Will they let me train with...?

Many people did that in my orientation class. I'd say at least half the class wanted to go home before going out with a trainer. Although this is acceptable it did cause more than a few eyes to roll among the staff.

When I departed home for orientation I was ready to get on the road, so when orientation finished I insisted on getting out with a trainer right away. When I tested out and went solo I opted to get rolling again and took my first home time about two months after leaving for orientation.

Bear in mind that especially during your training and first 3 months running solo you are being evaluated. Work performance is key. If you are pegged as a "gotta have a lot of home time" guy or someone that doesn't want to run a lot of miles, then you will be lower on the pecking order when freight gets slow. You want bigger paychecks? Run the miles.

 

It is important for you to be able to get along with a co driver, trainer or not. There is allot to be learned from some of the stories.but safety is what your main goal should be, above all learning in a safe major is goal one. A good teacher will have experienced to relate also, and this too helps you to remember important things, as far as music, it is great and rare that co drivers match on all fronts, Ernst tubb, grandpa Jones, Buck Owen's, well without them it's just not truck in....

Good luck, be safe. And I have trained 30 plus drivers and all are still on the road safe running lots of miles.

 

We had the option of going home for a week before orientation. Once they have you see the Powerpoint slides, they want to get you on the road before you have a chance to forget everything.

(Only partly kidding.)

 

Actually, they want to get you out in the trainer's truck asap so you don't get cold feet and not come back....

 

No the worse thing that can happen is the trainer has no experience and gives bad information that can hurt you.