[headborg]

Originally Posted by Kevin0915

EXACTLY what i was thinking. out of the two weeks i've been on his truck, i will get that much training in a day or two with the new guy. I'm willing to take another day, to get a new mentor, one that will actually train me the rest of the 4 weeks i am out here.

Oh...not to mention, when i was asked by my DMs husband, who i had for a mentor, and i said his name, he just nodded. Said 'yeah he is having some issues'. I said "not to tred on someones reputation, but he really needs to be yanked from being a mentor"....and my DM said "he probably will be anyways". =)

Looks Like you got what you want, now the only question is-- Will you like what you're fixing to get?

Next one might make the first look good!

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

Originally Posted by headborg

Looks Like you got what you want, now the only question is-- Will you like what you're fixing to get?

Next one might make the first look good!

yeah no kidding I sat around Werner terminals listening to drivers/trainers/students...as well as management ,and every time a student jumped a trainers truck and was around other divers/trainers they would critique the students x trainer saying they can't beleive that driver was allowed to train ...funny was those other drivers/trainers were usually no better...heck sometimes worse :wink:


Your best bet is to suck it up and get it done , because no matter what you think training or your trainer should be ...it boils down to it being a formality for the companies insurance ,and a way to get cheap teams ,and 90% of trainers are so for the extra miles...DUH...and then you have the final 10% which consists of a few drivers who do like to teach...and bunch of fruits who enjoy shacking up with another dude in a 6x8 space...And if the 90% were interested in 50/50 fairness they would team not train ,but as student/trainer team it's 100% his truck/his rules ...not realizing this just prolongs your training :wink:

[Evinrude]

Originally Posted by GMAN

Yes, paying someone to not work will solve the poor training problem. I don't see what this has to do with having a bad mentor. :roll:

Typo there i meant to say on duty not driving.

I was saying that if you paid the trainer to show the trainee how to back up and other skill's that are not covered by cpm,its a no brain er that the trainer will find the time to help the the student.

[Kevin0915]

I can kinda agree with that, but on the other side (my side) i dont. The mentor is already getting extra 'mentor' pay from the company, not to mention all the pay the student would normally get per mile if they were solo. And the student gets a flat rate for the weeks they are on the truck training. Hmmm....if the extra pay isnt enough to motivate the mentor to actually do his job, then i dont know what else can be done. Offer the mentor a brand new truck?

Not to mention, the way the company i work for is set up, once i get solo, the mentor who trained me gets a penny a mile for everything i drive, so as long as i stay with the company. Figure 2500 a week (low), thats an extra $1200 a year for not doing anything. And if you are a good enough mentor, and can crank out 5 students a year (30 weeks) thats $6k extra a year in your pocket.

If you are a good mentor, it shouldnt feel as if the student is a burden to you. You shouldnt treat the student like s/he is either. Go out of your way to make them happy, and confident, and they will stay with the company longer. Sure they still might jump ship for better pay, but heck, why not do the job you are getting paid to do, and not think of the student as a 2nd log book, or your gopher. I'm not on your truck (as a student) to just drive your truck around and not get the proper training i need. I'm not on your truck to be your little 'robot' to unhook your trailer and not get the proper backing time i need.

I am suggesting that all companies have general policy regarding their mentors. Everything from how they present themselves, to how clean their truck is, to how organized their paperwork, etc. is. I say, do "spot checks". 2 strikes and you're out.

I've got a picture of my mentor driving on i-35, on his cell, AND with the QualComm on his steering wheel. Just waiting for my DM to tell me "well your old trainer says you were getting trained..." Then ill show her the picture, and ask if that is how a trainer is to train.

[Uturn2001]

How about training someone properly for no other reason than self preservation? After all you will be sharing the road, truck stop and dock space with these people once they upgrade.

[Ridge Runner]

Originally Posted by Uturn2001

How about training someone properly for no other reason than self preservation? After all you will be sharing the road, truck stop and dock space with these people once they upgrade.

