Frustrated Trainee

Thanks StarCar, great way of putting it. lol Thanks, I appreciate it.

A crappy way to learn, but I'm learning.

Stick it out and it will come. Best of luck to you.

How is driving a truck a crappy way to learn to be a truck driver? I have to ask and do not mean to be an ahole. Britton, My trainer sat in the jump seat playing some game and seemingly not paying attention to my driving. He was paying attention, but, he did not show it. There is reason for this. What a student should do is drive the truck and trailer with a curiosity and purpose...safely.

I'm not saying that driving is a bad way to learn. Experience goes a long way. However, in this case I havld never set foot in a truck. My double clutching experience was from a few runs on a simulator where the clutch was not at all like a real truck. We weren't taught anything about driving. Just put into the drivers seat and sent off on a load. Some practice in a parking lot going through gears would have helped quite a bit. Instead it was "we have a load to California... drive". That's a lot of pressure to learn with cars and people around. Having zero experience and going on the road to me was dangerous. Day 1 was 30 miles. Day 2 was over 400. It was like throwing someone that can't swim into the deep end and telling them to swim. I did it. I may have been terrified, but I did it. Now I'm doing it well. I just think that getting my permit one day then being sent out over the road the next day isn't a good way to do it. None of the classroom stuff was about driving or shifting or anything. It was qute literally 'on the job training'. That was a lot of pressure for only having a permit.

Hey guys (and gals) this thread is a really great one for new folks to look at because it shows you the reality of what it's like to get into this business.

Mark, you've been in here (the forum) for a little while and I know you've seen us talking about how brutal training can be, yet when you got into it you were surprised at the way the company handled it. That's understandable, because it really is brutal - you now know it first hand. I started out running as a team with my trainer right from the start. So, I really do know what you were going through- it's tough, sometimes terrifying.

We always think that our training time is to teach us to drive a truck, but it's really become so much more these days. I'm convinced they want to see how tough you are, so they can know if you are a legitimate risk to take on as a driver. That's one of the things the suits in the office told me after my training was over with - "we know you're tough enough for the job because you endured your time with the trainer". Driving truck is a tough job, which means it's for tough people. I'm in no way saying you aren't tough enough, in fact I think you are. You just weren't prepared mentally for what you got into.

When you start with another company just go in there knowing that you are going to take what ever gets thrown at you, even if it doesn't square with your expectations. This is exactly how I face every day in my trucking career. It doesn't matter how tough the situation I may get into on a load I'm going to face it and conquer it because I'm an American Truck Driver that doesn't back down to any challenge. Any thing my dispatcher throws at me he knows he can depend on me to break my neck trying to get it done. That's how you build trust and confidence in the people who are relying on you to "get er done".

I'm confident you can do it Mark! When you get started this time just set yourself for success, and give whatever it takes to get yourself to the next level. Don't even worry about it if it seems like total B.S. that they put you through. The road is a harsh task master, but that's where you learn how to succeed in this business. I'm pulling for you, get out there and hang on a little tighter this time - You've got this!

I agree 100% with Old School and for all the years I've been running this site the two toughest things to get people to understand are:

1) Any company can be a great place to work if you're a great driver and the company suits you well

2) You have to stick it out that first year no matter what and treat it like entering the military - expect it to be really brutal at times but worth it in the end.

People having the wrong expectations about what training will be like ruins thousands of trucking careers every year - no question about it. Students come in thinking they know what to expect, they know how training should be done, and they know what the company's goals and methods are. And 95% of the time the students are wrong about all of it. But students don't realize they're wrong. They wind up with the impression that the company doesn't care about them or doesn't know what they are doing. But that's not it at all.

In fact, like Old School said, your trainer will test you on far more than just your driving skills. They'll test your patience, your nerve, and your resolve. They want to see if you can adapt to a constantly changing environment, erratic sleep patterns, tight schedules, and regular changes in plans. They want to see if you'll handle the pressure of life behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound rig.

And no offense, but they want to see if you're dedicated to becoming a safe, productive driver for their company or if you're going to bail on them the first time something doesn't go as expected on day on.

If you're not cut out for it or not dedicated to it then they want to find out as soon as possible and get you out of there. And it works, as you can see.

So for everyone out there getting ready to get your trucking career underway, expect to be tested a lot once you start training. Expect it to be really tough. And understand that everything they do is a way of testing your nerve and your resolve. If you stick it out you'll have a job and be given your own truck. If not, they move on to the next student. That's how it's been done for decades now.

