You're only a week into it. Some adjustment is to be expected. Don't take this the wrong way, but I think you should just focus on driving the truck safely, and not worry about what your trainer is doing.
The sleep thing is tough. There's just no way around it. In this business we're sometimes forced to flip our clocks. Sleep when you can and drive when you must. That means to take every opportunity you get to grab some sleep. It's like anything else, you'll get accustomed to it. It'll also get easier when you get into TNT , and easier still when you upgrade to solo.
Honestly, when you're on the interstate driving, what feedback do you really expect from your trainer? There isn't much to tell you. Just keep on keepin on. Again, focus on learning to control your truck. That can't be taught.
If you have a question for your trainer, then by all means ask away. Otherwise you need to learn by repetition. Her sleeping or being on the phone isn't really going to affect that. Not that I'm saying what she's doing is right, just that you can get through this regardless. Once you're in TNT you'll only see your trainer at shift change for the most part.
PSD is a very short phase. You'll be fine. Just drive the truck safely. Good luck!
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
If you're in PSD , then all you have is your permit, your trainer needs to be supervising you while you drive to teach you and correct you as you go. While you plan to eventually team with your husband, your driving will be done solo. Flipping one's clock is part of driving. By your trainer being distracted by her phone and sleep, she is doing you wrong and endangering the public. You should speak with your trainer about it and if that doesn't work, you should, while stopped, call the fleet manager or safety right in front of her. She can't hurt you and Prime takes safety very seriously.
So, yes, you need to deal with flipping your clock. Also, your trainer is not doing her job. Hopefully Rainy will put her $0.02 in.
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
Switching from day to night driving comes with the job, your going to have to get used to it.
During Primes PSD there should be no distractions to the student driver or the Instructor. That's means radio playing, CB radio should be off, and no phone or headsets in use by either person. The instructor is to be in the passenger seat and alert at all times the student is driving. That's Primes policy.
It's honestly harder on the instructor than the student since the instructor is just sitting there for hours on end, but they need to be alert and actively coaching the student.
Also before you left the terminal the instructor was supposed to physically introduce you to your fleet manager and logs auditor. That's not always possible but she should have at least brought you to their desks and given you one of their business cards so you had their contact information.
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
Thanks for the replies. It helps to have outside perspective. I'm going to go with the flow and not let this mess with my big picture. I'm half way through and feel confident I can pass the test when we get back, so even if I'm not getting as much feed back as I'd prefer I'm going to get what I need out of it. As for her sleeping, I'm going to quit worrying about it. She's obviously tired and I'd rather her snatch naps than wreck.
Michelle, I found your situation interesting because I'm going to be on the road with a trainer soon. I thought all the advice given was good stuff, but I like your style in deciding to just get through it. It's funny how things settle down once you have made your decision. Good luck.
Prime told you in orientation exactly what to do if the instructors fall asleep. They told you to pull off the road to a safe place immediately and message dispatch. Instead you came on a public acting as if you were not told what to do. Every orientation class is told the same thing. You were also given names and phone numbers of training coordinators such as Stan or Brooke to discuss such matters.
At the end of PSD they will give you an evaluation form of the instructor. You can report her then, but the response may be "Why didnt you tell us? So you are saying that YOU knowingly drove illegally? Meaning you willing broke Prime policy?" As an employer would you want any driver who does not follow policy, a driver you cant trust?
As for the night driving, in PSD it used to be you could not drive between midnight and 0500. im not sure if that still stands.
Trainers are sneaky...are you sure she is really on her phome and not watching your mirrors, cause i do that. Many students are nervous thinking every movement is watched. others want every movement to be watched.
Trucking can be tough at times and easy at others. We need to be able to make tough decisions. Picking and choosing battles is another aspect.
Do what you feel iis safe and necessary. Know who your resources are when you need help.
good luck
Operating While Intoxicated
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Prime told you in orientation exactly what to do if the instructors fall asleep. They told you to pull off the road to a safe place immediately and message dispatch. Instead you came on a public acting as if you were not told what to do. Every orientation class is told the same thing. You were also given names and phone numbers of training coordinators such as Stan or Brooke to discuss such matters.
At the end of PSD they will give you an evaluation form of the instructor. You can report her then, but the response may be "Why didnt you tell us? So you are saying that YOU knowingly drove illegally? Meaning you willing broke Prime policy?" As an employer would you want any driver who does not follow policy, a driver you cant trust?
As for the night driving, in PSD it used to be you could not drive between midnight and 0500. im not sure if that still stands.
Trainers are sneaky...are you sure she is really on her phome and not watching your mirrors, cause i do that. Many students are nervous thinking every movement is watched. others want every movement to be watched.
Trucking can be tough at times and easy at others. We need to be able to make tough decisions. Picking and choosing battles is another aspect.
Do what you feel iis safe and necessary. Know who your resources are when you need help.
good luck
I honestly believe because I got there the 28th of June, just before the 4th of July holiday that I went through some abbreviated version of indoctrination.
Because EVERYTHING you just listed is the first time I've heard it.
Most of the information I got was from you and others here at TNT.
To the OP building a trusting ~ working relationship like ANYTHING takes time.
Operating While Intoxicated
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
I have a TnT right now and he said Wally from the SIM lab came and told the whole group.in the computer room. His class was even told to gently tap the instructor to wake them and message dispatch. I do not recommend this cause then harassment claims will get hurled everywhere and law suits threatened.
Also, they give a slide show and a CBT about problem solving and the company hierarchy to complain up the chain of command. You had to watch that video, and i just passed a class watching it two weeks ago so i know they are still giving it.
I dont know how you could miss it. But i guess it happens.
If you didnt get this info what exactly did you do in orientation cause this was like day 2 after the DOT and processing was complete.
it might even be on a video on the prime app, ill have to look.
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
I have a TnT right now and he said Wally from the SIM lab came and told the whole group.in the computer room. His class was even told to gently tap the instructor to wake them and message dispatch. I do not recommend this cause then harassment claims will get hurled everywhere and law suits threatened.
Also, they give a slide show and a CBT about problem solving and the company hierarchy to complain up the chain of command. You had to watch that video, and i just passed a class watching it two weeks ago so i know they are still giving it.
I dont know how you could miss it. But i guess it happens.
If you didnt get this info what exactly did you do in orientation cause this was like day 2 after the DOT and processing was complete.
it might even be on a video on the prime app, ill have to look.
If they cover this in orientation, I would be worried my trainer was pretending to sleep and testing me to see if I followed policy.
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Hi, I'm currently one week in with my PSD instructor and I have some concerns. First off I'm having trouble adjusting my sleep because two days in we flipped from day driving to driving overnight. My body clock hasn't caught up and I'm driving absolutely exhausted. I voiced some safety concerns to my instructor and she got pretty defensive and basically told me to buck up and deal with it because this is the solo life. Ok, duely noted, that's one of the reasons I'm going team with my husband. Another concern is my trainer is falling asleep during my driving time. Like for hours if I don't clear my throat or "accidentally" wake her up. Again, I'm concerned about safety here. Lastly, I'm not getting any feedback other that the occasional bark of "break it down" or "watch your turn". She's on her phone for hours at a time and I'm really feeling discouraged. I never met the fleet manager before we left but I'm thinking of calling him if I can get some private time tomorrow. Am I being reactive here or do I need to maybe find a different trainer?
Fleet Manager:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.PSD:
Prime Student Driver
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
The following is from Prime's website:
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
Obtain CDL Permit / 4 Days
On-the-Road Instruction / 10,000 Miles