From A Trainer: Take This Seriously!

I just had a student removed from my truck due to safety issues. I honestly felt as though the student did not take trucking seriously, and did not appreciate how quickly accidents can happen.

I am going to write an article about it. But I wanted to write a quick reminder. You all want great trainers. . But great trainers want great students who understand safety and the ramifications of driving an 80k pound vehicle. I always have a waiting list of students. And this person wasted time I could have been helping someone else.

I always have a waiting list of students. And this person wasted time I could have been helping someone else.

I've been waiting on your training for years!

I'm going to prime in about 3 to 4 weeks. I'm taking someone's advice on here that said delete the things I think I know about trucking, and when I get there start fresh.

Hey kearney I found your YouTube last night. You got a sub from me.

I just had a student removed from my truck due to safety issues. I honestly felt as though the student did not take trucking seriously, and did not appreciate how quickly accidents can happen.

I am going to write an article about it. But I wanted to write a quick reminder. You all want great trainers. . But great trainers want great students who understand safety and the ramifications of driving an 80k pound vehicle. I always have a waiting list of students. And this person wasted time I could have been helping someone else.

Absolutely. A trainer puts their life in your hands. When you have just finished CDL school and have that fresh CDL, you know nothing. The trainer is teaching you how to drive, pre-trip, work your logs, submit paperwork, and so much more. You are with your trainer for a very short time. Then it's into your own truck and then you really start to learn.

I'm to be at Joplin, Mo. on Monday for orientation with CFI. Then, as I understand it 29 days with a trainer which is good, it's what I want. I have no solo time behind the wheel...........none at all. Maybe 60/70 miles total driving with either an instructor or state examiner. No solo time.

I want a good trainer. I want the 29 days training and have sought it out.

Ok, seems to me though the sword is a double edge, maybe? I'm an eager student, medium smart, 75 years old and been around some. Been thru learning to fly back in the stone ages. If it begins or ends with "Boat" I've done it for a long-long-long time in more than one country.

I'm no genius and sure as heck no when to ask for help and training. I want that real bad.

Ok, here's my question: How do I know I'm getting a trainer who wants to teach me as bad as I want to learn? I've been thru this with airplanes and boats. I've seen extremely good instructors ( trainers per se) and less than good ones as well.

Luck of the draw?

I'm to be at Joplin, Mo. on Monday for orientation with CFI. Then, as I understand it 29 days with a trainer which is good, it's what I want. I have no solo time behind the wheel...........none at all. Maybe 60/70 miles total driving with either an instructor or state examiner. No solo time.

I want a good trainer. I want the 29 days training and have sought it out.

Ok, seems to me though the sword is a double edge, maybe? I'm an eager student, medium smart, 75 years old and been around some. Been thru learning to fly back in the stone ages. If it begins or ends with "Boat" I've done it for a long-long-long time in more than one country.

I'm no genius and sure as heck no when to ask for help and training. I want that real bad.

Ok, here's my question: How do I know I'm getting a trainer who wants to teach me as bad as I want to learn? I've been thru this with airplanes and boats. I've seen extremely good instructors ( trainers per se) and less than good ones as well.

Luck of the draw?

Hate to tell you Mike but yes, luck of the draw. It's basically a crap shoot for both the trainee AND the trainer as evidenced by Kearsy here. You throw the dice and sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and other times you get just enough to break even. Good luck sir.

Miey B

Yeah, I guessed as much. I read what kearsey said with great interest because I've found what she wrote and your comments to be accurate as I know it from my experiance.

Back in the stone ages when I learned to fly I had an initial instructor who was terrible. Changed instructors and a whole new learning experiance opened up for me. Over many years I've taught people about boats and every aspect of a boat. I consider myself very good because I care and have been kidded alot about taking it too seriously and the like. However, I do care thus I try to conduct myself that way.

I have a friend who graduated the drivers school with me that's on the third trainer.

Again, I find Kearsey's and your comments to be taken to heart and I am concerned who for 29 days I'll be living in a box with and learning from.

Guess just wait and see, huh?

Well thank you. Check out my blog articles because I have written on major topics that affect newbies. Including bad trainers. I even have YouTube videos about them.

The truth is. You can learn from a bad trainer. If they are bad enough you will learn what not to do. Ex. Our member CK had a guy who ripped a door off by not GOAL ing. Got a ticket for speeding and tailgating,, and was late for a delivery

What did that teach him? Get out and look in every backing scenario. Slow down and give good following distance, leave early. And he even learned the procedures for reporting accidents without having one himself. He learned a lot from his bad trainer.

YOU are responsible for your training just as you will be responsible for your truck when solo. That means observing, asking questions, researching online (aka ask us lol cause other places can be idiots or liars)

Reach out to us when. You need help. Sometimes with Prime, there are specific management who deal with certain. Types of situations. Big Scott has connections at CFI and may be able to help with issues but we have to know ahead of time... not after a student cursed out the safety department supervisor lol.

Kearsey

Good stuff Great input

After graduating I went to orientation with a company that offered no on the road training at all. A week maybe ten day orientation, then, here's your truck, see ya. I was very uncomfortable with that and withdrew only after I got a little ****ed as well. At the school we learned to identify all the coupling areas BUT never actually coupled or uncoupled. At the orientation I was shown for maybe two minutes then had to couple the truck/trailer. I was slow and nervous because I had never done it before and the instructor became very impatient with me which actually really annoyed me.

There were other areas that we (at the school) had to identify but never actually did any of it. No way was I prepared to go on the road solo after the orientation and withdrew.

I think the schools are intended to get you the CDL. So much to learn that not covered by the school. I guess that's Ok but in my thinking the actual learning comes from on the road with (I hope) a good trainer.

I really want to get this right. I dont want to be somewhere and feel and look like a fool and even worse than that........... dangerous.

I really want to get this right. I dont want to be somewhere and feel and look like a fool

Mike, I'm never sure if I should make remarks to you or not. But I'm going to. We've all become familiar with your dilemma. You have to realize that nobody is going to train you long enough so that you are confident and comfortable with your abilities. You did the right thing by quitting your first job. I think we would all agree on that, but I can never tell if you understand how important it is that you realize your own responsibility in this training process.

There's not a one of us who felt like we were polished off and ready to go after our training. We were far from it and we all made a few rookie mistakes. The economics of this business just don't allow for a really complete training process. Prime goes overboard, yet even Rainy made some costly rookie mistakes. Rookies are just inexperienced. That means they don't even know what they don't know. They're a little klutzy with a big rig. They're excited and anxious, and oftentimes their adrenaline gets the best of them.

There are going to be times when you feel like a fool. It's a common rookie experience. The mindset that you bring to this is vital to your success. Part of that mindset has to be determination. You will determine whether you get this or not. Don't place too much importance on your trainer's ability.

I had a terrible trainer, but the thing that became important for me was that buffer of a time period that I was with them. Make sure you are learning on your own. My trainer was generally asleep while I was driving, but if I needed him I would wake him up. I think I woke him twice during the four weeks we were together. I was determined to develop myself into a professional. I had that four weeks to work on it while someone was there with me. So I took advantage of that time.

We've been known to liken truck driver training to the experience of learning to ride a bicycle with training wheels. Once those training wheels are removed the new rider will still topple himself a few times. Hopefully he learned enough so he's not dangerous, but he's still a little clumsy with the bicycle. Does that make sense? I hope it does. Here's an article on this subject. I hope you'll take the time to read it.

What Should I Expect To Learn From My Trainer?