Just an FYI on my list of recruiter questions looking at Roehl, they only have a 2 week window with the trainer and per the recruiter they do NOT Team drive, it is in fact set that time for the trainer to observe and mentor you during that time.

Good Luck!!

Just an FYI on my list of recruiter questions looking at Roehl, they only have a 2 week window with the trainer and per the recruiter they do NOT Team drive, it is in fact set that time for the trainer to observe and mentor you during that time.

Good Luck!!

Just a word of warning, my brother went with Roehl out of a private school as his first company and found out the hard way that two weeks with a trainer is not enough by a long shot. He lasted three weeks with them before landing a job with fedex.

Just an FYI on my list of recruiter questions looking at Roehl, they only have a 2 week window with the trainer and per the recruiter they do NOT Team drive, it is in fact set that time for the trainer to observe and mentor you during that time.

Good Luck!!

Just a word of warning, my brother went with Roehl out of a private school as his first company and found out the hard way that two weeks with a trainer is not enough by a long shot. He lasted three weeks with them before landing a job with fedex.

Hmmm. I have a friend in town here that went through Roehl's school and was out on his own after just 9 days with the trainer. He drives regional van and intermodal and seems pretty happy. Guess this is really an individual process.

What issues did your brother run into that made him leave if I can ask?

Thanks!

Mark my company WEL Companies out of DePere, WI runs a solo truck for your first 2 weeks if not more if you dont feel comfortable. I too didnt want to run a team truck so I didn't. Thats why I made sure BEFORE I left for orientation how they ran their training program. Everyone requires different things.

Mark...I know where you were, runnin' a team truck, and you wanting to learn....When I came back into trucking, we bought our first truck, and to pay for it, we HAD to team it. TSB was a seasoned 25+ year driver, but I hadn't been in a truck for years..And I had only driven intrastate at that !! So I HAD to suck it up...TSB HAD to get some sleep. I'm not ashamed to say, that for 6 months, I was in a emotional state of abject terror all the time. I didn't want to admit it, cuz TSB would tell me I didn't have to drive, and we'd lose the truck...so I just DID IT. And you know what ??? One day, I got behind the wheel to pull my shift, and my "DGS" attitude kicked in...I decided I didn't need to look in my rearview mirrors, unless I wanted to change lanes...I decided that I'd drive the speed I was comfortable at, I'd just drive longer to get my miles in...I decided to take control of the situation I had put myself in...and it gave me courage. I settled down and LEARNED by doing. TSB told me up front that he couldn't teach me to back up...it took me forever, but with a little suggestion from a little old truck driver, by george, I learned it myself, and I'm danged good at it. So even tho you and I got a rough start in trucking...you will be like me...your DGS (don't give a sh****t) attitude will kick in, and you will grow a brand new pair !!!! So settle down, find a company, and start over again...you can do it, if this little fluffy redhead can do it !!!!

I'm just getting ready to start school and know absolutely nothing but I have a funny feeling that this is terrific advice. I will file it away for later.

Just an FYI on my list of recruiter questions looking at Roehl, they only have a 2 week window with the trainer and per the recruiter they do NOT Team drive, it is in fact set that time for the trainer to observe and mentor you during that time.

Good Luck!!

Just a word of warning, my brother went with Roehl out of a private school as his first company and found out the hard way that two weeks with a trainer is not enough by a long shot. He lasted three weeks with them before landing a job with fedex.

Hmmm. I have a friend in town here that went through Roehl's school and was out on his own after just 9 days with the trainer. He drives regional van and intermodal and seems pretty happy. Guess this is really an individual process.

What issues did your brother run into that made him leave if I can ask?

Thanks!

Roehl must be doing something right. They've received awards for 3 years in a row as being the safest large trucking company in America. I don't think they got that from just throwing their new drivers out there without having the confidence in their training and abilities. It's up to every new driver to take in as much as they can regardless of the amount of time with a trainer, and to use that knowledge to be a safe and successful driver. No one's going to be a pro after their training time regardless if it's 2 weeks or 2 months. Just learn to make smart decisions. Take your time and don't try to be a 3000 mile per week driver right off the bat. If it takes you 20 GOALs to back up into a spot then so be it. At least you did it safely. The rest will come with time and practice. So I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about the amount of time with a trainer. Use what time you have to ask every possible question you can think of and learn as much as you can. Because no matter how long you have a trainer with you, it won't seem long enough when you're all alone for those first few months.

Well at least that's my take on it as I have yet to get to that stage. I start my schooling on Mon for 3 weeks and then head to Roehl hopefully the following week. I never would've gotten to this point without TT. Greatest bunch of truckers out there!!!