Nervous Driving With My Trainer!

Hello, I just started a truck driving program and my trainer and I aren't getting along very well. The on yard week was filled with me driving around trying to learn to do stuff on my own because he was sleeping or on his phone. I'm nervous about driving the truck because I'm new at it and I don't feel very comfortable about driving in the city with him if he doesn't care about my training. He has also already set up my cdl test for this week and I will only have 12 hours of road time by that point. How can I learn everything I need to know in 12 hours?!? Any suggestions or advice?

Hello, I just started a truck driving program and my trainer and I aren't getting along very well. The on yard week was filled with me driving around trying to learn to do stuff on my own because he was sleeping or on his phone. I'm nervous about driving the truck because I'm new at it and I don't feel very comfortable about driving in the city with him if he doesn't care about my training. He has also already set up my cdl test for this week and I will only have 12 hours of road time by that point. How can I learn everything I need to know in 12 hours?!? Any suggestions or advice?

Who do you drive for?

Hello, I just started a truck driving program and my trainer and I aren't getting along very well. The on yard week was filled with me driving around trying to learn to do stuff on my own because he was sleeping or on his phone. I'm nervous about driving the truck because I'm new at it and I don't feel very comfortable about driving in the city with him if he doesn't care about my training. He has also already set up my cdl test for this week and I will only have 12 hours of road time by that point. How can I learn everything I need to know in 12 hours?!? Any suggestions or advice?

I would go to your supervisor if there is a safety concern.

One thing to remember is that this phase is just to get you your license. The "real" learning happens once you're with an actual trainer. I had less than four hours drive time before my test.

I work for FedEx freight. The trainer I have is there just for the money I feel like.

Hello, I just started a truck driving program and my trainer and I aren't getting along very well. The on yard week was filled with me driving around trying to learn to do stuff on my own because he was sleeping or on his phone. I'm nervous about driving the truck because I'm new at it and I don't feel very comfortable about driving in the city with him if he doesn't care about my training. He has also already set up my cdl test for this week and I will only have 12 hours of road time by that point. How can I learn everything I need to know in 12 hours?!? Any suggestions or advice?

Who do you drive for?

Hello, I just started a truck driving program and my trainer and I aren't getting along very well. The on yard week was filled with me driving around trying to learn to do stuff on my own because he was sleeping or on his phone. I'm nervous about driving the truck because I'm new at it and I don't feel very comfortable about driving in the city with him if he doesn't care about my training. He has also already set up my cdl test for this week and I will only have 12 hours of road time by that point. How can I learn everything I need to know in 12 hours?!? Any suggestions or advice?

Bad trainers, or it seems in your case, instructor's, suck. Unfortunately they're out there, most of them just for the extra $$$. When I went through company sponsored CDL training I was there for ~4 weeks. From day 1 getting my CLP to the day I tested and got my CDL I might have had at most, 6 hours of actual road-time driving. That being said I knew going in that this was going to be a sink or swim program, pushing ~30 people a week into a program isn't smart business in my opinion, but it isn't my decision. The first day I started driving at the yard and practicing backing was the end of week 1 after I got my CLP. I don't consider myself extremely intelligent but I made it a point from the beginning to soak up as much info from each instructor at the yard that I could. That helped immensely, I sifted through all of the information they gave me(some good, some bad) and found what worked best for me. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed, take it one step at a time and if you don't feel safe with that instructor, speak up and talk to someone above them.

TL;DR - 1. Speak up to that instructor or go to the next link in the chain if they aren't instructing/helping you. 2. Focus on soaking up any information possible. 3. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed, breathe and focus on the task at hand.

Thanks for the advice! I appreciate it. Any advice for the confidence factor when driving? I don't feel super confident yet and it really bugs me.

