Wilson Logistics - Missoula MT

My trainer has been in hometime all week. I am sitting in a hotel in Missoula lol. Nothing to update. Same lovely trainer lol

Well, sheesh.. anything fun going on there?? I've not been on FB for quite sometime, but YOU are a celeb on there, haha!!

Hang in there Vicki. My suggestion is that you ride this out. I know it is tempting to want to strangle your trainer, or just beg the company to switch you to another. Remember that this is temporary. As long as you feel you are learning and progressing, you can endure the ridiculousness of your trainer. I had a crazy trainer. I still had a successful trucking career. The training is a drop in the bucket compared to the career. It may not be what you expected, but that's okay. You will learn a ton of things during your first year as a solo driver. Ride this out and keep looking forward to being on your own.

Well said, as always O/S.

~ Anne ~

Not much in Missoula but I did manage to get some shopping done. Ate at a few local restaurants. It’s been good. Tomorrow we ship out for a month so I stocked up. It’s hard to get her to stop anywhere except yards and rest areas. But I have everything and am good to go.

My trainer has been in hometime all week. I am sitting in a hotel in Missoula lol. Nothing to update. Same lovely trainer lol

Well, sheesh.. anything fun going on there?? I've not been on FB for quite sometime, but YOU are a celeb on there, haha!!

Hang in there Vicki. My suggestion is that you ride this out. I know it is tempting to want to strangle your trainer, or just beg the company to switch you to another. Remember that this is temporary. As long as you feel you are learning and progressing, you can endure the ridiculousness of your trainer. I had a crazy trainer. I still had a successful trucking career. The training is a drop in the bucket compared to the career. It may not be what you expected, but that's okay. You will learn a ton of things during your first year as a solo driver. Ride this out and keep looking forward to being on your own.

Well said, as always O/S.

~ Anne ~

Not much in Missoula but I did manage to get some shopping done. Ate at a few local restaurants. It’s been good. Tomorrow we ship out for a month so I stocked up. It’s hard to get her to stop anywhere except yards and rest areas. But I have everything and am good to go.

Always following, Vick ... thanks!

Glad to hear you are staying focused. Always in your corner, m'lady!

You, GO girl~!!! (Can't wait for "my" January, haha!!)

~ Anne ~

Time for another update. I have a new trainer. My last trainer traded me for another student. I was kind of glad until I found out I am now being trained by her father lol. Just my luck. But he has 20+ years of experience and has been teaching me a lot. Downside is that he had hometime coming up, so I am back in a hotel in Missoula. I’ve spent almost as much time here as I have in the truck. But I’ll keep my mouth shut. I’m going home the first week in July, even though my trainer(s) think that I should just suck it up and stay out. No way I’m spending another week in this hotel. I’ve earned my hometime and I haven’t been biome since the middle of April. He can suck it up and drive in the desert lol

Right now I’ve been working on learning the paperwork aspect and still working on backing. Not sure I’ll ever get good at it, but I keep trying. The rest is going well. Just gritting my teeth to get through training. It’s all I can do right now.

OMIWOW, girl. Not surprised about the trainer change tho, tbh.

In all sincerity, I'd prefer to be trained by a man, myself. Many reasons, (that I won't mention here, for futures.)

Stick to your guns about hometime, m'lady. Show'em your MOXIE from the get go!

Sleep well; thanks for the update.

Hugs,

~ Anne ~

Any new updates, Vicki?

It's been awhile!!!! Thinking of ya. . .

~ Anne ~

I am getting a new trainer. The last one was a hothead with a very short fuse. I don't work well with that, I cannot learn anything when I am walking on egg shells trying not to make him mad. I did endure 2 weeks on his truck (3 if you count the week I spent in a hotel when he was on home time). He finally asked for me to be off his truck. He had no patience when it came to my backing difficulties...it was so bad that he was directing me into a spot and another trucker told him he was a real a**hole. That was when he decided I was off his truck. It was okay for me, I wanted off, but am too stubborn to contact anyone to get me moved. That being said, he taught me a lot more than his daughter did, and is probably a good trainer for people who can work under that kind of direction. I am not that person. When people start yelling or having temper tantrums (over anything, even if it isn't directed at me...yeah that happened too...), I walk away if I can, or I just ignore them. Neither works well in a training situation. Onward to the next and hopefully final trainer.

