Better Truck Driving Trainers - part 1
Maybe you have considered training truck drivers?
Nearly a decade ago I started my journey of teaching entry level truck drivers. I have traveled all over the world and never had to leave the cab of my truck. Some of the stories that have been shared with me and the friendships I have made are really quite extraordinary. I’m eternally grateful to have this opportunity.
When I first starting working with entry level drivers I had not the foggiest of a idea how to even begin. I was a solid and experienced truck driver with out the skill set to teach. Of course I made all the rookie mistakes by showing them all the wrong things;
- Speed averaging
- Rounding off miles
- Trip dropping
- How to by pass the scales
- Taught them how to be more aggressive in their driving so we could make good time, etc
In the beginning my patients was tested and my life was threatened due in part to my inability to truly teach;
- I have had drivers fall asleep behind the wheel
- Get robbed or thrown in jail
- Urinate or defecate on them self and the truck
- Jump out of the truck while they were driving
- Try to punch me while I was driving
- Just released out of the mental institution (no joke)
- Speak very little English
My first year was a real learning experience it took me a while but I slowly realized that even tho you might be a great truck driver that does not mean you have the ability to teach. I thought to myself “crap, I’m a horrible teacher” at this point I had two options;
- Seek out guidance from a good teacher
- Stop all together
Filed Under: trucking in general
Very good article, very good writing, AND most importantly VERY WELL stated!! Wish I had you as my trainer when I first started driving!!
I have the PERFECT example of a trainer that is as bad as they can be…Check out Brittany’s CDL class Pt.3 on youtube. Here is the URL link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= FP-fbTui3ro . I cannot belive this poor girl puts up with this ass wipe.
Excellent article, Steve! I think the problem w/ my former “nightmare co-driver”, is that he suddenly fancied himself as a “trainer”, and his ego got in the way. I certainly didn’t or don’t need training, as a matter of fact, I would love to teach the newbies.
Male ego’s and the tendency to turn into control freaks around women, may be one of the big reasons
that so many brand new ladytruckers have such a difficult time in the truck with their “trainer”.
Many of these women are one big raw nerve, and having a control freak can be very intimidating.
If a woman has just come out of a battered woman’s shelter, or out of a very abusive relationship, she will not be able to tolerate any bellowing or bullying. You, on the other hand, taught your students and kept a level head, no doubt.
I would love to see questionnaires filled out before companies team drivers up..to ensure a good match. Tempers will flare between even the best of friends, it is only to be expected that drivers will bump heads occasionally…after all, they didn’t really know each other very well, if at all, before being teamed up.
Keep up the good work,driver!
Very good article. My trainer was very similar in the ways of a good trainer. One thing he did mess up on was talking. To me when I was a student, and about to be again due to my lapse in current OTR experience but thats neither here nor there, all I wanted was somebody to talk to while out for that month. All he would do was sit in the jump seat and read magazines and watch the road from time to time. When I was in the jump seat he would drive and listen to the radio and have me do my “upgrade to solo seat driver questions”. So there again many hours would pass and no conversation what so ever. So just having small talk would have helped alot. Another thing my trainer messed up on was allowing me to drive the truck without him insight. When I drove he was in the jump seat, when he drove I was in the jump seat. He said it was because he had a few students mess up. For instance, stopping in the middle of the intersate to back up cause the student missed his exit. One more, turning the truck around on one of the cut throughs for emergency vehicles only at night. I can see where this would lead a man to not want the student driving without 100% supervision but after about a week a good TEACHER should beable to recognise that a smart student will not make dumb mistakes. My hats goes off to all the trainers and teachers in the great big world of trucking cause I know that I could not do such a demanding task. It can be hard enough being a driver sometimes but being a trainer/teacher i would think can be even hard. So thanks to all you teacher and trainers. Keep up the hard work.
I have much more to write about on this subject believe that. You brought up a good point. A teacher/trainer don’t show trust if he is always in the seat and that don’t help the confidence levels. I will step to the back and let them have their space, Of course still keeping a eye on things. This is important because one day when they look to the right you will not be their to respond, they need to get use to making judgment calls on their own!
Very well written Steve. thanks
Hey Steve, not sure if you can respond, but a quick question for you as a trainer. I’m currently in training, my trainer does not allow the use of the jake brake, cruise control, and floating. I understand the floating issue, as its important to double clutch initially as I’m in my 5th week now. I ask alot of questions, especially about mountain driving. I find the mountain driving to be challenging as well as very critical to know every scenario as possible in case something does go wrong. I get lableled as negative for asking the “what if” question, for instance what happens if going down hill and I find that I’m in the wrong gear should I attempt to snub or stab break bringing the rpms down below 1000 and attempt a lower gear. I was taught in cdl class that you should find a gear and never ever attempt to change due to the fact that if you lose a gear then your screwed, but then reading alot on the forums I find that it has actually saved some drivers by shifting to a lower gear when losing a jake brake or smoking the brakes begins. Could you possibly give your experience on proper mountain driving techniques, I would be hugely indebted to you for any information you can provide to help alot of us entry level drivers on safe mountain driving procedures.
I want to become I trucker. I contacted schools trying to get some information on what I need before I come, but they are taking there time by sending my information. So do you know of some good school out there.
Thank you for posting this. I somehow stumbled upon your blog while searching for something else. I’ve spend the last 30 minutes reading everything and crying over the video in this very post- or maybe the tears came from my own struggling relationship brought on by the lifestyle.
Thank you for being so open and posting. I’ll continue to visit and keep up with your blog.