EXACTLY!!! I teach part-time at a local school ( mill ). Even tho we get paid for a student to get his/her CDL we all stress safety. We KNOW that they will at one time or another be running along side us or our families.

[headborg]

Originally Posted by Evinrude

Typo there i meant to say on duty not driving.

I was saying that if you paid the trainer to show the trainee how to back up and other skill's that are not covered by cpm,its a no brain er that the trainer will find the time to help the the student.

It's a really great idea- expecially since many companies are now only running Training Trucks-- solo miles and tossing the Trainer a mere $150.00 a week for TRAINING-- the truck is suppose to only be driven BY the TRAINEE-- so there goes the Trainer's expectations of banking 3000 miles the first couple of weeks--- unless he's insane and abusive to the Trainee :roll:

Of course, you'd only get it to work--- if you actually required him to log every HOUR of training instruction.

[headborg]

Originally Posted by Kevin0915

I can kinda agree with that, but on the other side (my side) i dont. The mentor is already getting extra 'mentor' pay from the company, not to mention all the pay the student would normally get per mile if they were solo. And the student gets a flat rate for the weeks they are on the truck training. Hmmm....if the extra pay isnt enough to motivate the mentor to actually do his job, then i dont know what else can be done. Offer the mentor a brand new truck?

Not to mention, the way the company i work for is set up, once i get solo, the mentor who trained me gets a penny a mile for everything i drive, so as long as i stay with the company. Figure 2500 a week (low), thats an extra $1200 a year for not doing anything. And if you are a good enough mentor, and can crank out 5 students a year (30 weeks) thats $6k extra a year in your pocket.

If you are a good mentor, it shouldnt feel as if the student is a burden to you. You shouldnt treat the student like s/he is either. Go out of your way to make them happy, and confident, and they will stay with the company longer. Sure they still might jump ship for better pay, but heck, why not do the job you are getting paid to do, and not think of the student as a 2nd log book, or your gopher. I'm not on your truck (as a student) to just drive your truck around and not get the proper training i need. I'm not on your truck to be your little 'robot' to unhook your trailer and not get the proper backing time i need.

I am suggesting that all companies have general policy regarding their mentors. Everything from how they present themselves, to how clean their truck is, to how organized their paperwork, etc. is. I say, do "spot checks". 2 strikes and you're out.

I've got a picture of my mentor driving on i-35, on his cell, AND with the QualComm on his steering wheel. Just waiting for my DM to tell me "well your old trainer says you were getting trained..." Then ill show her the picture, and ask if that is how a trainer is to train.

Ok- lets address these conceptions and mis-conceptions from a former Trainer. Back in the day, when I was a trainer-- companies only paid the Trainer for the Miles the truck ran.

Your first statement-- the trainer is getting EXTRA PAY for TRAINING You.

If he's training for Crete-- I believe that only amounts to $150.00 a week.
If the trainer is following the SAFETY rules-- only the trainee is doing the driving. So-- counting on a trainee to have the skills, stamina to turn acceptable solo miles the first couple weeks isn't practical. So that EXTRA is really just replacing lost revenue that HE could have made- by doing the driving himself.

Ok the next part-- about the Mentor getting paid a .01 for every mile you drive after you get off the truck.

You see, this is a new "gimmick" that's actually-- brilliant!

How do you know the company is actually paying that Mentor the money? How would the Mentor actually-- varify-- how many miles per week you were turning? or if you where even- still employed there? Without
just "trusting" the company-- See? Thank about it.

This policy is suppose to ensure several IMPORTANT issues:

1) He needs to treat you --NICE-- while on his truck-- else you're not going to stay "in touch"/ "friends" with him afterward-- I.E. he won't be able to check up on you/varify the companies story--"oh, he quit" no- Jim was sick last week- he only ran 1500 miles last week. etc.

2) He needs to train you well-- so you can handle running the "big miles" on YOUR OWN so he'll get more $$$.

