Trainer Kicked Me Off The Truck Tonight!

Haha I think I got it this time. It’s a little easier than backing a truck but not by much. Lol

I talked to TMC they are getting me another trainer. He said it might be difficult because they don’t have a lot of trainers in the southeast right now(I live in Charlotte) I told him I had family in Pennsylvania and if the trainer was close to there I could go to PA on the weekends. He seemed shocked by that. I just want to get out of training.

Offering to go out of your way to make this happen shows a lot about your character and commitment. Great move!!!

Offering to go out of your way to make this happen shows a lot about your character and commitment. Great move!!!

Yes it does! +1

I know we're supposed to have a soft touch these days, but I read posts like this and have to ask "so what?" My trainer and I would go days without a word between us, we just didn't get along real great. So what? I got what I needed from him and moved on-we haven't said two words to each other since the day I got off his truck. My trainer thought my backing was horrific and would shout and wave his arms too. So what? I'd hop out, run back and say I don't understand what he's trying to signal me, what do I need to do different. My trainer would also tell me that I should be doing a lot better for how long I'd been driving. So what? I actually agreed but then added what I was having a hard time with and question him about what he thought I should do to improve, then I'd hop back in and try to show that I was applying what he told me. My trainer also wanted to kick me off the truck my second week. So what? I sat down with him and hashed out what he wanted from me and what I needed to do to make it work (and I made it work.) My trainer never did a single pre trip. So what? I'd get up early and do one every morning anyway. My trainer would also just hang out in the bunk at times with his headphones on. So what? Every time he did that, it gave me the opportunity to try to learn on my own without him breathing down my neck. The trainer at my current company would call me an "idiot boy" every time I made a mistake. So what? I made the mistake, he called me out on it, and I stopped making mistakes.

This will probably get me deleted, but looking at your two backing examples, I know you think you're in the right, but are you? He wanted you to pull up and back out of the way. You didn't, he started waving his arms and instead of pulling up and trying again, you just stopped "since it was out of the way." The second example, he's right, you don't always have the space, what better time to practice a tight back than when you have the space to try it. Three tries and you give an excuse and give up? When he snapped back it in, why didn't you just say yep, hop in the seat, and keep trying till the trainer actually comes up and says "get the **** out of the truck, you'll never make it." (Exact words from my trainer, so what? I just said not making it wasn't the plan and could I keep trying.)

I know you're being lauded for your "commitment" here, but I'm not seeing it. You give up way too easy over the exact things thousands of us have gone through. Are you committed? The only way I'd have gotten off my trainers truck was if he was sexually abusing me. Since he wasn't, I fought tooth and nail to make it work even when he was throwing my bag off the truck.

Sorry I got a chuckle when "this is week two, we shouldn't be practicing you should have it down"

You'll be learning new things for years to come. Expect to be a competent backer in 6ish months sometimes more sometimes less. Until then, relax, don't hit nothing , and take your time.

And no.. Don't drive on crap tires.

I know you're being lauded for your "commitment" here, but I'm not seeing it. You give up way too easy over the exact things thousands of us have gone through. Are you committed? The only way I'd have gotten off my trainers truck was if he was sexually abusing me. Since he wasn't, I fought tooth and nail to make it work even when he was throwing my bag off the truck.

andhe78, I agree with your sentiment. I don't believe you would win any awards for sensitivity and tact, but if such awards existed I would be the last person they would allow to be the judge anyhow. I've been guilty of being insensitive far too many times in the past and it's something I've worked on in a big way.

That being said, I do agree with your advice and I think it's something Jay can benefit from.

Jay, you said:

He proceeds to chew me out again saying he didn’t understand why I couldn’t listen to simple instructions.he was Just real condescending and talking down to me. I just took it like I did the day before. I was so shook up I didn’t eat that day.

I think in this case, Jay, you're being overly sensitive. It is not normal or healthy to get so shaken up that you don't eat for an entire day. I've had family members pass away but I was able to eat after the funeral. Full disclosure, I'm Italian, and we're famous eaters. But still, you get my drift.

It's fantastic that you care so much about your performance, but in this industry, you will also need a thick skin at times. People are not patient with truck drivers, nor are they always nice. If you can shake that stuff off you'll keep your sanity, at least a little longer.

It can also be a safety issue. For instance, you're trying to get backed in off the street and cars are blowing their horn at you because they're impatient. If you're overly concerned with upsetting them you'll rush things, and may back into something. This is more common than you might expect. We don't like holding people up, but sometimes it's necessary. You're upsetting people, but there's nothing you can do but ignore them and get the job done safely.

