Company Trainers Vs Lease Trainers

Sorry Joe at the present time I have a student that passed his TNT phase that wants a little more time behind the wheel before he goes solo so I am not available. I I plan on taking another student sometime in September at the earliest. ( Going to drive solo a few weeks before someone else hops on)

A small foot note I'm happy to inform everyone my students have earned me a 100% graduation rate so far. Knocking on wood right now!

I like how you said the deer jumped out and hit the truck, cause we NEVER hit the deer. Good job sir

Skywalker, your assumptions about lease owner trainers are close. Of course it all depends on the attitude of your trainer. But a company driver doesn't have the money worries of an owner.

I had a company trainer in a company truck when a deer jumped out and hit the truck. Body damage and all, my trainer basically said, OK, let's bring it in, two days off for body repair. Think what an owner would say if that poor, innocent deer had bashed his front bumper!

And now from the student side: I am currently sitting in a service area on the Ohio Turnpike after my eighth day out driving with my PSD (pre-CDL) trainer. He is a lease operator for Prime and has been a trainer for quite a while. He has been hard on me when I needed it, and is very strict on safety and my driving habits. He is also teaching me many other things I would never learn in a classroom. He has also been encouraging when I have felt like an idiot and when I have felt like quitting. In short, he isn't just teaching me enough to get me CDL , he is teaching me to be a driver. His aim is to make me into someone he will feel safe sharing the road with. This is the goal of the training department at Prime, as I'm sure it is at all the training companies. Are there bad eggs? Sure there are, but Prime is actively weeding them out.

As for your interview, it is both of you interviewing each other. You are going to be spending a LOT of time together over the next few weeks so It is very important that you are both comfortable with each other.

As far as money goes, yes the trainer gets paid, but he or she gets a hefty bonus if you pass all your skills on the first try. So it is in their best interest to do a good job, no matter if they are company or lease.

Kanelin wrote:

And now from the student side: I am currently sitting in a service area on the Ohio Turnpike after my eighth day out driving with my PSD (pre-CDL) trainer. He is a lease operator for Prime and has been a trainer for quite a while. He has been hard on me when I needed it, and is very strict on safety and my driving habits. He is also teaching me many other things I would never learn in a classroom. He has also been encouraging when I have felt like an idiot and when I have felt like quitting. In short, he isn't just teaching me enough to get me CDL , he is teaching me to be a driver. His aim is to make me into someone he will feel safe sharing the road with. This is the goal of the training department at Prime, as I'm sure it is at all the training companies. Are there bad eggs? Sure there are, but Prime is actively weeding them out.

As for your interview, it is both of you interviewing each other. You are going to be spending a LOT of time together over the next few weeks so It is very important that you are both comfortable with each other.

As far as money goes, yes the trainer gets paid, but he or she gets a hefty bonus if you pass all your skills on the first try. So it is in their best interest to do a good job, no matter if they are company or lease.

That's a really good post. Completely agree with your interviewing point. Nice job.

I missed that! Funny!

I like how you said the deer jumped out and hit the truck, cause we NEVER hit the deer. Good job sir

Skywalker, your assumptions about lease owner trainers are close. Of course it all depends on the attitude of your trainer. But a company driver doesn't have the money worries of an owner.

I had a company trainer in a company truck when a deer jumped out and hit the truck. Body damage and all, my trainer basically said, OK, let's bring it in, two days off for body repair. Think what an owner would say if that poor, innocent deer had bashed his front bumper!

The deer thing: If you hit the deer, as most people say it, you can be charged with a preventable accident. If the deer hit you, then it's non-preventable, and not your fault. I know, it's like saying "the door hit my forehead", but this way makes it non-preventable.

Thanks for all the replies. Especially from you Brian and Kanelin. Good solid perspectives from a student and an instructor. As with most things I figured the bad cases were 10% or less of the whole story but get the most airtime or most noticed. Brian, that's really good to know about Prime giving one name to instructors. Might show that they are putting a keen eye on the match making service trying to find a best working solution. I don't know about you all but I'd be a little nervous competing for an instructor on the pad or in the halls with other guys. Not sure that's how it's been done, just remembering the stories I read/heard. I'm not a wallflower but not much of a group guy either and usually best one on one anyways. And all about business, in fact you'll probably find me out on the pad crawling thru cabs, engines and carriages inspecting every nook and cranny learning how these machines work and how they can work for me in becoming a professional driver.

