Worried Prime Training

So going back to Springfield, because I called my fleet manager letting her know I’m not feeling safe. She and the instructor pushed it off, so I hope I get a new trainer because I came so far. So am I wrong?

The trainer drove of with me in the top bunk. Telling the fleet manager I was to slow getting up. I was up 30 min before him, when his alarm went of I got dressed. But then he was already driven and I could get down safe.

I’m out her since 3 days my shifting is ok, but if there is allot going on I get nervous and sometimes miss the spot. So he tells me over and over you need to know this, I don’t need to tell you. If you don’t want to learn I let you out in Springfield and get a new trainee.

Then wail we was driving to a customer and searching for a trailer there he put me on off duty and then sleeper, wail I was in the passenger seat. He controls the electronic lock. So it warned us that I’m violating of duty time. Telling me that I need to drive tomorrow morning so that way I’m on sleeper now.

This morning me driving in the dark he cuts on the dome light and uses the camera flash for his paperwork. So I was blinded.

Then just for the customer I did something not completely right, and he asks how many miles left? I tell him and he so how long will it take? Me honest I don’t know? He then you driving 58 m a hour so u have about 50 miles left, so what now? Me I guess we be there in about a hour? Ok or appointment

Do you think I did the right thing?

Yes. If your account is accurate, that trainer is a nincompoop.

So going back to Springfield, because I called my fleet manager letting her know I’m not feeling safe. She and the instructor pushed it off, so I hope I get a new trainer because I came so far. So am I wrong?

The trainer drove of with me in the top bunk. Telling the fleet manager I was to slow getting up. I was up 30 min before him, when his alarm went of I got dressed. But then he was already driven and I could get down safe.

I’m out her since 3 days my shifting is ok, but if there is allot going on I get nervous and sometimes miss the spot. So he tells me over and over you need to know this, I don’t need to tell you. If you don’t want to learn I let you out in Springfield and get a new trainee.

Then wail we was driving to a customer and searching for a trailer there he put me on off duty and then sleeper, wail I was in the passenger seat. He controls the electronic lock. So it warned us that I’m violating of duty time. Telling me that I need to drive tomorrow morning so that way I’m on sleeper now.

This morning me driving in the dark he cuts on the dome light and uses the camera flash for his paperwork. So I was blinded.

Then just for the customer I did something not completely right, and he asks how many miles left? I tell him and he so how long will it take? Me honest I don’t know? He then you driving 58 m a hour so u have about 50 miles left, so what now? Me I guess we be there in about a hour? Ok or appointment

Do you think I did the right thing?

Ok or appointment is when? I think xx time. So I don’t have time to train you every small detail, because we need to be on time.

I don’t want much. Just a trainer that realizes that I’m a psd student and I’m not used to driving a 18 wheeler. If i miss something mentor me and don’t tell me if I don’t know I need to go. Yes keeping a 18 wheeler in lane control wail entering or exiting a interstate is not easy, so my shifting will be a littl off. But telling me then that if I don’t want to learn I’m off the truck, can’t be the solution. I staid in lane, I shifted. Maybe not smoth like a experienced driver but it’s my 3rd day. That’s just one of a few small examples. Hope they don’t send me home, this would suck. After all I wanted is being trained,

A few things here Papa:

I doubt they will send you home. I do however believe your approach to this needs to be adjusted...

Have you addressed any of this with your trainer, when the truck is shut-down and you are both on break? While the truck is moving? Not the time to work out issues.

It's clear there is a lack of trip-planning going on with your direct involvement. You need to learn the basics of this skill and in-part your trainer should be helping you. Force him to involve you in this process and explain the basics.

You also need to learn basic

Logbook Rules (HOS)

so you understand what he is doing with the ELD and why. In a team truck, when you are "logged-out" as the driver, and then logged as off duty, you have two hours allowed in the passenger seat before you must log as in the "sleeper". Be careful when you go through a weigh station and DOT sees both seats occupied. They may question the status. If the ELD has you in the sleeper, yet you are still physically occupying the seat, it's a possible citation for falsifying logs. Don't let that happen.

I constantly tell students to be your own advocate and force proactive communication. Clearly understand what your trainer expects...including what is expected when the wake-up alarm goes off. Talk about it! Know what to expect ahead of time. If there is anything you cannot do, or anything lacks clarity, don't let it go. Speak up.

That said, if your trainer expects you to be shifting like a pro and conducting yourself as an experienced driver after only 3 days, he's a freakin' moron. However, this is your training, you get one shot, make it count. Take ownership.

Document what is occurring so when you get back to the terminal you'll have notes to refer to. Without knowing anymore, although I usually encourage a student to work it out, this sounds like it's beyond teconciliation. Request a new trainer.

Required reading: Tips for Road Training

Good luck, hope you can work it out.

A few things here Papa:

I doubt they will send you home. I do however believe your approach to this needs to be adjusted...

Have you addressed any of this with your trainer, when the truck is shut-down and you are both on break? While the truck is moving? Not the time to work out issues.

