Failed Werner Now Heading To Swift

Hey everyone,

Need some general advice. First my name is Chris and I am a new CDL holder just trying to find my way in trucking. I will humble myself that I am new and know barely anything about trucking but open to learning and trying my best. I finished with Roadmaster and was hired by Werner. I went with a trainer and he was a nice guy. I had a lot of problems with my backing (45) and my trainer let me back sometimes albeit not nearly enough in my opinion. I mostly drove straight down the interstate for my training for 4 1/2 weeks. I went back to the terminal tried to test out but didn’t do very well and was released (exact words used). I felt bad about myself and thought maybe I was hopeless. The next day started applying for jobs and narrowed it down to Swift and start their driver orientation training October 7th. My thought was will I ever be able to get the backing aspect of trucking technique? Werner was quick to dismiss me and I didnt feel good about it, however its not my nature to bash anyone and I take full responsibility as an adult that I need to get better. Does anyone have any advice for me going forward? I really want to do this job and open to do whatever it takes. Thank you all in advance...

When they released you, what was said about paying for the training you received? How many chances did Werner give you to test? What was their reason when they said they were releasing you?

Backing is a hard part of the training equation and most all companies will give you several chances as long as you are improving or realizing your mistakes.

Laura

Hey everyone,

Need some general advice. First my name is Chris and I am a new CDL holder just trying to find my way in trucking. I will humble myself that I am new and know barely anything about trucking but open to learning and trying my best. I finished with Roadmaster and was hired by Werner. I went with a trainer and he was a nice guy. I had a lot of problems with my backing (45) and my trainer let me back sometimes albeit not nearly enough in my opinion. I mostly drove straight down the interstate for my training for 4 1/2 weeks. I went back to the terminal tried to test out but didn’t do very well and was released (exact words used). I felt bad about myself and thought maybe I was hopeless. The next day started applying for jobs and narrowed it down to Swift and start their driver orientation training October 7th. My thought was will I ever be able to get the backing aspect of trucking technique? Werner was quick to dismiss me and I didnt feel good about it, however its not my nature to bash anyone and I take full responsibility as an adult that I need to get better. Does anyone have any advice for me going forward? I really want to do this job and open to do whatever it takes. Thank you all in advance...

This is not the end of the road for you my friend!!! Never forget that and don’t let being let go stop you. I quit TMC over my trainer and backing. I did far worse than you!

You have such an postive attitude about it. Just take this time to rest and go to swift and try again.

When I found my now company U.S Xpress I was more motivated than ever to get backing down. And I did. I argued with my second trainer I needed to practice alone by myself and while he didn’t like it. He allowed me to do my thing until I more understood the concepts.

Now I have been with U.S Xpress for 6 months solo walmart dedicated and I’m in the top 10% of drivers making as of now $1400-1700 a week gross. Has changed my life. Get back out there!

When they released you, what was said about paying for the training you received? How many chances did Werner give you to test? What was their reason when they said they were releasing you?

Backing is a hard part of the training equation and most all companies will give you several chances as long as you are improving or realizing your mistakes.

Laura

They gave me two tries to get it and I did get it in the box but they said it took me too long. I didnt know it was a speed contest and I thought as long as I got it in there and didnt hit anything that those were the most important points? They didnt say anything else and I got paid for this whole time so it was shocking to me but it is what it is. I will come back refreshed and ready to learn with Swift. I was improving but probably not as fast as they wanted is my guess.

Hey everyone,

Need some general advice. First my name is Chris and I am a new CDL holder just trying to find my way in trucking. I will humble myself that I am new and know barely anything about trucking but open to learning and trying my best. I finished with Roadmaster and was hired by Werner. I went with a trainer and he was a nice guy. I had a lot of problems with my backing (45) and my trainer let me back sometimes albeit not nearly enough in my opinion. I mostly drove straight down the interstate for my training for 4 1/2 weeks. I went back to the terminal tried to test out but didn’t do very well and was released (exact words used). I felt bad about myself and thought maybe I was hopeless. The next day started applying for jobs and narrowed it down to Swift and start their driver orientation training October 7th. My thought was will I ever be able to get the backing aspect of trucking technique? Werner was quick to dismiss me and I didnt feel good about it, however its not my nature to bash anyone and I take full responsibility as an adult that I need to get better. Does anyone have any advice for me going forward? I really want to do this job and open to do whatever it takes. Thank you all in advance...

