Is It Necessary To Have A Female Trainer?

I wonder if they would allow a video camera on the dash, I would like to document my training time anyway to share with family and friends. That would provide protection for both parties.

Indeed they will. You can setup any type of cameras you want. In fact, it's an excellent idea to have one facing out the windshield at the road ahead to protect yourself in case of an accident. If someone does something like jumps in front of you and slams on the brakes to cause you to hit them from behind, you're protected from that kind of thing. And it happens.

As far as this topic - same thing. You can use a camera to protect yourself, or possibly even better use a hidden audio recording device during training to record anything that is said inside the truck.

I just yesterday received an email from one of our forum members that I haven't heard from in a bit. He said he had this lunatic for a trainer that was like a drill sergeant - screaming, cussing, calling him names while he's driving. He said a few times he even pulled on his ear and slapped him in the back of the head. He lasted for 3 weeks with the guy and finally quit. If he was protected by a hidden audio recorder, this story would have turned out dramatically different.

What is a good kind to buy that isn't very expensive? Does anyone have any suggestions?

What is a good kind to buy that isn't very expensive? Does anyone have any suggestions?

Walmart has small video cams for cheap I think its guyjax that used a video can as a dash cam, or ya can fork out bout 130 bus for an actual branded dash cam .some go for more.

I've never really looked into them myself so I can't recommend one. But I know you'll want to make sure you get one that is setup specifically to keep recording continuously. What they do is they'll record until their memory is full and then start recording over the old footage.

Say for instance your camera can record 45 minutes of footage before the memory is full. You'll hit the "record" button before you start driving. Then say you're driving down the road and an accident happens in front of you and you catch it on camera. All you have to do is hit the "save" button and it will save the last 45 minutes of footage permanently and stop recording over it. So you're always covered.

The camera just keeps recording while you're going down the road and if nothing happens you just ignore it. If something does happen, you hit the "save" button and you've got it saved permanently. It's a beautiful thing!

Kayakngal, I believe mace is one of those things you can't have on a truck. And personally, having been maced in BPST training...setting off a Mace spray in a truck will get both of ya, so you won't gain a whole lot. Getting a decent trainer is a crap shoot, at best. No company can say their trainers will act appropriately at all times. If it were me, I'd have a sit down with the trainer before we ever left the terminal , and tell them EXACTLY what you expect of him. Then there will be no mistaken intentions, or if there is, you'll contact the appropriate person at the company. Its a slippery slope, to be sure. I really wish more women would go into training. But they all must be like me....I'm really picky about who I sleep behind when that truck's moving. And I know, the trainer has to be in the jump seat a given amount of time....but still...

Eh, rules were made to be... I was one of two females in my union from late 80's to 1998 and learned that sometimes you can talk your head off trying to relate with a person and believe you've reached that person by making a connection of perfect clarity and, things will be just peachy keen from that moment on. Then later they do something that makes you realize - you really can't fix stupid.

So, again it's the gamble that makes my normal, rational and professional side 150% more cautious. I still lean toward the thought process that most people are good. Most people are going to treat others with respect (of course there's always going to be the silly goofs and playful put downs - all in good fun stuff) so, to make my point I'll just mention that I detest lawyers and I'm not looking for any reason to hire one. I detest drama so I am looking for a nice training experience with a normal human being.

As long as whomever I'm training with is level headed, semi intelligent, professional (can I ask for good personal hygeine or is that too much?) and doesn't harm puppies then bingo I'll be a happy trucker which I definitely am not, at this point, because I have no idea what a jump seat is?

I wonder if they would allow a video camera on the dash, I would like to document my training time anyway to share with family and friends. That would provide protection for both parties.

Shazam! Now THIS Kathy K is the most brilliant idea I've read yet!! Just telling someone you have this device, to record your training experience, will instill the concept that good behaviour is necessary because they never know if the device is recording. Great, great idea. It just keeps the playing field level and applies a little more pressure to behave professionally. I'm going to Walmart :)

A jump seat is the passenger seat

I doubt the trainer would be to cool about a video camera. And were I you, I wouldn't ruffle feathers by asking...that is a real sore subject with alot of drivers...

I doubt the trainer would be to cool about a video camera. And were I you, I wouldn't ruffle feathers by asking...that is a real sore subject with alot of drivers...

I totally agree. A camera is an awesome idea for once you go solo. If you want to protect yourself in case you get a total jerk for a trainer, get a small audio recording device and keep it a secret. When it's you and the trainer in the truck, they're going to be 100% certain that you two are isolated and that anything they say or do will come down to your word against theirs and nobody is going to believe a student over an experienced trainer. So they're not going to be careful with anything they say. If they're the type that's gonna scream and cuss and threaten you, they'll do it. You catch that with a recording device and it will definitely be the end of their training career and most likely their time with that company.

A jump seat is the passenger seat

Ahhh, thank you - learned something today :)