He dropped me off in Missoula at the hotel on a Friday, and on Monday I went to the yard. Got some backing practice in, which is a huge plus. I was supposed to go on home time that Friday for a week...so I asked if I could just fly home for my home time. I would pay, I haven't been home in almost 3 months. Too long for those with a family and pets, IMHO. It worked out since they didn't have a trainer for me. So the guys at the yard took me back to the hotel, I packed up my stuff and jumped on a plane home. I will fly back to Missoula next Monday. The instructor at the yard offered to help me more on my backing, so I will do that until my next trainer is ready to pick me up. (See you soon, Bear lmao) I have loved being at home, but am now ready to get back out there. I won't be gone this long again.

So where it stands right now, I received my CDL on May 13. Today is July 8, and I JUST got my first 10k in. Between home time and short runs, it has taken a while. Hoping that my next trainers truck keeps moving. I want to be out there in my own truck, even though I know I am not ready yet. I just keep my eye on the prize and keep on truckin' lol

I am getting a new trainer. The last one was a hothead with a very short fuse. I don't work well with that, I cannot learn anything when I am walking on egg shells trying not to make him mad. I did endure 2 weeks on his truck (3 if you count the week I spent in a hotel when he was on home time). He finally asked for me to be off his truck. He had no patience when it came to my backing difficulties...it was so bad that he was directing me into a spot and another trucker told him he was a real a**hole. That was when he decided I was off his truck. It was okay for me, I wanted off, but am too stubborn to contact anyone to get me moved. That being said, he taught me a lot more than his daughter did, and is probably a good trainer for people who can work under that kind of direction. I am not that person. When people start yelling or having temper tantrums (over anything, even if it isn't directed at me...yeah that happened too...), I walk away if I can, or I just ignore them. Neither works well in a training situation. Onward to the next and hopefully final trainer.

He dropped me off in Missoula at the hotel on a Friday, and on Monday I went to the yard. Got some backing practice in, which is a huge plus. I was supposed to go on home time that Friday for a week...so I asked if I could just fly home for my home time. I would pay, I haven't been home in almost 3 months. Too long for those with a family and pets, IMHO. It worked out since they didn't have a trainer for me. So the guys at the yard took me back to the hotel, I packed up my stuff and jumped on a plane home. I will fly back to Missoula next Monday. The instructor at the yard offered to help me more on my backing, so I will do that until my next trainer is ready to pick me up. (See you soon, Bear lmao) I have loved being at home, but am now ready to get back out there. I won't be gone this long again.

So where it stands right now, I received my CDL on May 13. Today is July 8, and I JUST got my first 10k in. Between home time and short runs, it has taken a while. Hoping that my next trainers truck keeps moving. I want to be out there in my own truck, even though I know I am not ready yet. I just keep my eye on the prize and keep on truckin' lol

Awhhh GIRL !!!!!

You've been THROUGH it, m'lady! That 'father/daughter' thing kinda had me (not) from Hello, anyway.. sheesh. Sorry!

Well, many FAMOUS baseball players HOME RUN'D IT on their 3rd pitch. 5K characters isn't enough to list them all . . . :)

Keep on KEEPING on, you! Get a hold of me if you ever wanna yap 'truck talk' or just 'female jargon,' haha!!!!

Proud of you, for sure. I hear you totally; so similar to ME in temperament!!! (No temper, but no B/S, either!!!!!)

Will await next post, next week, then!

Stay positive, stay safe, you.

~ Anne ~

Time for a long overdue update. I came back from my hometime and got on a new trainer’s truck. This man is a dream. Instead of being borderline abusive, he actually explains what I’m doing wrong and how to fix it. Our personalities mesh well and I have learned a ton that my prior trainers either didn’t do or didn’t teach me. It was worth sticking it out, though I do hope I have an opportunity to review my trainers. I know some companies do that. But on to bigger, better and brighter things!

This truck keeps rolling. One of the many reasons I haven’t updated in so long! No time lol Drive, learn, eat, sleep. My backing has improved exponentially, though I still struggle some, but my trainer is convinced that I am almost ready to go solo. I’ve got almost all my miles in and am looking forward to it. This trainer has rebuilt the confidence that the others tore away.

So in a nutshell, things are going well. Better than expected. I’ll be in my own truck soon. Looking forward to it with anticipation and a little trepidation lol.

That's a great update Vicki! I'm really glad to hear you are improving and gaining confidence. Going solo is going to be a thrill and a challenge. The learning curve just keeps on going in this career. You are doing great, and we are glad to hear from you!

Good, Good, GOOD to read of your newfound success, learning with a new trainer!