Trainer Shortage?

I think Big Scott stated that he didn’t want to share his sleeper with a student. I would feel the same way as Scott. I’m nowhere near being qualified to train, but I love the teaching aspect of it.

If there is a shortage of trainers, as I’ve heard in my company, why don’t they put the trainees up in motels every night during their on the road training?

Also if they did that I would send the trainee out to do the pre trip and clean the truck while I took a hot shower, made coffee and took advantage of the complimentary breakfast

You'd be showering in your trainees motel room? If you both stayed in the motel you'd still be sharing a room. Why pay for a motel when they already pay for the truck?

The trainee wouldn’t be allowed to have coffee or breakfast? I guess that would be one way to build a relationship between trainer and trainee.

I think Big Scott stated that he didn’t want to share his sleeper with a student. I would feel the same way as Scott. I’m nowhere near being qualified to train, but I love the teaching aspect of it.

If there is a shortage of trainers, as I’ve heard in my company, why don’t they put the trainees up in motels every night during their on the road training?

Also if they did that I would send the trainee out to do the pre trip and clean the truck while I took a hot shower, made coffee and took advantage of the complimentary breakfast

Response to first part:

I think that based on your humility expressed here, you are probably closer to being ready to train a new driver than that for which you give yourself credit. This is not based on any knowledge that I have of your ability as driver, nor any knowledge that I have of driving period. It's actually based on what I have observed in your posts here. You speak your mind, but you have no problem owning your own faults. There are drivers who are probably excellent drivers, but they have not one single training bone in their bodies because of personality and/or temperament. From my own experience of being a trainer in other fields, an effective trainer doesn't have a big ego and is willing to let others learn from one's own mistakes. Bruce, once you nail down what you need in the aspects of trucking to be efficient and productive, I think you have the potential to be a fine trainer.

Response to second question:

Money.

The trainee wouldn’t be allowed to have coffee or breakfast? I guess that would be one way to build a relationship between trainer and trainee.

Ok, let me clarify. The trainee had coffee and breakfast. Then I do the same if feasible. And Mikey, no I would not share the same motel room with a trainee.

Mikey, on a personal note, please tone down your constant negativity. I like your comments and highly respect your knowledge but please find something positive to say occasionally

Completely agree with what Mikey said. Why in fact would a company pay for a motel room when you have room in a truck? All part of the experience.

I think Big Scott stated that he didn’t want to share his sleeper with a student. I would feel the same way as Scott. I’m nowhere near being qualified to train, but I love the teaching aspect of it.

If there is a shortage of trainers, as I’ve heard in my company, why don’t they put the trainees up in motels every night during their on the road training?

Also if they did that I would send the trainee out to do the pre trip and clean the truck while I took a hot shower, made coffee and took advantage of the complimentary breakfast

Response to first part:

I think that based on your humility expressed here, you are probably closer to being ready to train a new driver than that for which you give yourself credit. This is not based on any knowledge that I have of your ability as driver, nor any knowledge that I have of driving period. It's actually based on what I have observed in your posts here. You speak your mind, but you have no problem owning your own faults. There are drivers who are probably excellent drivers, but they have not one single training bone in their bodies because of personality and/or temperament. From my own experience of being a trainer in other fields, an effective trainer doesn't have a big ego and is willing to let others learn from one's own mistakes. Bruce, once you nail down what you need in the aspects of trucking to be efficient and productive, I think you have the potential to be a fine trainer.

Response to second question:

Money.

Kerry, thanks for that comment. Here in TT I have learned so much more from my fellow participants than I learned in training. I have learned from both criticism and encouragement. I have learned from experienced drivers and newbys. Success in life is not so much about money as it is about learning and continuing education. I don’t make a lot of money in trucking, but I’m happy in the profession . My desire is to help young people who are interested in this line of work to get a good start and have a resource to rely upon.

Completely agree with what Mikey said. Why in fact would a company pay for a motel room when you have room in a truck? All part of the experience.

Bird, why not pay for a motel room if they can get more trainers on board? If a company needs a trainer for a female and all they have available are males, they pay for a motel room for the female. I’m just saying that my company is begging for trainers but potential trainers won’t sign on because the value their privacy. Motel rooms are the easy solution IMHO.

Bruce, I'm sorry that not all of my posts make you feel all warm and fuzzy. I see absolutely nothing negative in what I wrote.

So not only are you expecting the company to pay for the truck which has 2 beds, you expect them to pay for 2 rooms every night so you don't have to share your truck or a motel room. Also, why would it be your trainees responsibility to clean the truck each morning while you relaxed?

I know during my training with Schneider, my trainer who had something like 24 years of experience was training me and another guy and our OTR part of the training was split for drive time. But since the truck only had two beds, me and the other guy got a hotel room every night.

But due to the nature of our job, finding a parking area with a hotel available isn’t possible everywhere in the country and could limit the amount of miles you can drive in a day, wasting more time the next by being forced to park earlier so you can be somewhere with a hotel that has truck parking or a truck stop with a hotel nearby.

I don’t think the biggest problem is sharing a truck with someone, I think a lot of people don’t want to be trainers for a number of reasons. But I’m sure it could help some people become trainers, but cost the company a lot of unnecessary money for rooms every night for the trainee.