My First Day With My Mentor And Not Sure If I Need To Do More

So we got out of the snow. Or more like he did. I went into the hotel 3-4 hours before he got it out. Sheesh. I am kind of sad that there is a real possibility that I will miss Thanksgiving. Talking with family makes it better.

My trainer and I had a hard go of it for the first day and that did not help anything; he claims he is still mad with the last trainee so thats why he is so easy to frustrate. Im not sure I buy it, I called the dispatcher of his truck and told her my concerns and that I was not calling to be a complainer but that I wanted to make sure I got trained completely this time so that was the reason I wanted to express my concern.

This is is my account of what I was concerned about. When we got on the truck he had been driving for a while. I ask him how he was and he said he was good kind of quietly. Then I asked if we could go over expectations. Well he said we can do that when we get everything in the truck. So I got everything in the truck not realizing that I had incidently overpacked🙄. So then he told me there is two steps to get in the top bunck. So I did. And then he showed me how to buckle the guard and I did. I was a nervous wreck fearing we would be going to fast and tip the truck. But I survived🙂. Then the real first day came and I was not sure what to expect. The first thing he told me was that we really needed to get up to the consignee and he wanted to get there in the 11-200 window. So he said put the cruise control up to 66 mph. I was not comfortable with it but he still wanted me to go 66mph. I turned it deliberately down to 65 and kept that rig to speed limit.

Well it was calmish until he got up from sleeping which I know he needs sleep but I was still wanting him to stay up. Well, he gets up and when I start getting close he does something with the gps and then stays up the rest of the way. He was on his phone a lot. But another thing that concerned me was his short temper fuse. Like even if I didnt move into a lane fast enough because a car was near me he would get angry. He didnt even really like to talk and when I wanted to make conversation well that was not something he wanted to do and I would ask things like how long you plan on staying in the trucking industry? I realize I like to talk. It is a part of the DNA for me. We did better when we got to the cosignee. Then again maybe not, cause when we went to back in he says put your duty status to On Duty. So I do except I go 5 mph and it throws me to driving so then I had to reput myself on on duty. Then he changes it when the combination of time equaled 15 minutes to off duty. Then we both go to brunch. Well I ordered to eat in the restraunt. He got frustrated with that too. On the way there we spoke on logs which was nice.

Then we go to go out and he says to take the truck in the street on the side and then close the doors and lock the tandems after we moved them back. So after that we went to the hotel and which is one he has never been to and instructs me to drive in the parking lot and go around the building.

Well then we get around the building not before going over ledge cause its a small parking lot. We the go to try and get around the building and find that we cant because they have trash just piled in the edge of the parking lot. So now we have to back the rig up and it took him a real good 50 minutes or more on MY DRIVE TIME. Whats worse is if the police officer looked at the logs he would have seen I was driving that rig when the truck got stuck. I made him change me from driving to inactive but then he puts me on on duty post trip. Well that was the last I was with him cause I got my bags and went into the hotel that I would be staying in until 9:10am on Sunday. He put himself on yard move and kept trying to get unstuck. He put me on the same status that morning of the 15th/ October. We went to get fuel and he didnt even have me do a real good pretrip. He has had no complaints till me.

Thank you for the information. So I drove 200 of 250 to Rochester, New Your today and did good. Was nervous. Then we got to our reciever and got unloaded over at Home Depo and then we headed to Red Roof Inn so I can spend it there while he has home time. While he was dropping me off he instructed me that I should go around the building and I did only to find that we could not make it around the building because of trash. Now we are stuck. Hoping we get out very soon.

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Not sure what I should do. I have contacted his manager and she said she was going to send a note to him but ask if on Monday I wanted to change trainer and I said I would get back to her on Monday. To me I am not sure why no one has complained about him earlier. I tried calling Connie but she would not pick up and I tried calling Nichole Robinson and she refused to pickup. Connie texted me though the number of the dispatcher as stated before.

You've only been with the trainer for 1 or 2 days?

Just out of curiosity is he a lease op?

Victor, I've noticed something about you from the description you've just given us, and I think it may interfere with your goals. You obsess over everyone's feelings and intentions. You're constantly analyzing what your trainer is thinking and feeling. You feel it's important for him to be in a good mood, to talk with you when you feel like talking, and to be welcoming toward you at all times. In your mind, it's important that he makes every effort to ensure you're feeling comfortable and that you're well taken care of.

I would feel the same way if I was paying someone good money out of my own pocket to be my personal guide.

If I went to Vegas and hired a guide to show me around town, I would expect that person to always be super friendly, empathetic, and make sure I'm always having a great time. That's what I'm paying for, right?

You haven't hired a personal guide. You're being paid to learn how to drive a truck. This man is risking his life, giving up his privacy, and sharing the only tiny space in the world he has with you so you can learn how to do your job. Sure, it would be more enjoyable if he was super friendly and considerate all the time. But that's not his job, and it's not fair or reasonable for you to expect that of him.

