Team Trainer Thoughts

So many people say, "You'll miss your trainer once you're solo!"

Well, I think back fondly to some good times we had, and he could be a helpful resource.

But honestly, I'll take my space and solitude any day. And when I do run into a problem, having a foundation from my trainer, I now learn more by working it out on my own, at my own pace. I understand why training is absolutely necessary; and I'm absolutely thrilled to be on the other side of it.

Trainers are a different breed that’s for sure. I’ll spend time helping out a new solo I run into but I’m not having strangers in the truck with me.

The trainer I had was an ass sometimes but he was a good teacher. I kept up with him for some time. He shared your sentiments about good and bad students

I hear what you are saying Matt. There are a lot of times now that I’m working out a problem for myself and learning from it. My trainer has to bite his tongue to stay out of it sometimes as he knows I’ll figure it out or I’ll ask him for advice.

I was fortunate to have a trainer that was a natural at teaching. I taught physical sports for over 10 years. I was the student that you described, very eager to learn, open minded, respectful but also very respectful of my trainers space. He said that I did a good job balancing out picking his brain for experience and knowledge with giving him personal space too. I had a very short time compared to others. I only had two weeks with a trainer. I still routinely talk with my trainer and seek advice.

One thing he said that sticks with me is that he said different people got different versions of him depending on how they were as people. Ive known people that got kicked off his truck and others that quit, claiming he was a horrible trainer, made them do all the work, etc....Theyre supposed to do all the work. We have such a short time with the trainer the way our program is scheduled.

My terminal manager and the top gun coordinator has repeatedly asked me to train once I have enough experience. I dont want to. I value my personal space too much and I cringe at the thought of being a passenger. Theres not enough money in the world for me to do it.

Yes when I go solo after a trainee upgrades I usually say "I'm never training again .ah the silence in a parked truck". But I genuinely get joy out of helping people. It just wears on me after awhile and I know I become cranky even when I don't mean to be.

It can be easy to forget what it feels like when you are new. You want to smack people for not reading signs and forgetting that they are still learning to watch those mirrors. You need to do both but at least they are trying some people don't do either 😂

I just posted a new video of watching a student back. He is hysterical.

I won't lie, my training was horrid. Until I got my third trainer. The first two were not meant to be teachers, whereas my third one was a natural teacher. I don't miss him, we speak on a very regular basis and if I ever have a problem or question, he is only a phone call away.

Even though I did a lot of training in my prior career, I can almost guarantee I will never be trainer on a truck. I just don't have it in me anymore. Oh and the fact that I had my son, whom I love and have known for all of his life lol on my truck for 2 weeks. About a week into it I just wanted to put him on a plane home.