I think I'd want you as my trainer too Brian! What region do you drive or what yard are you close to? I'm planning to start mid to late September. I'm in California now getting paperwork in order and possibly cdl permit as one Prime driver advised to this then go train through the Salt Lake City terminal because it was more laid back and less hectic than Springfield. Not as many people coming thru each week... Then another driver said I'd have a better experience in Springfield. So not sure... Ultimately I'll be taking my hometime, whenever that occurs, near Albany, NY to see my 2 young girls. I know Prime has the Pittston, PA terminal but not sure they train out of there. Big picture for me is to train during winter for adverse weather experience in reefer , then go to flatbed in Spring and then tanker after a couple of years when I get enough experience. This could all change but definitely want to get experience in all 3 divisions and then maybe heavy haul for ****s and giggles. Though my home will be near Albany, NY I'm not sure I'd want to drive Northeast Region until I have a bunch of OTR experience. I know it pays more and there's reasons why, just not sure I want that added stress on the outset. Though .50+ cpm for a rookie in a lightweight running NE Regional is pretty tempting...

Given all this what would you advise?

Sorry Joe at the present time I have a student that passed his TNT phase that wants a little more time behind the wheel before he goes solo so I am not available. I I plan on taking another student sometime in September at the earliest. ( Going to drive solo a few weeks before someone else hops on)

A small foot note I'm happy to inform everyone my students have earned me a 100% graduation rate so far. Knocking on wood right now!

Remember this I will...

The deer thing: If you hit the deer, as most people say it, you can be charged with a preventable accident. If the deer hit you, then it's non-preventable, and not your fault. I know, it's like saying "the door hit my forehead", but this way makes it non-preventable.

Thanks for this Kanelin, And the trainers should be well paid. Company or lease. A couple drivers I talked to called it a suicide run for the added stresses involved and the prospects they were looking at coming through training. Wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. I could relate to what they said from my experience working in the Alaskan Fishing Industry. A lot of people coming through the mill there were ill prepared for the climate, cold, stark conditions etc... At some points the companies were hiring homeless off the street just to fill positions. Not sure if this is the same with trucking but with all the ads for big $$ and shortage of drivers I'm sure a lot of characters are coming through the mill.

Good luck with your PSD and TNT runs

And now from the student side: I am currently sitting in a service area on the Ohio Turnpike after my eighth day out driving with my PSD (pre-CDL) trainer. He is a lease operator for Prime and has been a trainer for quite a while. He has been hard on me when I needed it, and is very strict on safety and my driving habits. He is also teaching me many other things I would never learn in a classroom. He has also been encouraging when I have felt like an idiot and when I have felt like quitting. In short, he isn't just teaching me enough to get me CDL , he is teaching me to be a driver. His aim is to make me into someone he will feel safe sharing the road with. This is the goal of the training department at Prime, as I'm sure it is at all the training companies. Are there bad eggs? Sure there are, but Prime is actively weeding them out.

As for your interview, it is both of you interviewing each other. You are going to be spending a LOT of time together over the next few weeks so It is very important that you are both comfortable with each other.

As far as money goes, yes the trainer gets paid, but he or she gets a hefty bonus if you pass all your skills on the first try. So it is in their best interest to do a good job, no matter if they are company or lease.

Sky walker thanks for having some confidence in my skills, my student at the present time wants to stay on the truck to catch some weather conditions he hasn't seen yet. As I tell all my students its up to them when they want to leave and venture on their own. I have an open door policy and make no effort myself to run someone off if they think they need more training. i do however make them upgrade to an A seat driver so they can be compensated as a regular driver. This way they aren't worried about finances at home! My guess is sometime in September

90% of my runs are east to west and back. If I start in California, Oregon or Washington I usually wind up in Maine Vermont New York or Pennsylvania. I live in Florida so I hardly ever get home, when I do I usually take a week or two off. If I have a student at the time I fly them home and back for home time. Usually from my home in Tampa. If they decide to stay in Tampa I put them up in a hotel close to my home.

I run reefer because I find it more consistant and recession proof. But I have mad props for anyone who wants to run flatbed or tanker. If at the time your ready and I am without a student you are welcome to request me of course. I like when I have a student from TT because it usually means they are determined and aware of the lifestyle before they even start. My email is brmiller66@gmail.com if you want to contact me directly. Even if I'm not your instructor I am available for advise.