"trainer" for all newbies ??

[echoy97]

After I get my CDL, if I dont have any OTR experience, do trucking company always put a trainer with newbie for a few weeks, even if I dont plan to do solo and no team otr ?

When the so-called trainer is with me, usually are 2 people take turn driving and keep the truck going non stop , just like team otr ? Or is he sitting on his ass all day and not doing any actual driving?

[Fozzy]

Actually the BEST training is for the trainer to be "sitting on his ass" watching you and helping you learn your new trade.

[kc0iv]

Actually the BEST training is for the trainer to be "sitting on his ass" watching you and helping you learn your new trade.

Fozzy,

You should said that with LARGE letters. That's what a trainer should do. No driving period.

kc0iv

[Fozzy]

mmmm..... Not exactly. The trainer is there to train and a part of training is to show the young charge, just how to perform the job correctly and to be there to instantly correct the behaviors and be able to demonstrate these behaviors by having the student observe the proper procedures. The problem is that most of the training cadre and primarily training for monetary rather than mentoring reasons. I think that there should be some sort of increased pay or at least benefits for a trainer. Be it better class of trucks or more COMPENSATED time off with their families. I HATE these programs where the trainer gets paid for miles that the student runs. IF the pay stopped when the trainer left the jump seat, then it would at least encourage the trainers to do their jobs for the right reasons.

[echoy97]

while me the newbie is driving, is the trainer supposed to be sitting in the passenger seat watching me ? What if he fall asleep, what do I do? Wake him up ?

[Malaki86]

I could never be a trainer at a company that did training as a team operation. 6 weeks with no sleep would be a little extreme. If I would ever train, I would want to be sitting in the passenger seat keeping an eye on things so I would at least know in advance when something is about to happen.

Sure beats being woke up by someone saying "Hey, you might want to come up here. This is gonna be a hell of a wreck."

[Windwalker]

I could never be a trainer at a company that did training as a team operation. 6 weeks with no sleep would be a little extreme. If I would ever train, I would want to be sitting in the passenger seat keeping an eye on things so I would at least know in advance when something is about to happen.

Sure beats being woke up by someone saying "Hey, you might want to come up here. This is gonna be a hell of a wreck."

Unfortunately, many of the CDL mills are just that. There are a few good places to go, but the people from many of them can't even find reverse on the shifter, much less know how to back up.

[4roses]

echoy97 .... give 'skywalker' a holler .... he's a Finisher/Trainer with CFI and seems to know what he's talking about.

[Uturn2001]

You will be suprised just how much you do not know coming out of CDL school. Even a good one can only teach you so much and the real world environment is a lot different than the school.

You should be placed with a trainer for a few weeks with your first company. Unfortunately there are some companies, both local and OTR, that will toss a newbie to the wolves and let them figure everything out for themselves. I have seen more than one driver park the truck where ever he is at and call a cab and go home or sit on the curb literally crying in frustration because they are in way over their heads.

As Fozzy said your trainer should be in the passenger seat while you are driving and not in the sleeper. By all rights the trainer should be alert and awake, but if he should doze off at least he is in easy ear shot in case you do have a question/problem. If he is in the sleeper it is very hard to make him hear you. Think driving a car and trying to talk to someone in the backseat and multiply that fun by 10.

[heavenbound]

Actually the BEST training is for the trainer to be "sitting on his ass" watching you and helping you learn your new trade.

Well said Fozzy, mine went to sleep within 75 miles after we took off with our first load.

[classicxl]

when i first started my trainer spent more time asleep in the bunk or watching tv than he did in the front of the truck.

[tken]

I would not go to work for a company if their trainers ran their trucks team. One of the reasons my wife and I choose CFI was the training program. For somebody new it is just too much to safely drive without an experienced driver in the seat next to you.