In Training, I Need Advice.

Actually, myself and Old School would be a great example of this kind of thing. We're both great quality human beings who would make great trainers, at least for most people.

However, as you've all noticed, I do not have nearly the ability that Old School does to tell people the God's honest truth in the most gentle way imaginable. Old School could tell someone they're the scum of the Earth, and by the end of the conversation that guy would be giving him a hug and thanking him for all his help.

Me on the other hand? I try like crazy to be as kind and gentle as I can, and I always have the very best of intentions. But I'm just a "tough love" kind of guy. No matter how hard I try, sometimes I'm abrasive. I played tough sports like football and hockey growing up. I was raised by a steel worker for a father and a mother who never babied me. They were the greatest parents ever and part of the reason why is because they expected me to perform at a high level and wouldn't let me be a crybaby about anything.

So I'm tough as nails and I have a great heart but my style doesn't always resonate with people. I guarantee you there are people who would learn really, really well from me but there would also be a lot of people who would learn much better from Old School. He's just got that gracefulness I haven't figured out yet, but God knows I'm trying!

But then you get into a whole new level of problems when you have people who don't have the student's best interest at heart. And let's be real, there's plenty of trainers doing it for the extra money. They see the student as nothing more than a necessary evil.

And there's a large number of people who go a little nutty when you give them even a little bit of authority. But being a trainer is kind of a lot of authority. Not many people handle that gracefully.

Well I did it! My training is complete! The rest of my training after I made the switch went fairly smooth. By the end of it all I was ready to get off that truck though. I don't care if it's your best friend, if you spend every day with someone in a 8 by 6 box at a certain point you just want your own space and to do your own thing.

I'm back in Springfield now. Did the class and simulator and my CBTs will be done tonight so I can put in for a truck tomorrow. The campus inn was full so they put me up at the Oasis. Probably one of the nicest hotel rooms I've ever stayed in and it's free. Can't beat it. Robert Low, the owner of Prime, popped into Fire and Ice while I was eating that was pretty fancy.

I talked to a fleet manager today who runs a dedicated fleet for Railex out of Schenectady, NY and he was wondering if I was interested. You leave out of the terminal , make a drop somewhere in the region, and then go right back to the terminal to take your break. Rinse repeat. It's the same 1200 guaranteed as the northeast regional.

I didn't have any plans of going northeast or dedicated until he called but now I'm thinking I may do it. He said his drivers average 1700 miles a week. That's nearly a thousand less than it would take to make 1200 gross on the road in a lightweight truck. Plus I like the idea of leaving from a place and coming back and knowing you'll have a place to go to sleep and not worry about parking. If anyone knows anything about the account let me know.

Just thought I'd let you all know I made it since you helped me get this far.