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Calamity
Joined: 29 Jan 2007
Posts: 6
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:47 pm Post subject: Female Trainers |
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I just graduated from drivers school and am in the process of finding a company to drive for. Out of respect for my husband's wishes, I have agreed to train with a female only. I am discovering that female trainers are few and far between. Any suggestions?
Calamity |
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glasman2
Joined: 02 Dec 2006
Posts: 495
Location: Tri-Cities Washington
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| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:59 pm Post subject: |
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It's all about trust...
What is he going to say when you have to stay the night at a T/S?
Are the two of you going to team?
If you are.... can he be your trainer? |
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Calamity
Joined: 29 Jan 2007
Posts: 6
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject: Women Trainers |
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He realizes many nights will be spent at the T/S. Seems that doesn't bother him. I guess it's the fact that I would be spending 24/7 in the tractor with a man. I know what you're saying about the trust thing, and I have to agree with you. Thanks
Calamity |
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glasman2
Joined: 02 Dec 2006
Posts: 495
Location: Tri-Cities Washington
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| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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Who are you planning to work for?
There are lady trainers, but waiting for 1 may make you wait a few weeks before you head out.
If we knew who your were going to work for , someone might have an answer for you.
I've talked to a few lady drivers in my ventures at T/S's that have driven for years. Didn't asked if they trained, got a couple of names and truck numbers and I could get a hold of them and find out. There again it depends on who you want to work for.
Doesn't help much if your not going to work for their company. |
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Calamity
Joined: 29 Jan 2007
Posts: 6
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:11 pm Post subject: Women Trainers |
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| So far I've looked into Crete, May, Gordon, and Andrus. Andrus hasn't really impressed me much. Oh, and, by the way, my husband doesn't drive.....yet. |
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rickll
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Posts: 94
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| Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 8:52 am Post subject: |
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I can understaind him not wanting your trainer to be a man, covenant, and werner, has some women trainers ... if he does not drive ... have you looked into getting trained together, that is what my wife and i did and it worked out great.
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Calamity
Joined: 29 Jan 2007
Posts: 6
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:43 am Post subject: |
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| I wish we could train together, but hubby still has to go through school. He won't be able to go OTR until he's done raising his 15 yr. old son. By that time, I'll be his trainer! |
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Oakdancer
Joined: 26 Jan 2007
Posts: 53
Location: Oneida, TN
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| Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Tell him they've got you something even better than a female trainer - a gay male, about 6' 2" who moonlights as a bouncer during his home time - so he won't have to worry about you in the sleeper OR out at the T/S. Then, go hit the road! LOL |
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ottawa
Joined: 11 Nov 2006
Posts: 11
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
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| Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 9:06 am Post subject: Re: Female Trainers |
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Calamity wrote: I just graduated from drivers school and am in the process of finding a company to drive for. Out of respect for my husband's wishes, I have agreed to train with a female only. I am discovering that female trainers are few and far between. Any suggestions?
Calamity
I do have same problem |
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Shebear
Joined: 12 Jun 2006
Posts: 103
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| Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:52 pm Post subject: Hello Calamity |
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This is Shebear, and last fall Calamity wrote me about Christian women OTR, and now I can commiserate about the lack of women trainers with the major companies.
There have been so many sexual harassment complaints that I've heard of the wives of trainers and the husbands of students having to sign waivers that they will not object to their spouses being in that cab with a person of the opposite sex.
Plus I have heard of FALSE charges laid against women by the men whom the women complained about!
I wish the answer were WOMEN TRAINERS. But having met a couple of lesbians at one company, I tried a young man, but he had OTHER problems.
Then I tried a nice straight gal in her mid-thirties, and I was her first student in a team situation. After two days she decided she was too bored to let someone else do the driving. She also admitted she suffered from night blindness, so couldn't drive at night as she was required to do two weeks. So since she couldn't drive at night, and I wasn't supposed to drive at night yet, we had a problem. She decided the whole thing was a bad idea, and wanted to drop me off at a terminal with my stuff after less than a week. She was also sick with bronchitis, and I caught that from her so had to leave my training anyway. It was better to be home for three weeks than stuck in a motel sick.
Now I'm trying to line up another job. My situation is a little unique as I'm an American living part of the time in Canada. But EVERYWHERE the shortage of female trainers (experienced female trainers, I would hope!) is a problem.
Also bear in mind that the slowdown of the U.S. economy means less freight movement, MEANS LONGER STAYS WITH THE TRAINER IN THAT TRUCK, if the trainee has to rack up a minimum number of miles driven.
