What's my Trainer going to expect of me?

A good trainer will let you know when you are doing something wrong and try to get you to improve on the situation.He will also let you know when you are doing a good job.At the end of your training period you should be a much better driver,and have a lot of respect for your trainer.And oh yeah,be ready to go it on your own.If you have a good trainer he or she,will help you thru the tough times as well as the good times.I started over the road driviong at the ripe old age of 52.Although I had been in and out of trucks my whole life,I still had to attend a driving school,to be hired by any major carrier.That was 19 yrs. ago and I hooked up with a great trainer with the old MS Carriers out of Memphis,TN.Swift has since bought them out and really screwed up the Memphis terminal.Mike Starns knew how to run a trucking co.and how to treat his drivers.Since that time I have driven for other companies,hauling US mail and railroad freight.I was like so many of you out there,when someone made me a decent offer with more money and home time I took it.By the way the trainer that I had with MS Carriers is still a good freind til this day.He went on to be the Captain of Tennesees Road Team,and later was Captan of Americas Road Team.And yeah he is still out there driving the 18 wheelers,cause he loves it.

 

Thanks Bumpy

I'm going with "the worst of the worst" or so I've read: CRST. I'll be a non-contract driver though as I am paying for the school. I've read good and bad about CRST, and decided to go with them after finding out that every trucking company in the US is bad if you read the bad company forums.

If I'm anything, I'm adaptable. I spent almost 2 years sleeping on a 2" piece of foam rubber on an Aircraft Carrier in the Navy. The Navy can sleep 6 people in a space the size of a truck sleeper LOL and I worked 12 on/12 off so I'm not too worried.

Thanks for the response!
Chris

 

AP: Check with Lady K and Klingon on here. They went with CRST (and Lady K is still in training in Fontana, I believe). I'm not sure I'd call them the worst of the worst... but I had my trucking company picked out for me by choosing to team with my S.O., so I could be wrong.

 

Thanks Trilleth but I believe I read in Lady K's "Adventures of Team Klingon" thread that they were going with Central.

I've been following her posts, she's a hoot!

 

See, there's the problem with having my company chosen for me... I can't remember this stuff very well. I knew it started with C!

Still sounds like you'll do fine (and like you aren't worried at all).

 

I have a buddy that worked for CRST and he left to go to Con-way,he said it wasnt that bad.You need to get experience somewhere. He drove alot of miles, after you get 6 months or so in there are a number of companies you can move to,but you might actually like it,so keep an open mind and best of luck to ya!

 

You now, after reading all the negative things, and the few positive things, I find myself sitting here with worry in one hand, and adaptability/positive attitude in the other, and wonder if I can make them balance out. I'm betting I can. Hell, I spent 102 days at sea in one single stretch on an Aircraft Carrier (which now rests at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, NO FAULT OF MINE I swear) working 12 on/12 off for 45 days at a time without a break, and going to a 2" piece of foam rubber to sleep on. I bet those who complain loudest about this company never did THAT.

I actually like the notion of team driving, believe it or not. If I get lucky and find a good partner, look out!

 

If team driving is right for you, go for it!

For me, I'd rather have a bit less income than put up with all the restrictions a team puts on me.

I just finished my training, and I had 2 months sharing a rig. I actually finished with about 20 hours (driving time, not OD time) more than what was required.

I got tired of trying to share very little cabinet space, sleeping while being thrown about by very bumpy roads, repeating (and repeating, repeating and more repeating) of the same stories, a co-driver that had control issues (about when, where, how, why...), and, sometimes, the smells and sounds.

Don't get me wrong. My mentor and I got along very well. I like him, and I now consider him a friend. I'll even try to stay in touch and meet up with him (which is kinda rare with me). Heck, he even brought me to his home for a day, and I spent a very nice time with his wife and mom.
((His mom was really great. She liked to talk to me, just as much as I liked to listen to her. She had some great stories about her life (and her son's, as well). His wife, also, made me feel like one of the family. She made us a nice dinner that night, too.))

But, I like my space.

I guess I have control issues, as well.
I would like to have a cooler all to myself. I would like to decide what to watch on TV, when, and when to turn it off.
I would like to have cabinet space to store my stuff, instead of living out of a bag or two.
I would like to sleep without being tossed up 3 inches from the bunk, or side to side so much that I feel like my insides are going to leave my outsides.
I would like to plan my trips as I see fit, alone and with no help.
I want to be left alone, to my own devices, to do my own work to the best of my ability.

Can't do that as a team, for obvious reasons.

 

I've slept on a moving Aircraft Carrier with screeching clanking bumping throbbing grinding clanking (did I say clanking already?) loud television grinding (did I say grinding already?) bumping bunkmates talking...(and there are SIX people sleeping in the space of a sleeper cab) oh by the way it was noisy too. Add to that the fact that the lights never went out.

All it took was a good pair of squeezy ear plugs and some mental preparation. After a few nights, it was like I was sleeping at home, next to my wife, on our full-wave waterbed.

I'll sleep. My worry is can that other person sleep. Here's my deal... I'll TEACH them how to sleep. It's not hard once you understand a few breathing/mental techniques.

I'm so not worried about this. I'm going to be the kick ### newbie who turns into the go to guy. I'm going to be humble when I'm learning. I'm going to listen rather than talk. I'm going to drive my ### off. I'm going to say "let me do it" every time the opportunity presents itself.

It won't take long before my peeps know I'm reliable 24/7 x 365. All I need is to find someone who could honestly say the same about themself and we're off to the races.

Any takers?

 

Shoot, some of the best sleep I've ever had was when I was teaming. The thing is, and it really is just a matter of luck, in finding someone you are compatible with, and whose driving you trust.

This one driver, I trusted completely. Never had any trouble sleeping when he was behind the wheel. Didn't matter if it was city, highway or whatever.

Unfortunately, he moved on and the next one was "THE DRIVER FROM HELL." I soon moved on. . .