Rookie Who Can’t Stand Otr Training

I think training sucks and I want to cry everyday. I’m wondering if it’s even worth it if I want to cry all the time while in training. I have another 38,000 miles to go before I can upgrade. Smh

Naj, very few people "enjoy" the training period. It's everyone's most memorable time of starting their career, and most of the time the memories aren't too good. I had a terrible trainer - he made the experience miserable.

I think you're confusing your training time with what it's like to be an OTR driver. Most people love this life after they get on their own and get to call their own shots. You need to pinpoint what it is that's bothering you.

I love what I'm doing now, but I couldn't have ever said that during my training.

Naj,

I didn't enjoy training at all either, it feels like you are at someone else's mercy. My trainer was super indecisive which made it very difficult at times, never knowing what would really end up happening. I wanted to cry many times, I just kept reminding myself that this will end.

Now my husband and I are on the road on our own and I'm loving it, so worth it!! If you can, stick it out through training and see if you like it once you get out on your own.

Best of luck to you.

I have a dilemma because I’ve graduated cd school this pass October. I’ve started with prime but the training process has Been tough especially being a woman . The 1st trainer I had was so rude to me and I dealt with him for 2 weeks and then had to wait at a terminal for 2 weeks for another trainer and my 2nd trainer quit because we got stuck in California for a few days due to a snow storm. So I’ve been home contemplating on if I should quit because I really hate otr all over the states and I would like to find something where I can go home every week. I know that it’ll be harder to get but I want to be happy and I’ve been miserable dealing with this training process especially dealing with trainers who are so tactless and mean. I don’t want to hate what I do just for the money and experience. I also don’t know what the next trainer will be like and I will take another chance going out with another person knowing I already have a bad experience with the trainers so I’m kind of over it. I know that I haven’t learned everything I need to know in just a few weeks of training so my only reason for going back would be cause of the money and experience. However I’ll be uncomfortable, and unhappy doing so. I don’t know if it’s worth it. Please give me some advice on what you think the beat option will be. Thanks

Define rude. I actually liked my trainer. But it is pretty difficult putting two adults together for weeks at a time inside a sneaker box. At times things got intense. Sometimes you have to focus on the light at the end of the tunnel and not that you’re in the dark

Naj - I am still working to get my CDL , at least you passed. Read my diary in the CDL training section. All things are temporary, both good and bad. I second what alot of folks have already told you.

Get out a sheet of paper and pen (or use Word on your laptop or destkop) and write/type out what it is that YOU want out of trucking and what goals YOU want accomplish.

You already went company paid training (unless I'm wrong??), its alot easier than the path I have taken....that is all I will say.

Get out a sheet of paper and pen (or use Word on your laptop or destkop) and write/type out what it is that YOU want out of trucking and what goals YOU want accomplish.

That's exactly the right approach to take. You start with your goals. What do you want to accomplish and why do you want to accomplish it?

I asked why you got into trucking. You said, "To make money." Well you're making money, right? Then congratulations! All your dreams have come true!

Yet you're not happy. So then making money wasn't your goal, or at least not your only goal. That's where Moe's advice comes in. Sit down and figure out what your real goals are in life and why you want to achieve them. They should be exciting to you. Making money isn't exciting, but making lots of money while living fantastic adventures sounds a lot more exciting.

Start with goals that excite you. Ask yourself why they excite you. Then you can figure out how you want to achieve them. Maybe trucking is the perfect way to make your wildest dreams come true. Maybe it's the worst possible thing for you to be doing. You won't really know until you understand what you want and why you want it.

So think harder. Dig deeper. What is it you're truly after? What would excite the hell out of you?

Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving

After you've finished with that list, take a few hours and read Brett's book.

For the technically challenged among st us (me for example) - how do I link my diary or TT articles into replies can you give me the steps? Like what Pack did above me...how do I create the blue lined hyperlink etc that will take someone to exactly where ever it is that I want to show them?

Thanks.

Ironically I can hook up hardware just fine, some of this internet stuff sadly has eluded me over the years, but learn each day ....

Thanks...

Get out a sheet of paper and pen (or use Word on your laptop or destkop) and write/type out what it is that YOU want out of trucking and what goals YOU want accomplish.

That's exactly the right approach to take. You start with your goals. What do you want to accomplish and why do you want to accomplish it?

I asked you why you got into trucking. You said, "To make money." Well you're making money, right? Then congratulations! All your dreams have come true!

Yet you're not happy. So then making money wasn't your goal, or at least not your only goal. That's where Moe's advice comes in. Sit down and figure out what your real goals are in life and why you want to achieve them. They should be exciting to you. Making money isn't exciting, but making lots of money while living fantastic adventures sounds a lot more exciting.

Start with goals that excite you. Ask yourself why they excite you. Then you can figure out how you want to achieve them. Maybe trucking is the perfect way to make your wildest dreams come true. Maybe it's the worst possible thing for you to be doing. You won't really know until you understand what you want and why you want it.

So think harder. Dig deeper. What is it you're truly after? What would excite the hell out of you?

More, when you have a Reply box open you have several options on blue buttons just above. One says Link. Press that.

You'll enter the text you want readers to see like "Errol's Training Diary" and Copy/Paste the link address (URL) like "https://www.truckingtruth.com/truckers-forum/Topic-6563/Page-1/swift-academy-memphis-tn".

Press Submit and voilà! Your link appears at the cursor location!

Errol's Training Diary

Don't feel bad, Moe. It took me four years to figure it out!

It’s normal to hate your trainers and it’s normal to want to cry when your under the kind of pressure your under right now. I hated my trainers at the time and know what your going through. It’s so easy to feel like your being spoken to condescendingly and it’s easy to think your being judged on your every move. These people training your aren’t child psychologists. They aren’t preschool teachers. They are just truck drivers and if they are lucky they got a high school diploma. There are lots of people in this world that can get satisfaction out of others suffering and you got to realize that. Don’t let it bring you down. Get this out the way and try to learn as much as you can while you can from these guys. Good luck.