Comments By Amber L.

What Kearsey said!!!

Alright, called my training coordinator first thing this morning. Apologized profusely! Seems like she accepted it and is looking for a trainer for me. So hopefully I can get out there soon!

Thank you so much for all the support and help in seeing the big picture!! This forum is priceless!!

My truck on pre-trip was to write down from memory the parts in the order I would do them in an actual pre-trip and check myself correct it and do it again until I could do it without missing any. Then you have the parts and just have to talk about condition and securement. Our school taught us phrases to use over and over like cracked, damaged or broken for metal parts, abrasions, bulges or cuts for rubber, stray wires, frayed wires or illegal tape for electrical lines, riped, torn or frayed for like your seat belt. And everything is properly mounted and secured.

As far a backing goes I highly suggest using every moment you can and I really found it helpful to go to the straight back and purposely pull up slightly crooked so it was more challenging and taught me more about how to move the trailer. That was once I could straight back pretty good.

Good luck!

From what I have heard, we thought for our first year at least it seemed worth it. From what I understand they really handle everything, you never need to be present and they specialize in doing this so they know what to do. So we thought our first year when it is most likely we could end up on a bad situation it would be worth it. Reevaluate at the end of that year see where we are at with our skills and decide then. Good drivers that don't speed most like will very rarely if ever need their services and you can hire them after the fact just a little more upfront, probably works out pretty similar.

Now I'm a newbie, but as far as the truckers passing you goes most of them will be owner operators who aren't governed, most companies govern their trucks.

From what I have read trip planning is key to your performance in this industry. It's kind of hard for a hard-working individual like myself (sounds like you too) to believe it but there really are drivers out there that get woken up by there driver manager so they get moving. Then there are the people who spend time at the pick up end of their load instead of getting to the destination first then using up the extra time, they can end up late doing that because you never know what is going to happen. So that is some of the performance stuff you can control, then it seems like there is a whole lot of thinking on your feet as problems arise.

Also on the company sponsored training think about it like this: if they spend the money to train you to get your CDL they have invested a lot of money in you vs a new driver that comes to them with a CDL so when you have that rookie accident it is more worth it for them to keep you and hope you learn and get better than someone they have no investment in.

Good luck and read all the blogs on this site lots of helpful info.

Thanks Big T! I sure hope that was at least part of it. Definitely going to call Monday and see if we can get back on the right track. Eat some crow, apologize, beg, whatever 😁 I have to do, just want to learn the right way of doing things.

What's with the state police photo????

Thank you guys so much for all your input!

I think I will call her on Monday and apologize for letting my fear of a bad trainer get the best of me, for making her job harder and for not staying a team player. Let her know I'm happy to stick with my choice if that is easiest or to go with whomever they find for me.

I know from all of you this is a short time so I think I can stick it out with any personality except someone who isn't training me. I have worked with a few nut jobs over the years and have managed to handle them thru the season with little issue, so I know I can do that part just really want to learn the most I can in this short period.

Oh damn, I sure have done it! The coordinator office isn't open on the weekends so now I have to wait till Monday to try and correct this, is it going to be too late then?

Ugh!

Old school, I like hearing truth! I was just really confused as to one coordinator being all for it and another being totally against it. She was upset way before she heard I would have to wait for him. So I guess I just need to call back and say I will go with whomever they find for me. I really thought I was helping because of what my husband coordinator said "if you find one great just let me know and we'll get you hooked up"

Ugh! Mistakes already!