Trainer Kicked Me Off The Truck Tonight!

I am so busy right now I simply don't have the time to comment on this current turn in this conversation. But... when I can I'm going to return and add my thoughts to two things Brett said. They are excellent points, and I share his understanding of them.

They are...

1) Your decisions and your resilience will determine your fate.

2) A moral victory doesn't pay the mortgage.

Isabell and Jay, one thing you guys will see about this forum is how direct, and honest people on this forum are. We all donate our time to help those considering entering the industry get a realistic idea of what this industry is all about. Most of us on this forum love this career which is more of a lifestyle. With that said there are also things I absolutely hate about it. The biggest thing that bothers me is how we're viewed as a whole due to the way a few drivers act. I'm thankful I don't need to find a place to sleep in my truck overnight because parking seems to be getting harder to find. For example, You used to be able to park overnight at Walmart but now that's hard to find a store that will allow it. A lot of it has to due with drivers driving over curbs and grass, and leaving their trash on the ground even though they're 10 feet from a trash can. 2 weeks ago i found a pile of fresh human excrement at a rest area. This driver didn't want to walk the 50 feet inside to use the restroom so they crawled under their trailer. Things like that are also why more shippers refuse to let you stay after you're loaded/unloaded. I'm not saying you aren't cut out for this, honestly I'd love to see more women drivers on the road. I've gone to shippers and been told I cant use their restroom due to how some drivers leave them. I've been yelled at by a receiver because I didnt know the way they handle things there. One day I was told to back into door 41, as I'm about to walk away I always double check "door 41 right?". After a half hour I got a phone call yelling at me for going to the wrong door that they said door 14. As much as we all hate being treated like crap unfortunately it happens quite a bit. I've checked in at a receiver and just asked if they had an idea of how long it'd take so I could decide if I was going to nap and got yelled at to go sit in my truck and wait. Once you get on the road and see some of the characters that we're sharing the roads you'll understand why shippers/receivers treat us this way. Usually I can change the mood by remaining professional but other times it just angers them more.

It is good to practice backing in a empty lot and pretend there isn't a lot of room because your trainer was right there will not always be.

The two yards I trained in for OD had plenty of room to hook a set, my first day on my own the terminal did not and it was a struggle for me. Had I practiced in close quarters instead of open acres I would have been better prepared.

Even now once and awhile I pretend I do not have as much room as I do by so I can practice tight quarters backing as you never know when you will need it.

Thanks for sharing your POV, Isabelle. I totally agree with you. I think, based on my personal set of values, there are certain ways people should act and certain ways people should treat each other. Respect, compassion, kindness...yes please!

I do what I can to make sure I'm around people like that as much as possible. Unfortunately, as I'm sure you're aware, sometimes we have to deal with people who dont think the same as we do. So we bite our tongues and try to remain pleasant until that person is gone. Being with a difficult trainer is not easy, and in a perfect world we would get trainers who are perfectly suited for us as individuals.

My following opinion here might not be too popular: If the situation is toxic, such as it is impossible for the student to learn from their trainer, I dont think its necessarily a bad thing to request another trainer in particularly bad situations. If you can afford to wait for another trainer that is.

I dont think anyone on TT expects a student to stay with an abusive trainer under extreme conditions. The takeaway from the advice given here is that sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone in order to achieve your goals. Sometimes you must adapt to a set of circumstances that you find unpleasant. As a favorite song of mine says, "(sometimes you have to) Light the fires of paradise with coals from hell..."

Isabell & Jay,

Old School and Brett both pointed out resilience as a required, necessary trait and mindset to survive and thrive out here. Truck driving perhaps more that any other non-military and sports related profession, epitomizes the definition and essence of resilience. "Truth", the hard cold, unforgiving truth.

I do not want to steal Old School's thunder, not the intent. Hopefully setting the tone for his reply so you both begin to think about how your personalities will need to adjust to each and every moving part of this business. The inverse of that will not happen; the industry and the people in it (including trainers), will not adjust to you.

Hey RealDiehl, we have have more in common, my favorite band as well.

Light the fires of paradise with coals from hell..."

Foolish Heart

Hey RealDiehl, we have have more in common, my favorite band as well.

Light the fires of paradise with coals from hell..."

Foolish Heart

Amazing! Never thought anyone would pick up on such an obscure song reference. Truthfully, I like "Built To Last" more, but "Foolish Heart" gave me the quote I needed. Lol!

Peace, brother!

I'm new in trucking, still in TNT training.

That being said, I really hope I never become so jaded that I fail to show another person common decency, whether I'm training them or otherwise.

But it appears trucking is a different industry, where that isn't really important; perhaps that is why there are some who only thrive in the cab of a tractor. It's unfortunate, but it's the brutal truth, and thick skin is required.

So for the other newbies, just know there are others who are feeling your pain. LOL

I'm glad I have the God-given ability to choose how I will be on any given day!

Cheers all!!

Tolerance is important but it needs to go both ways. As a student you need to understand that what you are doing can become life or death very quickly. And sometimes trainers do not handle it well.

I'm going to speak solely from my experience. I wasn't there so I'm not going to judge Jay or his trainer.

Out of the thirty or so students I've trained eight or nine came from other trainers. I was trainer number five for one student. The story is almost always the same. "My previous trainer was a jerk and wasn't training me." Rarely does the student admit any responsibility for the mutual failure. Based on my interactions there were only two that I could tell were probably accurate. You can tell if a student is eager or st least willing to put in the work to learn what they need to. I can show and instruct, but I cannot force someone to learn.

I also make it very clear before a student ever puts their bags on my truck what the expectations are and how things work. We are adults and I expect people to act accordingly. I do not yell, curse, name call etc. I tell them what needs to be done and they either do it or they are off the truck.

Professional attitude is expected no matter what the other person did. As was pointed out you will deal with other drivers and customers that are having bad days or lack people skills. We still have a job to do regardless.

As was also pointed out most of the trainers out here are barely figuring this out themselves. They have a minimum amount of experience and have managed to not hit anything in that time frame. We're not really trained how to train. It creates a stressful situation on both ends. Most of the time we are just hoping this isn't the student that turns my wife into a widow.

Sorry for the book.

I enjoyed reading your "book", Big T! A very accurate post.