Tag Archives: dealing with the boss

A Driver Trainer’s Perspective: Some Helpful Tips And Observations For Student Drivers

Posted on November 14, 2011 by TruckerMike

Being a CDL instructor or a driver trainer is a very unique experience. I learned more about truck driving over the past 4 weeks than I have in the previous three years combined. It was an amazing learning experience for me. Here are some of the highlights I learned along the way. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Great Stories, On The Road In Training, Stories of the Road, The Trainer's Viewpoint | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Types of Trainers and How to Deal With Them

Posted on September 22, 2011 by TruckerMike

While I’ve only been a CDL instructor for about a week now, I’ve already noticed that my training techniques could easily go in several different directions. Here are some of the more common personalities and traits a trainer might have, and how to deal with them as a student or new driver. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, On The Road In Training, The Trainer's Viewpoint | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Working My Way Back Into The Trucking Industry

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Rhonda

In October 2009 I posted a story called “I Want Out Of Trucking As A Driver”. The story was written with a lot of emotion, so I’d like to take the time to reflect on that a bit, and discuss the challenges I’ve faced trying to get back into the trucking industry. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Current State of the Trucking Industry, Great Stories, Women In Trucking | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My First Days On The Road With A Trainer

Posted on August 3, 2011 by JakeCat22

We completed orientation and I got a call from the company that there was a trainer available to take me so I headed out on the highway for the first time! Here’s how it went… Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming A Truck Driver, Great Stories, On The Road In Training, Stories of the Road, truck driving lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Showdown With “The Colonel” – Handling My Trainer’s Tirades

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Philosopher Paul

3200 miles with colonel Kurtz and still going surprisingly well. I needed to keep things light with this guy because I still had two or three weeks left with him. When it seemed like he wasn’t going to let up on me, I knew we were going to have a showdown. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Great Stories, On The Road In Training, Stories of the Road | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dealing With Some Crazy Personalities During Training

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Philosopher Paul

I’ve been really happy with my fortune so far but the first day I met my finisher, I got a little concerned. The first thing he told me was “Forget everything you learned at your school.” And it got much crazier from there. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Great Stories, On The Road In Training, Stories of the Road | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Boot Camp Known As Company-Sponsored Training

Posted on December 6, 2010 by SharBear

Company-Sponsored CDL training is a lot like boot camp. Be prepared to have your self worth, your dignity, your brains, your ability and your patience tested. Once you sign those papers you are at their mercy. Boy could I have begged for mercy more times than I care to admit. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Free CDL Training, Week 1 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

My First Year as a Truck Driver

Posted on March 17, 2010 by TruckerMike

Wow, it’s hard to believe, but I’ve been at my current employer for 1 year as of today. I began Truck Driving School in January of 2009, completed that in February of 2009, and was hired on in March of 2009. This post will simply serve as some observations that I’ve made as my first year of a truck driver. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Current State of the Trucking Industry, truck driving lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Not Much Help For The Drivers

Posted on March 7, 2010 by Steve Rubens

The Qualcomm system at most companies have directions to customers listed, but a lot of the time the directions are wrong. Unfortunately, even when dispatchers and customers know the directions are wrong nobody seems to care enough to do anything about it. Here’s an example of the mess it can cause. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Cathy and Steve's Story, Great Stories, Stories of the Road | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

New Truck Drivers: Beware of Rocking The Boat

Posted on October 18, 2009 by Brett Aquila

Recently I heard a story of a truck driving student who was on the road with a trainer and discovered that the trainer was smoking pot in the truck while the student was driving. How did the student handle this? Did it backfire on him? There are some things that everyone needs to understand about the realities of life in the trucking industry. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Current State of the Trucking Industry, Stories of the Road | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

I Want Out Of Trucking As A Driver

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Rhonda

Let me start out by saying I entered trucking in 2001 because I needed a job. A job that paid a livable wage. So I entered as a warm body that companies put in the drivers seat. My pleas for an office duty/inside job were not being heard. At first this new driving thing was not too bad, but soon the newness and “fun” wears off. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Current State of the Trucking Industry, Women In Trucking | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My Truck Driving Career – A 6 Month Review

Posted on September 21, 2009 by TruckerMike

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been 6 months already. I’ve completed training, and have been on my own now for a couple months. So, I thought I’d share a few of my initial impressions of my early truck driving career, having experienced it for 6 months now. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Current State of the Trucking Industry, First Solo Months On The Road, truck driving lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Surviving a Company Trainer

Posted on May 26, 2009 by TruckerMike

Wow, it’s been two months since I hit the road with my trainer. I can’t believe it’s already been that long. Time is really flying out here. As I stated in one of my earlier posts, my training period is much longer than most companies, so I probably won’t be done for at least another 6 weeks or so. But since I’ve put in quite a bit of time with a trainer already, I thought I’d share a few of my thoughts on how to survive your company trainer.
Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, On The Road In Training, Safe Driving Tips, Stories of the Road | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Now Where Did I Put My Red Shoes?

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Farmer Bob

In the movie classic “Wizard of Oz” the good witch Glenda tells Dorothy to click the heels of her red shoes together three times and say “There’s no place like home”. The movie ends with Dorothy waking up in her bed surrounded by worried family members…well, my training time is over, and I’m going home. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Current State of the Trucking Industry, On The Road In Training, Stories of the Road | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A Disaster of a Trip, but Still Worked Out in the End

Posted on April 14, 2009 by TruckerMike

Since my last trip went so well, Karma had to balance itself out. And it didn’t waste any time either! This last trip was…well…interesting. I’ll try to describe everything that happened without confusing the heck out of you, but there’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Great Stories, On The Road In Training, Stories of the Road | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments