Went out with trainer, what an experience

I'm new to the industry, and wanted to share this experience because it's weird, but from what I've read it's not surprising by any means.

I ended up getting my CDL last month, finished my 1 week orientation, and then went out with a trainer for 10 days. I just got back from training 2 days ago, and now I need to take my final evaluation before getting assigned to a tractor. I will be doing OTR work.

Anyway, when I was assigned a trainer, I didn't find this out until speaking with the trainer a couple of days later. I found out that in actuality, I was going out with another student as well. Now, I know that normally you go out alone with a trainer, and that the trainer mentioned this is the first time he has ever had 2 students at one time. I guess they were backed up or whatever, and I have to say I wasn't exactly excited to know that me and 2 other guys would be living together in tight quarters for a week and a half. Whatever though, it was only 10 days and if I could put up with that crap I could defintely live on my own with my own truck, right? We spent the nights in the bunks, while the trainer put a piece of plywood over the driver and passenger seat and slept ther at night.

Anyway, I come to find that the student I was going out with was the one clueless student from orientation that initially got flunked out, then complained and talked to another evaluator, who then passed him through. Anyway, the guy is clueless and doesn't even know how to follow GPS directions, let alone read a map. He doesn't know how cruise control works, jams the truck into gears at whatever speed (he loves putting it into 7th, with a 20-25 mph operating range, when going 35. Just jam it into gear. I can see him killing transmissions for a living), he loves starting out in reverse, 2nd, 4th gear, whichever gear he happens to put it in, accellerates towards danger and slows down to open roads. All of this while I'm sitting on the bunk with no seatbelt on LOL. I thought at one point he was going to roll the truck, but thank god we were hauling an empty trailer at the time. Doing 65 in a 55 coming up on a sweeping right turn and then braking at the very last second is probably a good way to roll a truck.

And to top it off, we come to find that his wife lives 2000 miles away out west, and he's living elsewhere with his girlfriend, from the sounds of it his wife doesn't have a clue. He's on the phone telling her that he'll be out training for 3 months, while he tells his girlfriend it'll be 10 days.

Anyway, it's been two days, and a receive a call from company headquarters today. They're asking about the student that I was out with. Apparently, his wife called into the office stating that he husband told her that we put the truck into the ditch and that we were in some sort of trouble. Well, obviously we both have no idea what the hell this is all about since we were both dropped off by the TE 2 days ago and I was at home all weekend. So is this moron still lying to his wife making up stories, or is she just checking up on him? I don't care, but this whole situation was so ridiculous I couldn't help but laugh and add this to the many ridiculous stories that appear on these forums. Laugh and enjoy this if you can, and keep an eye out for this clown on the roads if the company is stupid enough to assign him a truck.

 

Honestly, I'm comfortable to be out on my own after 10 days out. I had 16 hours of road time at school, another 10-15 hours or so while at the orientation, and then about 1000 miles while out with the TE. Did some crazy backroads driving through New Jersey which was pretty crazy. I'm comfortable enough to do it.

However, this guy could get 3 months and still be clueless. He can't read. Doesn't read the street signs, can't read a map, and doesn't have a clue where he is going. He doesn't have a prayer. I've been reading maps for 25-30 years, trip planning, etc. I'm ready. Like the other guy mentioned, it depends on the person.