3) He less inclined to talk crap about the COMPANY while you're on the truck---he will present the company in the most favorable light-- since it's important--
that you STAY with the company to make him that money-- after off on your own. INSTEAD OF simply trying to teach you to be a GENERALLY SKILLED safe DRIVER but sometimes a "pain in the ass"- and a "independent" thinker-- he'll teach you strickly per company policy & guidelines so you'd never dream of leaving for GREENER PASTURE.

As for the rest of your rant:

Being on a truck- getting paid yourself. This is-- On the Job training--
You already have the CDL-- this is more about Driver Finishing than teaching you the basics... 50% of the "TRAINING" is just about giving you
"wheel time" and watching out for you-- keeping you out of trouble so you don't tear up the companies equipment- hurt anyone, or damage anyone else's property, and to "evaluate" you and "develop" you into a productive TOOL for the company.

[headborg]

Originally Posted by Uturn2001

How about training someone properly for no other reason than self preservation? After all you will be sharing the road, truck stop and dock space with these people once they upgrade.

EXACTLY-- sometimes the "simple" basic reasons are VERY COMMON SENSE.

But then, you get side tracked-- start thinking about little details like-- the Money! and things like:: Is this really worth it? It's real easy for a MENTOR/TRAINER to go bad quickly-- when they lose sight of the "big picture". Or they just give up and get out altogether.

[Kevin0915]

Originally Posted by headborg

Ok- lets address these conceptions and mis-conceptions from a former Trainer. Back in the day, when I was a trainer-- companies only paid the Trainer for the Miles the truck ran.

Your first statement-- the trainer is getting EXTRA PAY for TRAINING You.

If he's training for Crete-- I believe that only amounts to $150.00 a week.
If the trainer is following the SAFETY rules-- only the trainee is doing the driving. So-- counting on a trainee to have the skills, stamina to turn acceptable solo miles the first couple weeks isn't practical. So that EXTRA is really just replacing lost revenue that HE could have made- by doing the driving himself.

I agree with most of your post, but seeing how most company trucks out there run 62-65mph, unless the student driver is 'scared' to drive that fast (if they are, they not need to be on the road anyways) the trainer isnt losing any money.

I am being trained here for 6-weeks of on the road training. My last mentor sucked, but i did like being able to drive OTR. I drove 9 straight hours, with no stops. I think my endurance isnt an issue. Now i know not everybody can come right out of the gate, and drive 9+ hours straight, but by the end of the 2nd week, they should be. If not, they'd get kicked off my truck before the end of the 6-weeks of training, and told to re-evaluate their career move.

How you say "...that only amounts to $150 a week...". well, seeing how he is getting that for 6 weeks, that is $900 extra. If you average 2800 miles SOLO, then end up running 4500+ as a team for the last 2 weeks (which you SHOULD) then the extra miles alone the last two weeks make up for the 'lost' miles it takes to get the student up to speed during the FIRST 2 weeks. So the $900 extra is really still untouched.

Now as far as my situation goes, my new mentor is like the difference between night and day. My new mentor is actually letting me slowly take control of operating the truck as if i was the solo driver....getting paperwork, running the qualcomm, fueling, etc.. I have had 8 backs in almost two days. My last mentor, i had two backs in two weeks. The first mentor wanted me to pretty much start driving 'team' during my first week. I was ONLY on his truck as a 2nd log book, i was ONLY on his truck, just to drive and not do any teaching. Just 'telling' me how things worked wasnt training.

My new mentor knows how to make sure the student is satasified....and no, he doesnt buy me a Snickers bar. We worked up to friday night, and knew was taking all day saturday off, and then going back to work sunday. The rule is, if a mentor takes more than two nights off, the student gets a hotel room. Guess what, i'm in a hotel room. My last mentor stuck me in the truck for 4 nights, sitting in a dedicated terminal running for wal-mart.

I am so glad i was able to get the switch. I've got more training in the last 5 days than i had the previous 14. One poster said "...you will see just what kind of company you work for based upon how they take care of getting you a new mentor...". So far, I have no complaints with the company, just one 'loser' of a driver.