Female Trainers
 

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

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?

Women Trainers
 

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

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.

Women Trainers
 

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.

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.
http://www.ourbigtruck.com/small_ourbigtruck.jpg

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!

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

Re: Female Trainers
 

I do have same problem

Hello Calamity
 

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.