different animal than pulling vans. I now pull a dry bulk tanker and even after several months (almost a year total), I'm still learning new things about the loading/unloading process. Once you get the basics down, then you'll pick up on all kinds of tricks of the trade that'll make things a lot easier. Remember though, NEVER sacrifice safety for speed! Haste makes waste, you know!

Keep your head up and mention to your trainer the things you really want help on. If he/she is at least halfway competent, he/she will listen and abide by your requests. Best of luck to you and keep us up to date on your progress!

 

Hi Xo, well if your trainers get frustrated let it be their problem and just keep the mindset that you have, it seems to me like you are doing the right thing by taking it slow and easy and doing what you are comfortable with, if they give you too much grief just let them know that you are new and inexperienced and you are comfortable with your speeds and handling of the truck/trailer, maybe offer to buy them lunch (or kleenex) for taking longer than they think you should, but you would rather be safe and feel secure than be intimidated and unsafe, besides you want to protect them....its all about them (dont tell them that last part). Just to make you feel good, I started a new job this last week, hauling liquid sugar in a smooth bore tanker. This is all new to me as far as tankers go and I bet I might even go slower than you when loaded, my "trainer" also wishes that I would hurry up more (they are paid by the load) but its all a learning process. I have a few years under my belt, city driving, backing blah blah, but when we are loaded we go slow and thats just the way it is. I am also getting the hang of loading and unloading but to me, it seems real slow and that I should be learning the different pumps and blends and this paperwork and that paperwork faster but its a learning process and it will take however long it takes. Dont sweat the city driving too much, thats just one of them things you just learn over time, things are closer and tighter, take your turns wide and protect your rear. Backing up will just take practice and if you get it in after some pull ups then good, its when you cant get it in after some pull ups when you should worry. As far as asking for help well....just be diplomatic and ask

 

sounds like ya doing alright. do they not realize they are in that truck with you, if you wreck, they do also. they also probably don't stand in line to pay the speeding tickets, at least they don't at my company. try to tuff it out, training can't last forever. i don't have the temperment to train either, so i don't. good luck.

 

Sounds like you got on with a company that is not geared towards new drivers. You are doing the right thing just like the others have said drive according to how you feel not every one else. I would me more worried about you over driving your ability than what you are doing. An old phrase comes to mind that i learned a long time ago and i think it fits here.
"Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly"
Keep up the good work hold your head high and remind them that none of us was born with a steering wheel in our hand and we all develop at our own pace so drive safe and remember the rules of the road and you will go far in this world.

 

I just finished trucking school and it about the only school in the country that teaches tanker driving (75% of my road driving was tanker loaded for maximum surge) and you are doing it right. Your job is to arrive at the shipper on time and load safely, drive on public roads safely, arrive at the reciever and unload safely. Notice the word SAFELY. One of the main reasons school taught tankers heavily is because of all of all the tankers on the road around here and every once in awhile one is put on its side going around a curve, almost always by an "experienced" driver. You can probably go a bit faster around curves but not by much. Better too slow than too fast. Its your job and your responsibility to do it safely. So tell your supertrucker cohorts to blow it out their ### when they try to hurry you.

 

Where did you go to school? I am interested in Tankers. Have a training offer from Schnieder but I have the money for school and don't have to go the company training route. Starting from scratch with no experience, seems it would be easier to learn Tankers first. No surge in vans and flat beds.

 

Amarillo College truck driving academy, Amarillo TX