Received A Nice Compliment Last Night/bored

So we just trained a new guy in the yard this past month. Right now he is a backup while one of our full-time night guys is out sick, but if the full time guy doesn't come back (that's what my money is on) the new guy gets his spot and will be working the weekends with me. The yard driver who trained me was officially the new guy's trainer as well, but I helped out significantly during the training process. I was constantly giving him tips and quizzing him.

Anyways, we ended up working together the last couple days while one of the other hostlers was on vacation. Last night he told me he actually found my advice more helpful than the trainer's and that I was responsible for the majority of his training. He also told me he was actively trying to apply the backing tips I'd given him and that they were really helpful. The biggest compliment is in his actions though. When I was in training and when I work with the other drivers, I bust my ass to try to be as quick and efficient as they are--I even try to outwork them. The last couple days the new guy has been doing the exact same thing with me and told me on several occasions he's trying really hard to keep up with me!

So yeah, my ego is like super over-inflated right now haha. But seriously, I always thought I would enjoy training, but man, it is the most satisfying thing ever to teach someone and watch them learn and progress. There have been times I have told him something and seen literally instant improvement. So cool.

Of course this also speaks volumes about his character. He doesn't have as much driving experience but he's older than me (everyone is) and has been on the account significantly longer than me. It's not easy to let some young whipper-snapper tell you how to do your job, especially when he's only been doing it for a couple months himself!

On another note...totally unrelated but I don't feel like making two threads... I'm bored. Don't get me wrong--I love working in the yard and have learned so much. Heck, I thought I was a decent driver and backer when I started and in the just the last two or three months I've learned a ton and am still learning. Every night I challenge myself to do better than the last night.

But yeah, I'm still bored. I almost never drive anymore, which is a major disappointment. I am required to do at least one delivery a month, so once a month they send me down the street (literally about 5 miles away) to deliver to the local Pueblo Target--the whole delivery process takes like an hour. I know I didn't like otr , but I find myself more and more itching to drive again. And I'm not talking little trips--sometimes I just want to drive up to Salt Lake or Bozeman, MT. Stuff like that--real trips. But I think if I switched back to something like that it wouldn't be long before I hated my life again. Never home, sitting all day long trapped in my mobile prison cell, eating junk food all the time again--ugh, that's the stuff I don't miss at all. But I do miss the adventure, the beautiful views, the 12% grades, the blizzards and tornados (ok maybe not the tornados) and that big beautiful loud smelly powerful diesel engine hauling me and my 53' trailer all over the country.

I dunno. I think right now I'm exactly where I should be and that I should stay here for at least several more months. I'm enjoying my life and I like my job where I am gaining valuable experience, but I'm thinking about a change of scenery down the road maybe. I've always wanted to try tanker. Maybe get more experience under my belt and try for a local/regional tanker gig? Maybe stay with Swift and try one of our local flatbed gigs? I've even thought about staying with Swift and just switching to a different regional account after a while so I don't have to start from the bottom again, but if I was just going to do that I'd rather do it somewhere I can make more money.

Sorry this was so long. What are you guys' thoughts? (Other than the obvious fact that I'm young and have a real bad case of the "can't sit still"s...LOL)

Pianoman, from one teacher to another, this is your real paycheck:

I always thought I would enjoy training, but man, it is the most satisfying thing ever to teach someone and watch them learn and progress. There have been times I have told him something and seen literally instant improvement. So cool.

Yeah, yeah, the company sends me money sometimes. But as a teacher, one of these feedbacks can get me through the whole year.

I know the bored feeling. I am running the shuttle from Memphis toi St Louis and back, 4-5 days a week. Same road (I-55) each and every day. But, I hae a goal I'm now simply waiting for in August. Then I might make more effort for something new. But if I could be a hostler trainer and get jazzed with my students like you have, I'd to it till I retire. (and don't mention "retirement" around me!)

Pianoman, from one teacher to another, this is your real paycheck:

I always thought I would enjoy training, but man, it is the most satisfying thing ever to teach someone and watch them learn and progress. There have been times I have told him something and seen literally instant improvement. So cool.

Yeah, yeah, the company sends me money sometimes. But as a teacher, one of these feedbacks can get me through the whole year.

I know the bored feeling. I am running the shuttle from Memphis toi St Louis and back, 4-5 days a week. Same road (I-55) each and every day. But, I hae a goal I'm now simply waiting for in August. Then I might make more effort for something new. But if I could be a hostler trainer and get jazzed with my students like you have, I'd to it till I retire. (and don't mention "retirement" around me!)

*cough cough* have*

Just messing with you!

By the way... RETIREMENT *dun dun dun*

*cough cough* have*

Just messing with you!

By the way... RETIREMENT *dun dun dun*

"Hae ("hā") is a Middle English term (time of Chaucer) that came to be spelt "have". Sorry, I regressed for a moment.

Just messing with you!

Nice going Pianoman. Well done...!

Yeah, yeah, the company sends me money sometimes. But as a teacher, one of these feedbacks can get me through the whole year.

Yeah, definitely made my day/week! Maybe it was just flattery, but it's still cool to see progress like that.

I know the bored feeling. I am running the shuttle from Memphis toi St Louis and back, 4-5 days a week. Same road (I-55) each and every day. But, I hae a goal I'm now simply waiting for in August. Then I might make more effort for something new. But if I could be a hostler trainer and get jazzed with my students like you have, I'd to it till I retire. (and don't mention "retirement" around me!)

Thanks Errol, I like the idea of having a goal. That's how I got through almost a full year of otr. I might set a goal to stay on this account until something like December and then re-evaluate from there.

Nice going Pianoman. Well done...!

Thanks G-Town!