Training Blues

So I have made it to the the phase of my training and I feel I am trying hard on my shifts the first 8 days I have a average of 598 miles a shift with wait time at shippers. My trainer is teaching me stuff but he does not shower or change his clothes he has taken 1 shower and changed once sense we headed out he even sleeps in the same clothes. I have no problem with hard work or night or day driving we put down 7200 miles so far and I think he is milking his drive shifts. Is it wrong to ask for a new trainer. I don’t like to give up on things it’s only been 8 days with him

How long are you scheduled to be with this trainer? How bad does he stink?

Every company should "train" (educate) their trainers. Personal hygiene should be part of the education. There are a number of trainers on this forum, and I can't believe that any one of them ignores personal hygiene.

I would ask for another trainer. That's disgusting.

If you like this trainer I would stop during your drive time and take a shower on your own.

I used to train and it would be showers every other day at most.

Suck it up and get through it. I know it seems hard right now, but this is a very short phase in your journey. If he is actually training you, and you are learning, stick with it. You have no idea how bad the next guy could be.

It’s not the company. I love to drive have been doing it my hole life just not cdl . I am not a 22 year old just learning his way around. I have logged over 600k none cdl in both straight truck and hot shots have made my share of mistakes along the way and will make a lot more sorry I came across like I was whining. 50k with him is just a bump in the road I guess.. FYI he told me today when I asked him about how often he showers. That he has lost his last three students do to this but hopes I will ride it out with him because I run hard and problem solve on my own. P.s I don’t think I am a that great at this yet but far from a streering wheel holder I have bumped e Rey dock we dropped at and do all my own city driving .

Uh, :) suggest wet naps or whatever they're called. Wipes... and plenty of changes of clothing. Of course, this only works if you're not to lazy to change your clothes. ha ha

It had been 25 years since I'd driven over the road. I don't even remember what I did back then. My first trainer suggested Wipes, and I was like, oh, cool. It hadn't crossed my mind. And I do bring along plenty of changes of clothing. So, if I do not make it to the laundry often, I will at least not be wearing the same pieces of clothing to often. Oh, lol, and a mess load of socks. I've got so many socks it's pathetic. :)

I also have a large bowl and plenty of water onboard, soap, wash clothes. So, there are ways to stay generally clean, for anyone who is having this problem and needs a solution. A little clean up every now and then is a whole lot better than nothing at all. A little wipe down won't kill you and you'll feel a million bucks better.

It sounds like you already had a conversation about this with him. Did it resolve anything?? If he has lost other students due to this one would think he would get the hint. Sounds like you are doing ok. Maybe I’m a bit different, but not showering in 8 days, espically this time of year. No way. That is very uncalled for. I get the impression he is probably a lease operator for your company.

I suggest you have a tactfull discussion with him and broker a deal over it. If he wants you to stick it out, then he can shower every couple days. It won’t hurt the miles, espically since it sounds like ya’ll are teaming it.

I run hard solo but still find time to fit a shower in every other day. There is no freight that important to comprise basic hygeine.

Just think for a second what kind of impression he is making with customers. Without customers we aren’t needed. Customers will call companies and tell them to never send a certain driver back to them for various reasons.

If you approach this tactfully maybe it will help your situation, and maybe even get him to realize there is more to his actions. Or maybe not.. But your only responsible for your efforts, not his.

Good luck with it

Sounds like my first trainer, except the running hard part. He just ran short runs from truck stop to truck stop to watch tv.

Slept in his clothes, never saw him shower or change. But we were home every weekend.

Are you getting to take a shower? If so, or if you can live with baby wipes and sponge baths then I would say suck it up and get it over with as long as there are no other issues.

If he doesn't know about team showers, they are 2 for the price of one. If he won't take showers regularly, why? Have you asked that? Have you told him he stinks? I can't stand bad body odor and some truckers can be smelled from several feet away. I could not live in a truck with someone who didn't shower. If talking to him doesn't work, get some fabreeze and spray him and the truck with it. Tell him that will be your last step. It is not whining to not want to live with a nasty trainer. As a trainer, I tell my students day one, that I shower every day and they can too. To let the other know if they start to smell. Good luck.

When I was in classroom training, the instructor, a no-nonsense woman, told us a little story. The previous class had a student who smelled like road kill. And this was while he was staying in a motel with hot water and a private shower. She pulled him out of class one day and made him go back to the motel to clean up. He was told not to come back until he showered and did his laundry. Imagine having to team drive with a guy like that! Some people are born in basements and never brought up.