Training Question

Hello everyone,

I've driven for a long while (certainly not as long as many) during my time in the military. I drove regularly our LMTV's & trailers, and our tankers. I've also worked in a DC handling the logistics and operations in the civilian market. So I understand generally how the business works.

I've gotten my CDL A and honestly the course was pretty basic and a standard fair. I've lined up a few good offers for work, but have a hopefully quick question for those more experienced and willing to give a honest answer.

So pretty much everyone I've spoken to is saying 4-8 weeks of driving with my trainer. Due to my experience and background working within the industry I inquired if training would be cut short if I clearly demonstrated my capabilities and conducted myself upto and above their standards. Truth be told, each company went into very vague responses. The summary is "it depends".

Have any of the trainers here ever gotten a driver with experience and clearly seen they where capable and ready within a matter of days? Can the training be cut short so both drivers can contribute faster?

I appreciate any feedback and look forward to the discussion.

Hello Keith. Welcome to trucking, and to our forum. I see this happen fairly often. It will be more up to your trainer than your company's policy. It is the trainer themself that determines whether you are ready or not.

There's a few things you need to keep in mind here.

• The trainer's performance, or track record, is evaluated by the company. The last thing the trainer wants to do is turn you loose early and then have you start screwing things up. That makes them look bad.
• There's more to the training than just how to drive a huge vehicle. Things like company procedures. I remember having to memorize something like 40 different macros (these are common communications with dispatch that can be easily accessed with a couple of strokes on a keyboard).
• Fuel stops. There's a fair amount of data that must be entered at the pump during each fuel stop. Things like mileage, trip number, Driver I.D., truck number, reefer fuel or truck fuel (one is taxable, one is not). Sometimes you'll even be required to only purchase a small amount of fuel at one stop, due to a price issue, and then stop a few hundred miles away to fill up.
• Customer's procedures. These vary greatly, and you are going to be serving a lot of different places. Your trainer can help you learn little secrets that will help you out a good bit.
• Company procedures. How do you report an accident? Who do you call when a tire blows out? What do you need to do if you're running late? How do you handle a load of freight that gets rejected? What if your customer refuses two pallets out of your load?

I could keep this list going on and on. There's not a good reason to rush your training. It's way too short as it is. This business is completely performance based - you get paid for how much you get accomplished. Without proper planning and execution of those plans each day, you can hinder yourself when it comes to maximizing your income. A lot of the little nuances that help you be better at this career are learned on your own, but that training period helps build a good solid foundation to build upon.

Don't let the temporary issues of being with a trainer rush you into a situation that you might be ill prepared for. Most new drivers are really glad to be rid of their trainer, only to have that OMG moment slap them silly once they are on their own. Rushing things in this business almost always produces bad results.

Having said all that, I see trainers fairly often bringing their trainees in for an early evaluation if they think they are ready. Go with the flow - let your trainer determine if you're ready or not. Look at the big picture - training is a very small part of your career. A little extra time spent getting a good foundation under you is time well spent.

Look at it from the trainer's perspective. These guys go through a lot. It is a stressful job, they get so little sleep because they are concerned that the trainee driving the truck is going to wrap that rig around a tree, or pull the truck into some place that there is no way to get out of. That is why trainers make a lot of money, they are putting their lives in the hands of an unknown student every day. These guys are nervous anxiety filled time bombs.

Now here comes along a fellow who already knows what he is doing and aces the training in one shift. That kind of a student is a trainers vacation, no way is he going to give that up. The trainer is going to stretch out that hitch with the pro for as long as the driver manager is going to allow.

One or two months training is nothing. Do your best and the training time will fly by. It will not be wasted time, you will be making yourself quite a reputation and gaining the trust of the folks in the office so once you do go solo you will be given all the good loads that they will only assign to the drivers that they can count on.

Thanks for the great information and feedback. That was a very well laid out sum of information.

Thankfully I've had the pleasure of working with companies like KLB (K.L. Breeding & Sons) and NFI on a daily basis for just about a year. I'm certainly excited and eager to get out, but I'm going into their with a clear head and a full grasp of what the industry is about. I'm well aware it long and hard work, not just sunsets and rainbows.

I can guess from your picture you drive/drove flatbed? That weather had to have made folding and loading that soaking tarp a blast!

At my company, no. Training is never cut short. If you have more than 6 months verifiable OTR experience, they won't put you through 30 days training. If you have 5 months experience, you'll get 2 weeks, less than that and you're out the 30 days.

When I went through Schneider’s orientation three years ago, it was 17days. Only five was OTR with a Trainer. Some people say that’s not enough, but it worked well for me. If they see a person needs more time, they hold them over.

Good luck!

Keith, sometimes the insurance companies dictate training requirements. I'm also former military. Have had experience with 2 1/2 & 5 Ton with trailer, moving aircraft with various equipment. So on and so forth. My trainer tried to convince my company to test me out after a week. Short answer was I had to meet the minimum mileage for insurance purposes. It is what it is. Just a drop in a hat compared to the big picture. The proverbial head stand. Just enjoy your time having a second set of eyes and ears. As well as a brain to pick. Once your solo you are all alone.

Hello everyone,

Wanted to drop by and give a short update.

So ended up finding a stellar family owned/operated Haz-mat transporter. I drove with the trainer for two weeks before I was handed the keys to a 2017 Volvo and sent me out solo like I desired. Work has been consistent and on-going so been rough to get on here to provide this update. I appreciate everyone's feed back they provided a few months back! I'll have to make a more in-depth post with pictures of the truck soon!

Till then I'm gonna work on not freezing in this Bomb Blizzard! Haha!

Hey that's great news Keith! Congrats on the new job. Glad to hear things are going well for ya.

I'll have to make a more in-depth post with pictures of the truck soon!

We certainly hope you will! I love seeing pictures of everyone's rig. And upload an avatar when you get the chance.

I don't understand how you are being trained when one is asleep while the other drives. How are you going to correct my mistakes while sleeping and I can't see how you do things while I'm sleeping.

I understand that not all companies do this, running training as a team