Hello, I just started a truck driving program and my trainer and I aren't getting along very well. The on yard week was filled with me driving around trying to learn to do stuff on my own because he was sleeping or on his phone. I'm nervous about driving the truck because I'm new at it and I don't feel very comfortable about driving in the city with him if he doesn't care about my training. He has also already set up my cdl test for this week and I will only have 12 hours of road time by that point. How can I learn everything I need to know in 12 hours?!? Any suggestions or advice?

Bad trainers, or it seems in your case, instructor's, suck. Unfortunately they're out there, most of them just for the extra $$$. When I went through company sponsored CDL training I was there for ~4 weeks. From day 1 getting my CLP to the day I tested and got my CDL I might have had at most, 6 hours of actual road-time driving. That being said I knew going in that this was going to be a sink or swim program, pushing ~30 people a week into a program isn't smart business in my opinion, but it isn't my decision. The first day I started driving at the yard and practicing backing was the end of week 1 after I got my CLP. I don't consider myself extremely intelligent but I made it a point from the beginning to soak up as much info from each instructor at the yard that I could. That helped immensely, I sifted through all of the information they gave me(some good, some bad) and found what worked best for me. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed, take it one step at a time and if you don't feel safe with that instructor, speak up and talk to someone above them.

TL;DR - 1. Speak up to that instructor or go to the next link in the chain if they aren't instructing/helping you. 2. Focus on soaking up any information possible. 3. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed, breathe and focus on the task at hand.

Thanks for the advice! I appreciate it. Any advice for the confidence factor when driving? I don't feel super confident yet and it really bugs me.

Hello, I just started a truck driving program and my trainer and I aren't getting along very well. The on yard week was filled with me driving around trying to learn to do stuff on my own because he was sleeping or on his phone. I'm nervous about driving the truck because I'm new at it and I don't feel very comfortable about driving in the city with him if he doesn't care about my training. He has also already set up my cdl test for this week and I will only have 12 hours of road time by that point. How can I learn everything I need to know in 12 hours?!? Any suggestions or advice?

Bad trainers, or it seems in your case, instructor's, suck. Unfortunately they're out there, most of them just for the extra $$$. When I went through company sponsored CDL training I was there for ~4 weeks. From day 1 getting my CLP to the day I tested and got my CDL I might have had at most, 6 hours of actual road-time driving. That being said I knew going in that this was going to be a sink or swim program, pushing ~30 people a week into a program isn't smart business in my opinion, but it isn't my decision. The first day I started driving at the yard and practicing backing was the end of week 1 after I got my CLP. I don't consider myself extremely intelligent but I made it a point from the beginning to soak up as much info from each instructor at the yard that I could. That helped immensely, I sifted through all of the information they gave me(some good, some bad) and found what worked best for me. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed, take it one step at a time and if you don't feel safe with that instructor, speak up and talk to someone above them.

TL;DR - 1. Speak up to that instructor or go to the next link in the chain if they aren't instructing/helping you. 2. Focus on soaking up any information possible. 3. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed, breathe and focus on the task at hand.

Confidence comes in time. the more you drive, the better you get, the more confident you will be. Its a right of passage for most drivers. Just don't get over confident, thats when **** happens...

What I would recommend is find out who your driver manager is. Is it the same one as your trainer or do you have a student coordinator you work with? Whoever that person in that role in your company is, THAT is who you need to speak with. Request another trainer if they will allow you to do that.

Hello, I just started a truck driving program and my trainer and I aren't getting along very well. The on yard week was filled with me driving around trying to learn to do stuff on my own because he was sleeping or on his phone. I'm nervous about driving the truck because I'm new at it and I don't feel very comfortable about driving in the city with him if he doesn't care about my training. He has also already set up my cdl test for this week and I will only have 12 hours of road time by that point. How can I learn everything I need to know in 12 hours?!? Any suggestions or advice?

Are you in the Driver Apprentice program? How many weeks you been in? Yard skills week is pretty basic. Have you been recycled yet? Good reviews on your counseling?

So are you saying this is your second week and you're sked to take the CDL test already? Have you been practicing your pre-trip?