So don't let yourself get bent out of shape. Staying cool under pressure is a huge part of this job. Start practicing it right away. It's actually a skill you can develop.

Go get em!

I'm hoping to get Gunny Hartman as a trainer.

It can also be a safety issue. For instance, you're trying to get backed in off the street and cars are blowing their horn at you because they're impatient.

I've joke with my wife that when people honk at me because I'm holding them up backing in, I get out of the truck and go to their window and say:

"I can't understand what you're saying."

When they yell, "move you're truck," I'll say "oh, you want me to get back in my truck and finish backing in? Are you sure? Because I just want to make sure that I'm doing what you want me to do."

When they roll their eyes and say "just finish backing in," I'll say "okay, just as long as we're on the same page." And give them the double thumbs up.

My wife thinks this will get me shot.

I'm hoping to get Gunny Hartman as a trainer.

Oh really now?

Come to CFI and you can be my first student. I dare you.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. My comment regarding character and commitment was focused only on his interaction with the company after the fact.

I know you're being lauded for your "commitment" here, but I'm not seeing it. You give up way too easy over the exact things thousands of us have gone through. Are you committed? The only way I'd have gotten off my trainers truck was if he was sexually abusing me. Since he wasn't, I fought tooth and nail to make it work even when he was throwing my bag off the truck.

andhe78, I agree with your sentiment. I don't believe you would win any awards for sensitivity and tact, but if such awards existed I would be the last person they would allow to be the judge anyhow. I've been guilty of being insensitive far too many times in the past and it's something I've worked on in a big way.

That being said, I do agree with your advice and I think it's something Jay can benefit from.

Jay, you said:

He proceeds to chew me out again saying he didn’t understand why I couldn’t listen to simple instructions.he was Just real condescending and talking down to me. I just took it like I did the day before. I was so shook up I didn’t eat that day.

I think in this case, Jay, you're being overly sensitive. It is not normal or healthy to get so shaken up that you don't eat for an entire day. I've had family members pass away but I was able to eat after the funeral. Full disclosure, I'm Italian, and we're famous eaters. But still, you get my drift.

It's fantastic that you care so much about your performance, but in this industry, you will also need a thick skin at times. People are not patient with truck drivers, nor are they always nice. If you can shake that stuff off you'll keep your sanity, at least a little longer.

It can also be a safety issue. For instance, you're trying to get backed in off the street and cars are blowing their horn at you because they're impatient. If you're overly concerned with upsetting them you'll rush things, and may back into something. This is more common than you might expect. We don't like holding people up, but sometimes it's necessary. You're upsetting people, but there's nothing you can do but ignore them and get the job done safely.

So don't let yourself get bent out of shape. Staying cool under pressure is a huge part of this job. Start practicing it right away. It's actually a skill you can develop.

Go get em!

Brett I understand what you’re saying. People honking their horn won’t bother me. In a messed up way I may enjoy that they are hacked off, because they gotta wait.

I really can’t explain this guy. All I needed was a minute to gather myself. It could’ve been done with me driving to setup again. My exact words to him were. I don’t understand how you’re trying to explain it, and I feel like you are being condescending towards me because I’m not getting it. At that point he snaps “you need to get off my truck I can’t train you. Call Noah (the training coordinator) it took me a minute to find his number I wasn’t fast enough so he made the call. He told the training coordinator he wanted me gone. At no point did I want to leave but why fight it at that point. I can honestly I never disrespected him I always did anything he told me to do. I never once raised my voice.

Honestly at this point I’m thinking he just didn’t like me. We were at a customer this week and there was another TMC truck there. You pulled in unloaded and then backed out. Well the driver backed out and screwed it all up. My trainer went right over and helped him get it right. He had been driving a little over a month. That guy got more instruction in ten minutes then I did in 9 days. lol

He might’ve had something going on at home, or he’s just burned out. He left his wallet at home the first week, so he was on the road without his license. He went in for service and lost his keys for an hour. The whole situation was odd. Our second load was rolled roofing there was no scale and the guy before us left got scaled came back overweight. I said should we get scaled. He said yes then once we were 5 minutes from the scale he goes I promise you we are fine and if we get a ticket I will pay it. Yesterday he left me secure the whole load. I loved it, but he never checked it. He asked did u do it? Perhaps I’m wrong but if I had 45,000 lbs of anything I wouldn’t trust a trainee’s word. I would at least check securement.