This is not the end of the road for you my friend!!! Never forget that and don’t let being let go stop you. I quit TMC over my trainer and backing. I did far worse than you!

You have such an postive attitude about it. Just take this time to rest and go to swift and try again.

When I found my now company U.S Xpress I was more motivated than ever to get backing down. And I did. I argued with my second trainer I needed to practice alone by myself and while he didn’t like it. He allowed me to do my thing until I more understood the concepts.

Now I have been with U.S Xpress for 6 months solo walmart dedicated and I’m in the top 10% of drivers making as of now $1400-1700 a week gross. Has changed my life. Get back out there!

Thank you so much for your kinds words. When it just happened I was sad and thought this was the end for me. I take a day to think and assess and told some trucker student friends and they said they would curse Werner or be really angry at how I was treated. I do not want to go that route since its not a route that a man should take. The responsibility to learn backing is solely on me and nobody else, I need to step up and come through with more practice at Swift. Swift says they will give me 80 backing maneuvers to complete while training 80, as opposed to the 6-8 I got when training with Werner. All I want is to get good at backing and make money and I don’t care if I have to be OTR for however long I am willing to pay my dues and get my experience. I just hope Swift will be the company to elevate me to the next level and when I get a family I can think about local but first things first, get backing down and back to business. Thank you so much again I will fuel my fire to be confident and ready October 7th...

Okay, here's the thing you need to realize while you are in training: It's YOUR training. If you feel you aren't being instructed, taught, shown, or demonstrated something fully enough to have at least a better than basic grasp on anything, bring it to the attention of the first one in the training chain--the trainer. If that doesn't meet the results you seek, talk with the next person up the line: a dispatcher , a training department representative, operations department personnel....whomever.

Backing is a hands-on, doing it yourself proposition. The theories and techniques can be read, observed, and talked about endlessly. Where the rubber meets the road though, is by doing it. It's the only way to learn it in the real world.

Stressing this again: It's your training. If you feel you need more of it for any aspect, speak up and get it resolved. You're not going to master everything during a brief time sharing a truck by no means. You do need to be instructed in the basics to have a grasp on these during the training cycle, though. Stand up for your education at your next opportunity so you don't repeat the ending you had with Werner.

So I’m a newbie also got my CDL in June of this year. I struggled with my backing at school but managed to pass the maneuver test. I took a job at a local dairy as a yard driver...lol 😝😳🙃🙂... and I’m glad I did. All you do around here is back up!! My backing has improved 💯! It actually isn’t a bad job...pay is ok and benefits are great. I’m gonna stick around for a little while anyways and consider to hone my backing skills. I guess my point is don’t give up and don’t beat yourself up....it’ll come to you

When I was a trainer for Werner a few years ago the students would have a sheet with a bunch of lines on it. Each line was to be filled out with a backing, what type it was, and location. Somewhere around 25 ti 30 lines. Does this sound familiar?

You need to go out with a trainer and do what the program is telling you to do and if you're not doing it, get another trainer. There's a lot of bad trainers out there.

I’ve read along and it sounds to me like the OP was being trained by a lease operator. I have seen the scenario he described before, too many times. They usually tell the student they are paying for the fuel and only do enough to sign them off. I’m sorry a handful of backing situations is not even close to enough, my opinion.

Sid Roehl did the same thing back in my day. The trainer had to fill out the log sheet specifically to do with backing. I think it was 40 or so, but was also a 9-14 day period with the trainer. Either way I was lucky and had great trainers. They both had me doing at least 5-6 backs a day usually more.

Okay, here's the thing you need to realize while you are in training: It's YOUR training. If you feel you aren't being instructed, taught, shown, or demonstrated something fully enough to have at least a better than basic grasp on anything, bring it to the attention of the first one in the training chain--the trainer. If that doesn't meet the results you seek, talk with the next person up the line: a dispatcher , a training department representative, operations department personnel....whomever.

Backing is a hands-on, doing it yourself proposition. The theories and techniques can be read, observed, and talked about endlessly. Where the rubber meets the road though, is by doing it. It's the only way to learn it in the real world.

Stressing this again: It's your training. If you feel you need more of it for any aspect, speak up and get it resolved. You're not going to master everything during a brief time sharing a truck by no means. You do need to be instructed in the basics to have a grasp on these during the training cycle, though. Stand up for your education at your next opportunity so you don't repeat the ending you had with Werner.

Gee thanks. I am trying my best not everyone has a perfect situation or can master backing so well. Good for you man. I will do my thing...