Accident While In Training.

Wow Daniel, I am sorry to hear about this, but really glad that you are okay.

I barely use my GPS. As a rookie, I kept a notebook that I wrote down every detail of my trips in. I'm talking before I even started up my truck. I would plan out the whole trip with exit numbers written down and even which direction I would be turning onto various roadways. From the little you shared with us, it sounds like you didn't even realize what highways you were getting onto without your GPS telling you as you got close to it. Personally, I consider it a little dangerous for a rookie to even be using the GPS during that first week or two of training. I'm probably in a minority on that, but I think as distracted as newbies are with shifting, keeping a proper following distance, and just the sheer head rush of driving a loaded big rig for the first few times, that they sure don't need the added distraction of trying to keep up with what the GPS is doing or not doing.

I'm not sure what to tell you on getting a job. A major roll over like that is really tough to overcome. You may have to settle for a smaller company to get back in to the business, but it is going to be tough for you. Your experience is so limited, and you have a major accident also.

I hope you will keep us posted, and I hope you can get this resolved.

Thats how training is done at Wiley Sanders. My first day on the job was to Wisconsin. I drove 11 hours trainer slept. It seemed more of a team driver type situation. He drove days and I drove nights. I was told its how it is done. He knew I was having troubls with down shifting at times but our truck ran 24/7 other then shower and fuel breaks.

Rick pretty much nailed it with his response but your posting it allows for a learning moment for other drivers. One lesson would be that your route should have been planned out in advance rather than relying specifically on the GPS. You mentioned that the directions given were what made you react and that decision was part of the reason for the accident. I'm also curious as to why in the hell, a trainer is asleep in the back with a rookie driver only 2 weeks in effectively running solo. I may be wrong in my opinion but there's no way you should have been left alone like that being so new. I am glad to hear you're both ok and even more sorry to hear about the accident, I hope everything pans out ok.

Thursday 6/22/2017

Just curious as to when this happened? I run that area weekly now

Daniel wrote:

Thats how training is done at Wiley Sanders. My first day on the job was to Wisconsin. I drove 11 hours trainer slept. It seemed more of a team driver type situation. He drove days and I drove nights. I was told its how it is done. He knew I was having troubls with down shifting at times but our truck ran 24/7 other then shower and fuel breaks.

I am rarely at a loss for words...

Daniel although that's how it's done at Wiley,...I can assure you they are the exception.

Daniel wrote:

Thats how training is done at Wiley Sanders. My first day on the job was to Wisconsin. I drove 11 hours trainer slept. It seemed more of a team driver type situation. He drove days and I drove nights. I was told its how it is done. He knew I was having troubls with down shifting at times but our truck ran 24/7 other then shower and fuel breaks.

I am rarely at a loss for words...

Daniel although that's how it's done at Wiley,...I can assure you they are the exception.

was this when you just had your permit or was it after you passed the state exam? If it was after this is how Prime trains as well. Team driving with s trainer. My trainer stayed awake for like an hour or two the first few weeks to see how I drove. But he still needed sleep so he could run his miles.

was this when you just had your permit or was it after you passed the state exam? If it was after this is how Prime trains as well. Team driving with s trainer. My trainer stayed awake for like an hour or two the first few weeks to see how I drove. But he still needed sleep so he could run his miles.

It's probably safe to assume (as risky as that is) that, since WST doesn't do CDL License Training in-house - he was a recent graduate of an outside school.

Remember - Prime does their PSD training, with a trainer "supposed to be" in the passenger seat, observing a coaching. In fact - it is ILLEGAL for someone on a CLP to operate, without a CDL licensed driver in the front seat. I believe, even after you move onto TNT , that the trainer spends a few weeks up front with the newly licensed driver, before switching to teaming.

From the drivers initial post - he was 2.5 weeks into his OTR period with WST, when he had his accident.

We all can agree to disagree - with how long a trainer should stay up front with a new driver - but either this driver demonstrated enough skills to make the trainer confident enough to go sleep - or - the trainer is one of those that doesn't really care about TRAINING, and simply uses the trainee to run miles for him.

Not really justification for ragging on WST's training policy - it appears to be similar to most other companies for "already licensed/recent graduates".

Got a 25 dollar ticket exceeding safe speed troop came to hospital and gave me this ticket. 85 was under construction. Was a sudden move when gps said to merge onto 77 north. With be inexperienced thought I was ok to do so.

What this WAS - was a ROOKIE MISTAKE, that resulted in a serious accident (and likely a total loss of truck, trailer & cargo). Not planning far enough ahead for route changes (and you can usually tell a GPS how far ahead to warn of turns), not paying attention to his speed when making a sudden course change (so he didn't miss his exit), going too fast in what was likely a confusing construction zone.

I'd say FIGHT THE TICKET (I always do). Even though the rollover was caused by SPEED - the officer didn't witness it, and can't testify to it - so it's an ASSUMPTION (even if it was a correct one).

Wait a year (since you won't get a hire with such a recent accident anyways). Sign up with a training company (because even with a CDL, your lack of experience is going to require it ANYWAYS - and retraining after being "stale" is a GOOD THING).

Rick

Rick wrote:

We all can agree to disagree - with how long a trainer should stay up front with a new driver - but either this driver demonstrated enough skills to make the trainer confident enough to go sleep - or - the trainer is one of those that doesn't really care about TRAINING, and simply uses the trainee to run miles for him.

Not really justification for ragging on WST's training policy - it appears to be similar to most other companies for "already licensed/recent graduates".

Rick, what I read by Daniel was this:

That's how training is done at Wiley Sanders. My first day on the job was to Wisconsin. I drove 11 hours trainer slept. It seemed more of a team driver type situation. He drove days and I drove nights. I was told its how it is done.

Agreed his accident occurred after 2.5 weeks. However it appears (based on the above quote) as if the trainer didn't really observe Daniel driving. If that's what actually happened, totally irresponsible on the part of the trainer. To reiterate, I do not know of any company that puts the student driver in the cab, day 1 on the job, at night while the trainer sleeps. I doubt (hope) this is not Wiley's policy and it was a lazy trainer.

As an example; at Swift first 50 hours of trainee driving is fully supervised by their trainer (mentor), no night driving. For any Swifties about to go through road training, first 50 your mentor is required to be in the passenger seat observing and assisting. No exceptions.

This emphasizes the need for a student driver to be their own advocate and question anything that doesn't sound right or is perceived as unsafe.

...something else occurred to me, if Daniel was team driving on the first day of his employ as a trainee, then there is no way Wiley didn't know this was happening because the truck was likely turning 1000 or more miles per day, plus if Wiley runs elogs , their driver logs recorded all of this. Someone, a DM or dispatcher was aware of this.

the bulk division I was assigned to.

What kind of trailer were you pulling?

It was a bulker. They are a very high center of gravity trailer to pull.

Sorry this happened, Daniel Y. I hope you are recovering quickly.

Hey Daniel Y- Sorry to here this news but lots of Folks are asking some questions that lead this this issue and we all would really like to here the back story. Previous Training? CDP or CDL? and the like, please let us know as this Group can give great advise if you provide some of the details and those of us considering a Career in the Industry could benefit from your feedback and their Professional advise. Bummer Dude but let them help you.