My Truck Driving Mentors

I've been thinking about this quite a bit since it was first brought up. So far I really can't think of anything new. The best idea I can come up with so far is to have someone fill out a request which includes their question, how they would like the response - phone or email, and how urgently they need it - maybe some kind of time frame. So if someone sends in a concern, all of the mentors in this system might get an email message that says:

Statement:

"I'm in a spot where my trainer is forcing me to drive while logging on his logbook or in dangerous conditions and I don't know what to do about it."

Response:

Email or Phone at 555-111-2222

Response Time Requested:

Urgent

Or another one like:

Statement:

"I've got a load that delivers tomorrow afternoon and my company has me routed across the George Washington Bridge and I would be hitting it during morning rush hour. Is there a way I can go around that bridge without getting in trouble with my company?"

Response:

Email or Phone at 555-111-2222

Response Time Requested:

6-12 hours

Now for what it's worth, for people driving or using smart phones the phone number in the email message will be clickable. So you won't have to fuss and fiddle with dialing your phone to make a call. Just click on the phone number and the phone will make the call.

And as far as knowing if anyone else has responded or not, if the moderators hit "reply to all" for these messages then it will be a group discussion and we'll all be able to track who has responded, what was said (if the response was by email), and whether or not the issue has been resolved.

That's the best system I can come up with so far. I'm still open to any and all ideas.

OK. I have been watching with delight at all the responses, so let me chime in with my few words.

Brett, we talked about "Knights Of The Road" a while back and think that would be a great name for the mentor program. But, I think we have all missed out that we are already mentors and of those that are on here more than myself, have been doing an excellent job at being mentors. To mentor is to; teach, give advice to those who are less experienced and or younger. (Daniel is one hell of a mentor at his young age) And that is what all of your have been doing. The Moderators are already mentors. I know that what you are looking for is something more, but you can't get any more that what you are giving. You just want to do it in a different way.

Well, that's where some of your moderators graduate to becoming mentors and move to another forum. One that is by membership/password only. The question will be more serious and life changing to some degree. Brett you would have to create another forum. And then look at selecting some new moderators. Its a step process. To be a mentor you would have to prove yourself worthy of being a mentor. For to be a mentor is a great honor and huge responsibility. These are other truck drivers lives your are shaping. We have some GREAT people here who will make wonderful mentors. Everyone of your moderators now are what you are looking for. As time goes by more moderators will become mentors and that will solve the problem of ratio.

You will also have to be selected as a new driver to be in the mentor program. This does not in any way suggest that some of the new drivers are not honorable people. Don't twist what I am saying. Everything we do in life is a process. We evolve into what we are or do. That is what this needs to be to be successful. The general forum would still be there for the new moderators to moderate and mentors would be coming in as an even higher source of involvement. Just as you have done with GuyJax. Their is a reason he has the level of moderatorship that he has.

Mentors and Mentee's can exchange phone numbers and emails if they wish. The forum would be a place for them to go though so that others can see what each other is dealing with. Yes, their are some private words and times in peoples lives, but not everything. Openness is a path to learning. Subjects that take place in the Mentor forum could be posted as articles with the permission of those involved.

I know I need to go further with this concept and idea, but I am late for work now. I had to put something down because I have been thinking so much about it.

I just wanted you guys to know that you were already great Mentors and I am honored to be a part of this Website.

Guys I love the idea of expansion and refinement. Tracey is very right, ya'll been doing this in some form all along. As several people have said they get emails, and some phone calls. And yes I have Daniel on speed dial...lol...The one thing I learned many years ago was the KISS method to a process. "Keep it simple S****pd. If you make a complicated system people will shy away from it. Brett I know your a super technical person and love doing it, but a lot of folks aren't. Whatever the process it has to be simple and straightforward for people to use it. Just my 2 cents...

I don't want to see another forum...I think that breaking up the forums reduces the information that anyone who comes on the site is able to access. Any driver, whether in the seat, or been in the seat, can be a mentor....I know that even if I've got years of driving experience, now that I am not in the seat, theres things that I won't know, cuz I'm not out there. So I want the mentors to be as wide a net catch as we can get !! Some mentors will be specialized, like flatbedding, tankers, reefers ( ever had your reefer got to crap, and you can get ahold or repair?), car haulers, etc....But if any of you remember that "feeling" when you're just out on your own, and something goes bad...and you REALLY don't wanna call dispatch...so, like Ghost Busters....who ya gonna call ? THATS what our mentor thing to be....I don't want ot difficult, restricted, or "special"...we're all truckers...other than the color of our underwear, theres not alot special about us....

Personally the current system we have is fine and should not be changed. If someone wants advice from one person in private they send a private message and it emails us and in the message a number can be given if they want to talk on the phone. No need to do it any different than the way it is now.

Agree with guyjax. We as truckers love to talk. So when someone sends a PM or asks a question on the forum we usually give more than the asker expected. . . Lol.

To my way of thinking me objections are the same as they were when it mentioned to make a bunch of different topics. If there was a separate forums honestly I would never go there. This is the main forum and this is where everyone comes to.

Not sure about the rest of the current drivers here I just would not have the time to deal with two sets of forums have is essentially doing the same thing.

The way it is now new people get to know the experienced drivers by the way we post. They get a feel for us and if they needed to ask us something on a personal level then they could PM us which in turn emails us on our private email accounts.

I know been on the administration side of a forum before and it can consume a whole day sometimes not to mention 2 website trucker forums. Then you throw in everything else that is going on in the background pretty soon you loose focus on what the original forum is supposed to be.

Maybe a way to recognize who are the more knowledgeable drivers on certain topics which is what I am getting from this Mentor topic but certainly splitting to another forum would not be it.

I would not change a thing about this forum. I have seen folks in need of a answer quickly and there was always someone here to answer. However, I know you all want that person to have the "correct" answer, so maybe a star or a title could be added to the experienced drivers who want to take on this responsibility, and make a "flagged note" stating a response would be given as soon as possible. The driver that is in need of an answer quickly should flag their question as needed. As far as "having a mentor", I read in another post how a lot of you talk to each other on the phone daily, so just keep it as that and if a reader/newbie/rookie wants to have that "one person" to talk to and ask questions, they can arrange that themselves.

Having a mentor is a great idea, but this site is just too large and your jobs are tough enough to add the stress of having to constantly check emails and answer phones. I would only trust the answers of someone that has been "marked qualified".

Just my opinion and I know nothing...lol....but I'm learning!!!

I appreciate yall taking my idea and running with it but some of it is missing the point. This forum helps tons of people pre solo trucking career and acts as a tool when you go solo. Not all of the mentors for everyone will come from this site. What Im suggesting is that if your solo and you find a mentor that will be your best bet in surviving your first year. Also a mentor turns into a friend. Your friends and family now just wont get you the way another trucker will. They wont understand you the way another trucker can. The hardest part about your first year is surprisingly not the trucking itself but the transition of lifestyles. Anyone who read Bretts book or who is out here knows this. You find comfort in other drivers. They are there on your overnight runs. There when your frustrated, angry or upset. They understand because they too are going or have gone thru exactly what your going through. Another forum is not needed. This was mearly a suggestion for newbies to consider. Plus who couldn't use the convo out here;-) Now I do like the idea of notifying people asap of important questions but a true mentor is more personal than that. You have to find your own mentor. Someone that you click with.

Wow, redgator...we all totally blew by your point !!!! but for those wh o don't have, or can't find a mentor...we would all like to be there for them...All of us truckers learned our stuff thru bein' out there and doin' it...And we'd like to think that we could "pay it forward" by helping out others..