Women need not to apply at ffe/kllm

I cannot understand three. It's pretty catholic when you consider the diluted training that three in a cab would get. Frankly I sense a sort of fraud when three drivers in a semi truck, that thing can roll until Judgement day and never be out of service, even with today's 34 hour resets. Three in a crew would laugh harsly at the pathetic attempts of DOT to get that thing stopped legally via hours. Not to mention lumping the trailer in 40 minutes and gone.

Some of you might take offense at the word catholic, this is not a religious context. It's hard to explain but the nearest word concept I can try is "Common" as in every man. but it does not fit well with that sentence. It's a older concept of writing that Im pretty sure the young will get excited about briefly.

 

Seems to me the trainer should be in the passenger seat at all times when the student/trainee is driving. I think back to that video of the trainee going down Donner, losing control, killing himself and his trainer who was asleep in the bunk. Teach them to be efficient as well as driving skills as a solo driver. We all know how different running team is compared to solo. I never ran team with or without a trainer
I was working at Whittier Mayflower as a helper. Union shop. The #1 driver went out Sat night got a DWI and had his lisc suspended. The company told me to get my permit. I learned driving local in Los Angeles area going into residential neighborhoods. The #1 driver hated having to train me. Constant grouchy attitude. Got my Class A June 1970.

 

I've been literally on my own since I left my parents house at age 19. My advice, don't count on others to take care of you and you'll never be disappointed.

 

Just an comment about training in general, regardless of gender: when you're a trainee, you don't know what you don't know. I thought I had a good trainer, until I got my own truck; then I found out how much I hadn't been taught and didn't know to ask about, because I didn't know what I didn't know.

Read everything your company gives you. Read the Regs. Understand every function of the Qualcomm. Download a PDF manual for your truck and read it.

 

When I started with Rhoel Transport, the trainers would be sitting on the passenger seat the whole time and when was time to park, we both would go to bed and sleep...
When I went to Coven., still a green driver, my trainer decided on the second day that he could go to bed and let me handle the driving... day or night... Our dispatcher saw that we were both hard runners and kept us pretty busy the whole time...
I heard horrible stories about trainers and their "abuse"... One of the trainers in that company was a Brazilian guy... he was a very nice guy and became one of my best friends... He would also tell me lots of stories...

 

LOL, I've always told my kids something similar (now all grown and gone), If you never depend on anyone for anything, you'll never be disappointed, except with yourself.

 

There are good trainers and bad trainers in this industry.
Call the training dept manager and ask them to assign you to another truck. Tell them there is a conflict and be specific to why. BTW, these truckers are called lease operators running under the authority of FFE/KLLM. So they must comply with the company standard operating procedures for training rookies.

Remember, they need hard working drivers to fill seats.

 

Before there were schools and carriers that had trainers and training programs... if you wanted to learn you had to find a driver willing to take you on the road with them and teach you.. they didn't pay you.. but, they fed you, and kicked you some money now and again.... when you were ready they would take you to go get your CDL.. let you use their truck for the test...

I learned from a grouch, man.. we went all over, and he was always having me do everything it seemed.. put the chains on, take the changes of... he would talk me through repairs on the truck... there were many times, where I would seriously be so upset and frustrated that I would just cry and tell myself.. just get through it..

After I got my CDL and assigned my first truck.. we were at the terminal.. not a terminal like the big carriers.. no vending machines or stuff. Just a big barn which was the shop, and shed that was the office... after I got the keys to my truck and was getting ready to go home and pack up my truck.. we said out goodbye.. He handed me a piece of paper with his phone number and said.. "here you princess, if you get in trouble call me, when your ready to thank me call me?".. I am sure I rolled my eyes and cursed under my breath and walked away glad to be done with him..

It took awhile.. but there did come a day when I realized I needed to thank him.. I called and we arrange to meet up and have a bite to eat... I was not looking forward to spending time with him, cause he was a mean son of ....., but I did need to thank him...

When we met up, I was so surprised that he was not as mean, not a crouch and all that stuff about him that just got under my skin.. he was a totally different guy.. we talked for a bit and then finally I asked him..

"Why were you such a jerk to me all the time?" He laughed and said.. "when I saw you pull up to the terminal in your little convertible sports car.. gets out and you were this short skinny girl with a pep in your step and big smile.. I knew I had to toughen you up if you were to survive." He also told me that he lost money on me.. he put $100 down that I wouldn't last a month...

Be a successful truck driver takes more than learning to drive the truck.. learning how to back.. that is the easiest part of it.... learning to get through tough situations on your own, learning to manage your time, your money, your emotions, that is where most fail...

I do realize how valuable his teaching was.. when he would get me so annoyed and frazzled when I was tired and then make be back in to some difficult spot... even though when ever he parked he chose the easiest spots..
Because, sometimes, actually often times.. the only spot at the end of a long day is a difficult one that no one chose.. I realized why he would sit there and ignore me when we were stopped somewhere and I was bored and just wanted to chat.. because I had to learn to be alone..

I realize why he would only give me small amounts of money at a time... budgeting your money on the road is essential.. he would always say.. "it makes you feel like you make more when you spend less"...

It is no coincidence that the drivers who complain about not making enough money are also the ones spending the most at the truck stops..

As for the original posting, as a female, it really annoys me when the female card gets tossed out... like they don't like females... first, that is crap.. training companies truly don't give a ####.. male, female, transgender, you just need eyes to see the road and pass the eye test, hands to hold the wheel and feet for the pedals.. they don't care if you are large, small, well groomed or a horrid mess, they go through way too many drivers to be picky.

Now, yes, bad things have happened to female drivers, as well as male drivers, and unfortunately bad things will happen n the future to some drivers.. which is exactly why the female card can't just be thrown out...

If you ever get a chance to talk to a female who has been trucking for many years... she will tell you what it use to be like... before there were separate showers, when a lot of men really didn't female a woman should be driving a truck.. a lot of women went through hell and fought for better conditions for women in the trucking industry...

Actually if you ever get a chance to talk to any driver with many many years.. before all the nice truck stop chains, before GPS, before cell phone and Bluetooth.. you will realize how easy we have it now...

 

So can someone tell me what will they do in a situation where the female trainer urine in a bottle while you're in the truck. Not while you're driving and have nowhere to stop. Im here at a truck stop. Loves to be exact. She said the only time she leaves the truck is if she has to "booboo". So Im in the the top bunk and shes at the bottom and I hear her peeing. We're closrd in so the scent is STRONG. She did admit she has a bad bladder and pees in a bottle, but I didn't know she meant EVERY TIME she has to pee. We're at a truck stop for goodness sakes!

 

I would say whatever there policy is.Women shouldn't get treated any different then men,you either follow the rules or you're fired.