And Im Officially A Trainer:)

Congratulations RedGator! I think this is a really great idea. I often think about ways to help turn the tide in the trucking industry, and one of the ways that would be a great step in the right direction is to have some really good trainers who not only care for their trainees, but also have an appreciation and respect for the industry itself.

When we see the slovenly appearances and "poor me" attitudes of so many drivers at the truck stops we sometimes wonder how did we end up like this so quickly? So many drivers seem to not even care about their performance and certainly don't garner any respect from their peers because they obviously don't have any self respect. I hold my head up high each day and do my very best to keep my employers customers happy with the service they receive from me, and I can tell that you do the same. It becomes a personal challenge with me, and I'm the kind of person you really don't want to challenge, because I'll break my neck trying to prove myself, not necessarily to you, but more so to myself. I recognize that same tenacity for being exceptional in you.

I know your time with a trainee is limited, but if you can somehow manage to teach them more than just how to do their job, but how to do it with pride and dignity, you will indeed have my respect, and you will be contributing more than you probably realize to an industry that needs a fresh influx of new life.

Go get em girl!

Congrats BTW..

Well you've been training me for months now even if it was on the phone!!!! You will be an excellent trainer!

Well you've been training me for months now even if it was on the phone!!!! You will be an excellent trainer!

Kathy, how is it going for you here at Central? I've been keeping my eyes out for you haha.

Congratulations redgator so what are the class and cert. requirements to become a trainer?

Hey that's awesome news!!!!!!

You're definitely going to make a great trainer and students will be lucky to have you. Your attitude and personality and perfect for trucking and you understand how to work with people. You'll do a great job.

I hope you'll like it. You know how critical that training period is for new drivers. It's such a big deal when they can get someone that truly cares about teaching and has the patience and fun personality to work through the difficult times.

Really looking forward to hearing how things go for ya.

Wow that is awesome news! A good trainer goes a very long way in trucking, unfortunately the lousy trainers overshadow the good ones, just like the bad truck drivers overshadow the good truck drivers. You will be a great trainer, you've got the right personality and you handle all the situations trucking throws at you like a seasoned veteran. The trucking world can definitely use more good trainers.

Good stuff, definitely keep us updated.

Congrats Redgator. That is great news.

A few years ago, a guy that I used to work with went back into trucking after many years of being away. He had to go back to school and do his 3 weeks of training OTR. He passed on a horror story of not having one of the best trainers in the world.

I won't say the company he went with. I don't want to give them a black eye. This had nothing to do with the company. It was the trainer himself.

For the first week of training, if they would stop at a Walmart to get something. The trainer wouldn't let this guy go into the store. He made him stay in the truck. Wouldn't share his food or anything. Which, OK, it is his food. But he didn't give him a chance to get his own.

Wouldn't stop at any restaurants. Only stopped at truck stops for fuel. When fueling, the trainer would have him pump the fuel. Clean the windows. Thump the tires. Anything he could to keep him from going into the store for some food.

After fueling, they would go to a rest area to park for the night.

My friend ate out of vending machines for the first week. That is the only food he got. At the end of the week he contacted dispatch. He was told to get a taxi to a local hotel. Monday morning a new trainer picked him up on the way through with a load.

His other trainer was fired from being a trainer. The guy even thought he had lost his job. But that was something he was told. Didn't know that as fact.

Those kind of trainers are few and far between. But they do happen. They are the ones that fall through the cracks.

The guy passed, with flying colors as the saying goes, in 2 weeks. Was given a brand new truck right out of training. He had a great time driving till he passed away. I heard he had cancer.

Red, just from the little I have gotten to know you on here, I think you will be a great trainer. You seem to be a good driver. And you are very level headed.

For a woman anyway.

Don't shoot me. Just joking.

Keep it safe out there. Joe S

Thanks yall It means alot that so many people have faith in me. I definitely will try to pass on my ways to others and help as much as I can. We will be at a truck stop getting a shower everyday so no worries they will get to eat, maybe . I think the benefit for anyone being trained by me is It wasnt easy for me to learn to drive. I struggled every step of the way which made me better. Now aside from today Im pretty damn good:) (NEVER EVER try to dock when you gotta pee!) I screwed this dock up so bad lol. But all I could focus on was I had to go! Oh well we all have our moments. Ill sure be pointing everyone in this direction. Might even have a couple of experienced drivers love TT too;)

Well Zach. Maybe violence is some people's way of handling disagreements. But this gentleman was very even tempered and very well mannered. He was the type of person that would have walked away from a fight before starting one or getting involved in one.

He felt violence solved nothing.

It seems to me that violence has become normal in the trucking industry today. All one has to do it turn on the CB and travel the highways. It won't be long before you hear two or more people yelling, cussing and calling names over the airwaves. Even calling each other out.

Another view from the blog A Look In The Mirror.

While a lesser man might have confronted the trainer, and more than likely lost or not had a job. He took it to his superiors and in the end, winded up having a new truck to show for his level-headedness.

Doing violence for self preservation is one thing. Doing it just because someone has p....ed you off is totally something else.

Any bully or juvenile can stand and fight when there is nothing to fight for. But it take a real person to know when to stand or when to walk away.

To borrow a verse from a great Kenny Rogers song

Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done. Walk away from trouble if you can. Now it won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek. I hope you're old enough to understand: Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."

True, later in the song he stood his ground and fought men that did him and his girl wrong. He knew when to stand and when to walk away.

There is a time for fighting and a time to walk away. This man felt this was a time to walk away and take another avenue.

And I am sorry you think it is far fetched. Oh well, so be it.

Keep it safe out there. Joe S