Quote:
Originally Posted by greg3564
Well, like it or not, "team training" is rule and not the exception. Only a couple companies I know that don't do this, but the majority do.
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I hear this and read this enough to believe it. I haven't been in the business long enough or
wide enough to unequivocally confirm it, all I have for sure is my own experience..
I 'lost' a career at 49YO. I chose Truckin' as the next step. I went to a Community College driving school for 7 weeks, got a CDL and a PTDI Certificate that belong to no one but me and still have both arms, both legs and my cajones intact. Selected a particular Flatbed Company to go with, after training in vans.. 2 weeks Orientation at HQ, 4 weeks out with a trainer, 1 Finals week back at HQ, and Bammo I'm Solo. Solo now 2.5yrs.
I'll tell you, straight up, I was blessed with an excellent trainer and Home Terminal only about 65 miles from home territory.. We ran hard. But we ran 'together' and
did shut it down daily. Except for that hardcore practice o closing eyes n 'zoning out' for maybe 5-15min ONLY in the co-pilot seat,
NObody was in the bunk during the 14. This was what I was looking for.. and lucky to find it.
The harder we ran, the more I learned. The more I was 'pushed', the more both 'parties' came to know and deal with my capabilities and limitations.. The more we did, the more of it I wanted for myself. I'm not an overtly Competitive cuss - but I'll "compete with myself" like nobody's business.
And to this day, I still say that I'd do it all over again with that guy. I'd run Team with him any day - but this company doesn't run any team ops.
And it
is Skateboarding now, and it's sure enough a different world than vanning or tanker.. And it
is a Regional/Dedicated/Locals operation - and while I've had my periods through all 3, (a nicely happenstance born of better Management flexibility with the Driver Talent to pull it off - in other words,
not stuck), I'm single/twice divorced and more the personality that could make do with OTR ops. I've done a couple o 500+ mile runs with 2 potty/stretch/LC/PTI stops eating at "The Doorpocket Cafe" along the way,
grazing along like the cattle I used to manage in my former career.. And the twisty-turny-twolanes in the dark and fog o Spring and Fall are more home to me than the Super Slab though both have their place in the Route and the Schedule.
Back on Topic, Greg3564, let us add
1 more company that doesn't go about their business in such a dangerous and ludicrous manner.
I will decry and oppose Communism/Socialism until my last breath, but that sweet freedom and prosperity inherent in Capitalism also allows for the greed and the utterly impractical/dangerous practices that are the mark of way too many Trucking Firms, large and small, in the USA.
The Goode Companies are out there, folks.
And unfortunately there seems to be a relationship between those
Drivers, present and future, less willing and/or motivated to do a little
homework, a little
thought and a lot o
planning, and those
Companies perfectly willing to take every advantage of any individual that will put up with their unbusiness-like Business-as-usual.
As long as one exists, the other will.... To the eventual detriment of all.
Is this how it all ends? The 'Vicious Cycle', the unbelievable Turn-over rates that actually coincide with the Roll-over rates? :roll:
Could be. From a statistical standpoint it ain't us Old Guys having or being problems.. And I've met enough Young Guys out there that are 'product of' or at least 'pre-wired' to The Old School that I have high hopes for them, their futures and my own. But on a day-to-day basis I run into way too many Near-misses, hear way too much juvenile whining and attitude and see far too much slipshod securement from poorly-attired younger folk with winch bar or steering wheel in one hand - - and cell phone upside the head in the other.
I'd rather face a bullet comin' at me. I gotchur bullet
Right Here..:mrgreen:
Enough bichin'.
In the meantime, it's "Wagons Ho!"
Whole corn for the mules and the road for the taking.
And hind teat for the hindmost....
To be your best, do your best for the doing becomes the Being.
Please tip your bartenders n waitresses, and much obliged for the use o the Hall....