Weirdest thing about mentor?

yeah by "people" i mean certain individuals, not the trucking community as a whole. But i see what your saying.

 

If you have any problems like that with your Mentor...you call driver services immediately and tell them...don't worry about his/her reaction...company has no way of knowing about problems with mentors if the students don't open up and be honest with them.

 

And that kind of behavior is exactly why, once I am assigned a trainer I will carry a voice recorder and a camera. Documentation is the bane of the ignorant. Trainers be aware, if you are a human turd and unlucky enough to be assigned my trainer, I will screw your head off and sh## down your neck. That's not a threat, it's a promise. 23 years in the military taught me that documentation is key to the happiness of those of us with a lick of common sense!

 

Wow someone else who has it all figured out!

 

Good attitude to start with...don't see this one lasting the training period.

 

I'll keep you posted. One thing is certain... it is easy to sit here and anticipate how I will act/react. There is no way to tell what will actually take place. I approach everything with a good attitude. I expect each person to be an individual. I don't expect to approve of everything anyone does nor do I voice my opinion in most cases. Afterall, who am I? The lowest of the low, a rookie, a new member of an old profession. You don't have to change to meet my expectations, I have to be flexible and meet yours. However, I think I have a leg up on many rookies because of two qualities that I refuse to change or be flexible with.

1. Work ethic - We are here to accomplish the job in a fashion that is profitable for the company, legal, and safe. Being new to the industry, I have a lot to learn about all three of these. I feel reasonably certain that I will not always understand company policy or agree with my manager. But, I will do my best to gain understanding and work within the guidance.

2. Can do - I never present a problem to my boss unless I have a solution or I am willing to contribute to and be part of the solution. Every boss out there has plenty of problems. If you want to be valuable, give him a solution. And, communicate.

Those two items are non-negotiable.

I am willing to admit that I might be in for a rude awakening. Lord knows the industry is hurting right now. What industry isn't? The most important part is likely to be setting reasonable expectations. After 23 years in the military, I think I can set realistic expectations for nearly any situation and do it with a positive attitude.

I read a lot of negative posts on here and one question reigns supreme... What is the rest of the story?

 

Lost soul you are going to do fine. You have the right attitude and definately it sounds like the background to be able to find solutions when you have a problem and not just dwell on it like some. We all learn out here everyday no matter how long we been doing it. I love talking to veteran drivers ( you leran to decifer who's full of ##### and who actually knows what they are talking about pretty quick) out on the road because they are such a knowledgeable source of great information. My friends grandpa who has been driving for over 40 years told me that if you ever get to the point out here that you feel like you know all there is to know and feel invincible you better get out of that truck real quick cause your gonna get bit in a bad way! Anyway best of luck to you.

 

Keep one thing in mind--most trainers are under experienced, maybe 6 months to one year driving big rig..old timers (like me 15 yrs and more) have gotten to the point that we are not willing to put up with the stupidity coming out of the schools.

My last student on my truck did not even know that the top of the map is always north. that was the icing on the cake..don't have the patience anymore to put up with what the training companies are allowing in their trucks.

And you are my age..are you going to put up with some 23 yr old telling you something that you know is BS? Good luck to you..might want to consider taking some Thorazine to put in the youngsters coffee, slow his arse down a touch.

 

(taking notes)...Thor-a-zine... Got it. My sides hurt from the "north always up" remark. Unfortunately, I can see that. Why is it that common sense ain't so common. I might want a touch of valium for myself! Our age alows us to be cranky when dealing with stupid!

 

I have learned in this industry "CYAWBH" Cover you ##### with both hands. Don't take anything for granted, document everything to protect yourself.