It's clear there is a lack of trip-planning going on with your direct involvement. You need to learn the basics of this skill and in-part your trainer should be helping you. Force him to involve you in this process and explain the basics.

You also need to learn basic

Logbook Rules (HOS)

so you understand what he is doing with the ELD and why. In a team truck, when you are "logged-out" as the driver, and then logged as off duty, you have two hours allowed in the passenger seat before you must log as in the "sleeper". Be careful when you go through a weigh station and DOT sees both seats occupied. They may question the status. If the ELD has you in the sleeper, yet you are still physically occupying the seat, it's a possible citation for falsifying logs. Don't let that happen.

I constantly tell students to be your own advocate and force proactive communication. Clearly understand what your trainer expects...including what is expected when the wake-up alarm goes off. Talk about it! Know what to expect ahead of time. If there is anything you cannot do, or anything lacks clarity, don't let it go. Speak up.

That said, if your trainer expects you to be shifting like a pro and conducting yourself as an experienced driver after only 3 days, he's a freakin' moron. However, this is your training, you get one shot, make it count. Take ownership.

Document what is occurring so when you get back to the terminal you'll have notes to refer to. Without knowing anymore, although I usually encourage a student to work it out, this sounds like it's beyond teconciliation. Request a new trainer.

Required reading: Tips for Road Training

Good luck, hope you can work it out.

Yes I tried to talk with him when we where on brake, he basically ignored me. He doesn’t trip plan, he gets a load uses the navy and off he goes. He told me the first night i could sleep in on the top bunk, wail he was driving. I then told him that this was against the rules and I would get up. So at 5 I was ready to get up, his alarm went of and he turned it off and slept till 7. So the next day I waited for his alarm to go off and then get dressed. But this time he got up and was driving before I could get dressed and move safe from the top bunk. Your right i got this one chance for good training and I try to get a grip on this. So I hope everything turns out right when I’m back at the terminal, and I hope I get a good trainer. I gonna write everything down, so I don’t forget anything when I talk with the training managers back at the terminal

Why is he driving at all? in PSD you should be doing the majority if not all of the driving. and you should not be on the top bunk...he should not be doing ur QC moves. you can report him to brooke or stan. they want you to.

as far as him asking about the miles and time it will take to get somewhere...that is him trying to ger you in the habit of trip planning. when you go the smae routes often, you can trip plan in your head. he wanted you to say "with 300 miles it will take 5 hoirs to drive at 60mph, then add time for breaks and traffic, etc"

so what if he wants you off? you already dont want him. you wont get sent home.

Why is he driving at all? in PSD you should be doing the majority if not all of the driving. and you should not be on the top bunk...he should not be doing ur QC moves. you can report him to brooke or stan. they want you to.

as far as him asking about the miles and time it will take to get somewhere...that is him trying to ger you in the habit of trip planning. when you go the smae routes often, you can trip plan in your head. he wanted you to say "with 300 miles it will take 5 hoirs to drive at 60mph, then add time for breaks and traffic, etc"

so what if he wants you off? you already dont want him. you wont get sent home.

Thanks Rainy. So I already spoke with fleet management. They trying to get us back to Springfield as soon as possible. I then will talk with Stan, that’s what the fleet manager told me. I’m just worried because I don’t want to go home. About the log he told me I don’t need to know it as psd student, that comes in tnt. I should atleast know the basics of the log. Then he said he doesn’t feel like he needs to explain everything in to detail, I should pick up on my own. I don’t want everything in to detail just being mentored/ trained. No he want plan the trip this with the miles came up, because he was frustrated that I didn’t pass a slower truck in front of me.

So didn’t speak with Stan, because weekend. I was told to talk with Linda. This conversation was unpleasant as it can be, what surprised me because that’s normally not how Prime operates. I was sick from Wednesday on, and almost had no voice Saturday. Linda was so “nice” to point out that in school you can’t choose your teacher and that you need to be happy to get this chance. Every time I tried to get atleast one word out, she told me to speak louder and clearer because being quit is a weakness in the industry. Trucks need to be loud according to hear. She rented on for some time, even the trainer looked completely astonished, and then she just handed me a paper telling me to ride down what my stupid problem was and that she needs that paper back as soon as possible, but she will set my name on the bottom of the list so I can think about this the next time. This all got me thinking, if I want to be treated this way. What settled the score was a call from Home that my autistic son was in the hospital, so I wrote all my problems and Saft concerns on that paper. And as last sentence l wrote a thank you to Linda for being the only unfriendly person at Prime. And that I resign from the Training. I want this but family comes first and no one treats me like crap if I don’t deserve it. So I’m happy on my way home to my son and family. It was a awesome experience that I don’t want to miss, besides the week out with the trainer(the 8hours driving was awesome) and Linda.

I don't think trucking is a good career choice for you at this time. It seems you can't afford to be away from home for weeks at a time. You also, need thicker skin. In trucking if everything goes your way today, it may not tomorrow. You have to be flexible and be able to stand up for yourself. Good luck. I hope your child is ok.