Start CDL School For Stevens Transport Mon. 6/6/16 (Whew, Glad That One Is In That Date!!)

Yeah but think about this.......you're going slow up a hill and it aggravates a four wheeler who passes you, jumps in front of you, jumps on the brakes almost causing you to run over him, gives you the finger, and drives off. It happens all too often.

Then you get to the customer, you're the only truck there, and they tell you to sit in the parking lot and they'll come get you when they're ready. Six hours later and not one single truck has shown up all day but you're still sitting there because the place doesn't like truckers and they think it's funny to mess with you. It happens all too often.

Another time you're getting unloaded. You have 22 pallets. They take off 20 pallets and stop unloading you because it's lunchtime and it's a union dock. They get an hour lunch. You sit there for two more hours before they finally take the last two pallets off, and they do that just because they can. It happens all too often.

With the heavy traffic, tight schedules, gigantic snowstorms, construction, low bridges, 18 hour days six days a week, a completely reckless motoring public, and a society that thinks truckers are the lowest level of humans in our society trucking is nothing but a hostile work environment most of the time.

If the guy is just entirely too much to bear then request a new trainer. But that's just one small problem out of the way. There's going to be an endless stream of problems every day of your life out there and with most of them there isn't a thing you can do about it but deal with it in your own mind. How you deal with the constant stress, challenges, and hardships that you'll face out there month after month, year after year will determine whether you're happy and enjoying life, or bitter and miserable all the time.

If you do request a new trainer I would simply say you're not getting along and leave it at that for now. Document the things he's been saying, including the date and time. At some point you might consider reporting his behavior in great detail but I wouldn't risk it right now until you're out of his truck and running solo.

Hey there Brett, Yeah, I agree. All of those things have happened and they really don't bother me much as, like you say, that is all just part of the job. I had decided to just say that his teaching style and my learning style just don't match.

DSTURBD

You have every right to request a new trainer. Someone who is verbally abusive and potentially "teaching" students how to do things the wrong way does not make for a beneficial learning environment. Not only that but it's only multiplying the amount of stress you are under, creating the potential for a mistake, possibly a serious one.

How much longer do you have to go on training? If it's a short time, I would try to tough it out. But if it's going to be an extended amount of time, it may be in your best interest to ask for a new trainer.

As far as your meds go, call up the training coordinator or whoever your contact is and explain the situation to them. They should be able to work with you to get you home to get them.

I totally agree with Chickie. Dealing with work procedures and deadlines, whether conditions and other things that come along with actually driving a truck is one thing. Every trucker has to deal with that. Should be expected actually. However, being talked down to, and being degraded and belittled and made to feel less of human, that's another. That's wrong and something that everyone has every right to stand up to. I expect some hardships, some tough times, but I WILL NOT be treated like less of a human. Not by anyone

Weather*

8/23/16

Hey guys, This is the first chance I've had to update things. Got my new trainer Sunday. He is a younger guy and so far, it has been great!! He is much more into actually instructing, is very laid back, and the first thing he told me is that we will have fun because if you can't have fun doing this then it's just not worth doing! After the first couple of times I drove, he now just goes in the back and says, "You've got this. If you need anything, just holler." He sleeps while I drive so that we can run the truck more hours in each day. He has already cleared up a few of the procedures that were still very much in question with the other guy. Also, the fact that he has no problem sleeping while I drive tells me that I was right before, that the other guy was just being a control freak and my driving skills are just fine! (As they were twenty years ago!) I have already completed another full level of training since getting on this truck and it is great not to be stressed out every second of every day. Plus, this guy is focused on getting my remaining mountain requirements taken care of and really communicates what his intentions are and how we are going to do it. My goodness, if I had started with this trainer, I'd probably be done already. He graduated a trainee on Saturday and they flew him back to Dallas and flew me out to get on this truck! He says that we will be completely done by Labor Day and I don't doubt it as we have really been running hard! I'm racking up some serious miles and hours!

Will try to check in again soon.

DSTURBD

Awsome news. Keep up the good work.

Great news man! It's always nice when things work out for the best. Good luck, get some sleep and roll hard!

That's outstanding news! Really glad to hear it.

Kudos to you for handling this entire thing the right way. You did your best to stick it out with the last trainer and when you realized it was no longer sustainable you must have gone about asking for a new trainer the right way because they obliged and now you're out there rolling along with the new guy. That's fantastic.

As we talked about before, this industry is one endless hostile work environment. You're going to be treated badly by people sometimes. You're going to have tons of situations that simply won't go your way. You have to learn to roll with the punches, be tolerant, and make the best of things while keeping a positive attitude about it all and handling yourself like a professional. It certainly seems like you did your best to do exactly that with the last guy and when it was time for a change you spoke to the right people and they obliged. Now it's all working out great.

Enjoy the rest of your training and keep us updated on how things go out there.

8/25/16

Thanks guys!

Almost did my first 600 mile day yesterday, but was running very low on my 11. Final was 598.4. Close, but no cigar!! We made it from Oklahoma City (re-powered another driver there) to our receiver (Walmart DC) in Mebane, NC in just over 21 hours, rest break included! Light load, so she was walkin' up and down the hills in TN in grand style!! That was a lot of fun to drive!! LOL

Sitting here in my trainer's home town doing a 34 hour reset as he needed to pick up the fridge for his truck that his parents got him and I needed to have my VA doc call in my prescription someplace I could pick it up. We head out again bright and early Saturday morning, but probably will not be able to finish by Labor day like we wanted. I will have to wait the four days he will be off with his kid. I don't know if they will have me do local stuff or just sit. Guess I'll find out. The only problem is that it is just that much longer before I start making regular paychecks instead of training pay. I think I'm okay for now, but if it goes too much longer I may have problems with some bills that don't take kindly to late or missed payments (gov't student loans and VA med payments).

Anyway, I'm sitting here 1000% happier and equally as stress-free!! I am now officially in level 5 of my training out of 6 levels, and only have a few more hours to drive to finish level 5.

WOW!!!! Just went and picked up my pills. I pay a $5.00 co-pay for a 30 or 60 day supply through the VA, mailed to me. Since this had to be called in to a retail pharmacy, it was $190.00 for 14 pills!!!!! Just enough till I can get home as I have a full supply waiting in my PO box there. Holy cow!! I have a whole new respect for what the VA does for me, and I was already very happy with them!!!

Anyway, Later guys.

DSTURBD

Wow, those med payments. Glad you're enjoying yourself.