First Contact With Possible Trainer...spooked Now

So I get this call from a trainer, and after talking for a few minutes, her first question to me was " Do you have a problem sleeping in the top bunk while the truck is moving?"... Ummm, yeah...I do. 😐

So that conversation didn't last long. A little while later, my FM calls, and I start telling her about it not realizing that she had this trainer call me. Ended up that the trainer got her ear chewed off, and I got a message later from the woman saying she'd never ask me to do that. So why even ask that question?? Seriously?! The FM told me she's one of her best trainers too! She also seems to be pushing me to go with this person.

I'm a little freaked out to be honest. I'm stuck here in Springfield until Wednesday evening, and I've not had any other trainer contact me. Thoughts?? Should I go on and head out with this woman since the FM thinks so highly of her...start over fresh as it were? I have no idea how to handle this.

So I get this call from a trainer, and after talking for a few minutes, her first question to me was " Do you have a problem sleeping in the top bunk while the truck is moving?"... Ummm, yeah...I do. 😐

So that conversation didn't last long. A little while later, my FM calls, and I start telling her about it not realizing that she had this trainer call me. Ended up that the trainer got her ear chewed off, and I got a message later from the woman saying she'd never ask me to do that. So why even ask that question?? Seriously?! The FM told me she's one of her best trainers too! She also seems to be pushing me to go with this person.

I'm a little freaked out to be honest. I'm stuck here in Springfield until Wednesday evening, and I've not had any other trainer contact me. Thoughts?? Should I go on and head out with this woman since the FM thinks so highly of her...start over fresh as it were? I have no idea how to handle this.

Trainers are weird and constantly testing. She could have been asking to decide if you would take risks or if you would do what is safe. Not only did you choose safety but then you reported her (even unintentionally) which then showed the FM you would choose safety.

Go to dinner together and talk. See what happens. Don't hang out in your room or you won't meet any other trainers. Go to the practice pad and do your pretrip. Trainers hang out there scoping interested students. If you pass they get bonuses so they want serious students... not wall flowers.

Trainer probably has reservations about sharing her mattress. "Technically" - as long as the top bunk has restraints, it's not "illegal" to be sleeping up there while the truck is moving. But there's probably many companies that have policies that prohibit it.

Not something I'd really want to do though. It's a long(er) way to fall in the event of a collision or hard braking incident. You're going to get a lot more MOTION in the top bunk, as it is higher up from the road and suspension - so the rocking of the truck is going to cover twice the distance up top.

As far as this particular trainer - if your FM says she's a good trainer - perhaps a talk with her to see if you can start out on a fresh page and handshake. If it looks like the trainer is going to be problematic after you get on the road - give it a few weeks, then request a new one.

Sometimes we have to overlook the idiosyncrasies, in favor of the assets that a trainer brings to the table.

Best of luck - keep us posted on your progress...

Rick

Go out with her anyway. I personally doubt it was a test and she's probably just trying to cover her behind now, but either way since she knows her FM is aware that she asked she's unlikely to ask again. Don't sleep in the top bunk while the truck is moving.

I would never sleep up top when truck is moving. If there was a low clearance situation you will probably die being up there.

If she is really training you why would she even ask that question? Sounds more like she is looking to make extra money by teaming you with her instead of training so she gets more miles that week. I would say go elsewhere, but it sounds like your company was not too happy about you sleeping while she was driving the truck. So when does she sleep? While you are driving the truck? I am still waiting for someone to explain to me how you can even consider it training if your trainer is sleeping while you are driving and you are sleeping while they are driving. This is called Team driving, this is not helping a new driver learn how to drive a truck.

If she is really training you why would she even ask that question? Sounds more like she is looking to make extra money by teaming you with her instead of training so she gets more miles that week. I would say go elsewhere, but it sounds like your company was not too happy about you sleeping while she was driving the truck. So when does she sleep? While you are driving the truck? I am still waiting for someone to explain to me how you can even consider it training if your trainer is sleeping while you are driving and you are sleeping while they are driving. This is called Team driving, this is not helping a new driver learn how to drive a truck.

Many companies do a certain amount of supervised driving before switching to what is essentially a team operation. This isn't at all unusual. No reason the trainer needs to watch a trainee drive down the interstate for hours in most instances.

The way we do it at Werner, after the first couple weeks we switch to a team style driving for a couple of weeks. This gives the trainee the ability to drive without immediate supervision and gain some confidence in themselves while having a trainer in the back they can wake if they have any issues or need help.

Don't do it. Your going to be spending a significant amount of time with this person and she already is sketchy to begin with. I just finished my 200 with my mentor. This was mentor number 3 for me. And even though he was a good guy, it was still tough to be side by side with somebody that long.

If she is really training you why would she even ask that question? Sounds more like she is looking to make extra money by teaming you with her instead of training so she gets more miles that week. I would say go elsewhere, but it sounds like your company was not too happy about you sleeping while she was driving the truck. So when does she sleep? While you are driving the truck? I am still waiting for someone to explain to me how you can even consider it training if your trainer is sleeping while you are driving and you are sleeping while they are driving. This is called Team driving, this is not helping a new driver learn how to drive a truck.

I have not started that portion of my training yet. With Prime, you have to do 30,000 miles with a trainer after getting your CDL. The truck is dispatched on solo runs at first and then you operate as a team. I'm in the process now of finding a trainer and was upset that she would ask me to do something illegal and against company policy.