I know you're feeling the pressure of the situation. You must prove you can do this job safely, and you've had a rough go of it to this point in your career. Well, he's also under a tremendous amount of pressure. He's responsible for both of you. If something goes wrong, it could be his job or his life on the line, and he can't control what you do behind the wheel. Training is a brutal job. I had no interest in doing it. I admire the people who do. You should understand why it's so hard and show some empathy yourself.

When I was on my trainer's truck, he took a nap one day while I went inside to take a shower. When I got back, he went to take a shower. While he was gone I cleaned the entire inside of the truck with the cleaners he had in the bunk and used Windex to clean the windows and mirrors. It delighted him. I wanted to let him know I understood and appreciated the sacrifices and the efforts he was making so I could learn how to drive that rig.

You said this:

I tried calling Connie but she would not pick up and I tried calling Nichole Robinson and she refused to pickup.

I'm curious. How do you know the reason they didn't answer their phones? Are you a mind-reader? How do you know they weren't performing CPR on a co-worker or rushing their mother to the hospital? You act as if you're being paid to critique everyone's mood, personality, performance, and intentions. You seem to believe everyone is being paid to coddle and please you, and they should jump to attention whenever you call on them.

Victor, I would recommend that you stop worrying about what everyone else is thinking and focus on doing the job you're being paid to do; learn how to drive that rig. That's all you should be worried about.

Anytime you have a concern about something, ask yourself, "Right now, am I focused on making myself better and learning how to do my job or am I critiquing someone else?" You're not being paid to critique anyone. Focus on yourself and what you're being paid to do. Nothing else matters.

You know thats true, but what about the hours of service issue? Isnt that like a violation? Would that incident come on me or my trainer?

Victor, I've noticed something about you from the description you've just given us, and I think it may interfere with your goals. You obsess over everyone's feelings and intentions. You're constantly analyzing what your trainer is thinking and feeling. You feel it's important for him to be in a good mood, to talk with you when you feel like talking, and to be welcoming toward you at all times. In your mind, it's important that he makes every effort to ensure you're feeling comfortable and that you're well taken care of.

I would feel the same way if I was paying someone good money out of my own pocket to be my personal guide.

If I went to Vegas and hired a guide to show me around town, I would expect that person to always be super friendly, empathetic, and make sure I'm always having a great time. That's what I'm paying for, right?

You haven't hired a personal guide. You're being paid to learn how to drive a truck. This man is risking his life, giving up his privacy, and sharing the only tiny space in the world he has with you so you can learn how to do your job. Sure, it would be more enjoyable if he was super friendly and considerate all the time. But that's not his job, and it's not fair or reasonable for you to expect that of him.

I know you're feeling the pressure of the situation. You must prove you can do this job safely, and you've had a rough go of it to this point in your career. Well, he's also under a tremendous amount of pressure. He's responsible for both of you. If something goes wrong, it could be his job or his life on the line, and he can't control what you do behind the wheel. Training is a brutal job. I had no interest in doing it. I admire the people who do. You should understand why it's so hard and show some empathy yourself.

When I was on my trainer's truck, he took a nap one day while I went inside to take a shower. When I got back, he went to take a shower. While he was gone I cleaned the entire inside of the truck with the cleaners he had in the bunk and used Windex to clean the windows and mirrors. It delighted him. I wanted to let him know I understood and appreciated the sacrifices and the efforts he was making so I could learn how to drive that rig.

You said this:

I tried calling Connie but she would not pick up and I tried calling Nichole Robinson and she refused to pickup.

I'm curious. How do you know the reason they didn't answer their phones? Are you a mind-reader? How do you know they weren't performing CPR on a co-worker or rushing their mother to the hospital? You act as if you're being paid to critique everyone's mood, personality, performance, and intentions. You seem to believe everyone is being paid to coddle and please you, and they should jump to attention whenever you call on them.

Victor, I would recommend that you stop worrying about what everyone else is thinking and focus on doing the job you're being paid to do; learn how to do your job. That's all you should be worried about.

Anytime you have a concern about something, ask yourself, "Right now, am I focused on making myself better and learning how to do my job or am I critiquing someone else?" Because you're not being paid to critique anyone. Focus on yourself and what you're being paid to do. Nothing else matters.

Packrat I have been with the trainer 1 night and 1 day. He was frustrated with the last trainee though. Maybe thats where I need to give grace to him.

Bob he is a company driver.

Just out of curiosity is he a lease op?

You've only been with the trainer for 1 or 2 days?

Stick it out with this trainer if at all possible. The time you're with him is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

I offered you some advice previously that still applies:

"Don't be your own worst enemy"

Okay, I am hoping that we get along and have lots of fun later and not be at each others gizzards and learn a lot. I need to trust in the Lord a lot more than I have been. Pressure sure has a way of making me forget. God will guide me. Thanks for being truthful with me.

Stick it out with this trainer if at all possible. The time you're with him is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

I offered you some advice previously that still applies:

"Don't be your own worst enemy"

Remember he is there to teach you not to have fun or be friends.

I would also advise to stick it out, you do not want to ask for a new trainer so soon, it takes a few days to get to know each other and see what the other person is about. Remember you are a stranger to him as much he is to you.