There is NO WAY I'm going in a truck with a perfect stranger again for 3 to 5 months, as some of the female trainees I met have had to do. And then they have had to switch trainers 5 or six times in that period.
It's a terrible system, and I don't think the trucking industry cares what people are going through. No, they don't care. |
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4roses
Joined: 28 Aug 2004
Posts: 2010
Location: BrokenArrow, Oklahoma
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| Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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Shebear -""a terrible system, and I don't think the trucking industry cares what people are going through. No, they don't care.""
.... that really isn't a fair statment ... this profession is no different from any other profession - - - it is what a person makes it. ... No one every said it was going to be easy ... this has been a males profession for all these years and females are just starting to jump on board ... I joined this profession back in the early 90's ... it wasn't easy but I never had any problems with the males on the road ... only respect.
Shebear ... I'm sorry for the problems you seem to come up on with your training ... but .. maybe you should consider talking to CFI out of Joplin, Mo. ... True .. they only have a couple of female trainers but that hasn't stopped many many females from going out with their male trainers and getting the training they need to graduate to the next level of getting their own tractor assigned to them .... sure ... not everyone is going to get along with each other .... and sure ... CFI makes the trainer and the student sign an agreement stating there will be no body contact of any kind during their training ... Which this is to protect the trainer as well as the student .... It's a known fact that some females make faults statements against their male trainers ... which isn't fair to the male trainer. If females would realize that .. the male trainers value their job, their family back home and their reputation just as female students do ... it would help everyone concerned. ... Just because we were born female - doesn't mean that every male that crosses our path in life wants to have body contact with us .... ................. Now that being said .... yes - there has been some real jerks and bad/nasty remarks and inappropriate touching toward some female students .... The true story will never be told on what and why things went wrong on a truck ... because humans find it much easier to blame the 'other' person for when something doesn't go their way. ......
I personally when out with a male trainer for my refresher ... and was extremely happy and pleased with his respect and consideration he showed me while on his truck .... I know for a fact that CFI screens 'all' their trainers ... before they can go through the process of being a trainer they have to have the min of 100,000 accident free miles with the company which also gives the company time to get to know their employees..... I would rather be trained by a male than a female for the sole purpose that its very hard for 2 females to live in a small space as the truck .. it's a known fact that 2 women can't cook in the same kitchen and it's even harder for 2 to live and drive in the same tractor ... It's just nature ... that's just the way it is.
Good luck finding a company that is good for you ... I'm extremely please with CFI ... top equipment, DOT knows the quality of our maintenance and the frequency of the update on the equipment so we usually get a 'by pass' on the scales, the company pays good and treats their drivers as humans and not just a number. .... they do go into Canada so if you need to get there to see family or what every ... you'll have the change to do so. .... Good Luck in the future. |
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yoopr
Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 12866
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| Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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| scuze the interrupt but just wanted to say Hey Roses |
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4roses
Joined: 28 Aug 2004
Posts: 2010
Location: BrokenArrow, Oklahoma
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| Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Hello yooper ... been busy working ... just slowed down tonight to catch up on what's been going on .... :wink: |
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Soladad
Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 372
Location: Vancouver, Washington
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| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with what for4Roses said about female trainers. I trained with 2 men. Had no problems with either of them because I entered their trucks with respect for them, their knowledge and their trucks along with a desire to learn.
These men put their jobs on the line to train us gals and I am grateful to them. I have been asked to train but have decided against it since I really do not like having anyone in my space (truck) and I don't do mornings well. I love to teach but having another female in such close quarters is just not my cup of tea.
Training is such a short period of time. One needs to be a bit flexible. Just realize that the trucking world will remain a male dominated work place therefore there will always be more male trainers than women trainers.
If you can't get along or have problems with a male trainer then speak up and let the company know. Changes can be made. I have been fortunate and have remain friends with both of my male trainers. One of my trainers to this day (one year later) will still answer my questions by phone. The other trainer and I still speak to each other when our paths cross. He is not a trainer that will answer questions once you leave his truck. How things work out depends on your attitude during training.
Soladad |
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tnet
Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Posts: 2
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: |
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Hello everyone. My husband and I are going through this together and will have to be separated for the driving part of the training. I have also requested a female trainer. I'm not sure if they will have one for me but they seemed to be willing to work out what they could. While my husband and I would both feel better with me having a female trainer, I will be fine with a male trainer. As stated above, I will show them the respect they deserve as a trainer and in return, hopefully they will give me the respect I deserve as someone that is willing to learn and wanting to make this a career.
This is a great site and I have learned so much. Most questions that I have had have been answered in some thread or another. Thanks for so much info and keep up the great work. I'm sure I will be posting more! |
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