So I'm Gonna Train Newbies... Tips??

I didn't want to spoil the news for Shantiwa (I think she's Trucking Mama on here now?) but I went through the training class at System to become a trainer so I can train Shani at System. I've been at it for a little over four years total now with that 2 year gap in the middle so I feel pretty comfortable with the idea of training and think I can and should contribute what I can to the new drivers coming into the industry. My only concern has been that I'm still pretty new to flatbed but the training department has been very supportive and keeps reminding me that we do have an entire training staff and additional resources to assist trainers and new drivers. I'm also only going to be training drivers on my same fleet hauling the same freight I haul every day (so mostly just drywall and Lowe's and Home Depot loads, not much variety at all and very simple).

I'm still not 100% decided on if I'll continue to train after Shani but we'll see how it goes. The training guys up in Spokane encouraged me to make the decision after training 2 or 3 people first so I think I'll do that. We've been out here a few days so far and now that I'm doing it it's not nearly as scary as I thought it would be. My main reason for training Shani and considering continuing to train after her is that I like helping people and I definitely want to contribute more directly to the new drivers entering the industry.

Anyways, I know there are alot of drivers on here that train or have trained. Do you have any advice/tips? Specifically for backing? First day training Shani on backing and I realized I have no idea how to help someone else back up lol. Is it better to just stand there and let them figure it out? When I try to tell her what to do or explain why I'm telling her to pull forward the direction I'm telling her to pull up it just confuses her. I think this is the part of training I'm going to have the hardest time with. Thanks y'all!

My best advice is to "teach to the student". By that I mean each student will have his or her own quirks, and you'll have to figure out what they are and how to get through. There is no one size fits all approach.

With my students, I found that repetition is the key to backing practice. Find a quiet corner of a parking lot, and let them go at it. After walking them through the basic maneuvers, I'd often just leave them alone to practice over and over by themselves, only offering tips when needed or asked. Some are naturals, some need a little more time. All need repetitious seat time in order to improve.

As the trainer, the most important thing for you to do will be to show patience and confidence in your approach. When the student gets frustrated, they lose focus. It's up to you to bring them back.

Good luck man, you'll be fine.

That is awesome! This has come full circle, so to speak.

Unlike Turtle, I’m definitely not qualified to train. All I can do is relate what helped me. Number one was a super patient instructor, especially with backing. Number two, also related to backing, was an instructor that really emphasized reference points. Reference points lead to repeatability. Then I was encouraged to practice these reference points in the yard and the really big, new distribution facilities where there was plenty of space. I always carried two small orange cones with.me in the side compartment to use as targets. Sometimes in dry conditions I would GOAL a good distance from the cones and take a bottle of water to pour out on the ground to mark the arc I wanted the trailer to take into the parking place. This helped immensely. Number three was practicing when no one was watching. Someone watching made me nervous and I always do better when no one is watching and laughing hysterically . Number 4, avoid nighttime backing unless absolutely necessary. Number five, view doing GOALS as great exercise and do more than necessary. Regardless of your direction of travel, forward or backwards, have a positive attitude and be realistic. None of us gets to be great right off the bat. It takes time, like a year at least. How do I know these things? I’d prefer not to talk about it. Lol

I didn't want to spoil the news for Shantiwa (I think she's Trucking Mama on here now?) but I went through the training class at System to become a trainer so I can train Shani at System. I've been at it for a little over four years total now with that 2 year gap in the middle so I feel pretty comfortable with the idea of training and think I can and should contribute what I can to the new drivers coming into the industry. My only concern has been that I'm still pretty new to flatbed but the training department has been very supportive and keeps reminding me that we do have an entire training staff and additional resources to assist trainers and new drivers. I'm also only going to be training drivers on my same fleet hauling the same freight I haul every day (so mostly just drywall and Lowe's and Home Depot loads, not much variety at all and very simple).

I'm still not 100% decided on if I'll continue to train after Shani but we'll see how it goes. The training guys up in Spokane encouraged me to make the decision after training 2 or 3 people first so I think I'll do that. We've been out here a few days so far and now that I'm doing it it's not nearly as scary as I thought it would be. My main reason for training Shani and considering continuing to train after her is that I like helping people and I definitely want to contribute more directly to the new drivers entering the industry.

Anyways, I know there are alot of drivers on here that train or have trained. Do you have any advice/tips? Specifically for backing? First day training Shani on backing and I realized I have no idea how to help someone else back up lol. Is it better to just stand there and let them figure it out? When I try to tell her what to do or explain why I'm telling her to pull forward the direction I'm telling her to pull up it just confuses her. I think this is the part of training I'm going to have the hardest time with. Thanks y'all!

Some of us 'already knew,' Paul . . . LoLoL !!!! BEST WISHES, GIRL !!!! YAY~!!!!!!

Re: Backing . . . Tom bought me a WalMart die cast truck. I still have it. He then bought me a UPS double; yeah, nope! I'm so not kidding. It helped it all make sense in my head! (The WalMart truck....made it ALL come together; yet I only backed a tank back then,....it still helped.)

Seriously .. keep the 'relationship' part out of it, as best you can. The stricter Tom was, while he trained me, (well, not mean...just 'honest' tbh...) the better I learned.

Tom still keeps me 'up to par' a bit; I still catch a PTI and a backing lesson here & again at home, as I wait to get released for DOT/medical!

Kudos to you both, man. Good for you. Get a hold of usn's for any advice; anytime. It's a 'delicate' dance. My next go'round, will be full company, by 'my' choice.... so many rules & regs have changed since I had my permit(s.)

Best from us both;

~ Anne & Tom ~

ps: I'm happy for you both! Finally stuff comes together. Not much 'training' advice, but the 'toy truck,' here! BEST WISHES!

pps: EXCELLENT advice from Turtle; repetition. ALL of his post, so true.

ppps: Bruce, you kept it full circle!

I'm excited for y'all, man!

I have been where you are. 2 1/2 years ago I hired my GF. She had a year backing a box with a T680 KW. Then I gave her a tanker behind a 389 Pete. I gave her the basics and turned her loose. There were days she got really frustrated. When she asked I gave her tips and encouragement. She took every oppurtunity to practice and now she backs far better than I do.

Pianoman, Congrats!!! You're taking on the mantle of creating excellence in the industry. Well Done!!!

Not sure if you're specifically looking for truck training tips, or training tips in general. I have a little over 2 years as a trainer with my former outfit, and since I was utility my training was typically a couple of days at a time doing refresher or focusing on specific issues identified by my Terminal Manager that a driver needed some extra work with. I was the troubleshooter, basically.

From my previous career with over 25 years as a trainer, one-on-one, small and large group training, I learned from some really great instructors a few basics. This comes in part from Field Training Associates of Ypsilanti, MI and in part from some great trainers in the LE world, and really works well.

Basic routine is after each major portion or task, ask the probationer "What did you do correctly or approximately correct on that?" Focus them immediately on their successes. It does two things - 1) makes you seem like a great guy/gal for talking about what went well, 2) makes them identify (and in mind's eye review) successful task completions - watching the game film so to speak. Be liberal in your commentary to remind them of other things they have done well, and let them replay that for you as well. After the correct or approximately correct "What, if anything, would you do differently next time?" Notice that you are not asking what they did WRONG, just asking what they would do differently. You are focusing them on a positive behavior, an action that they should take, not making them relive what they didn't do. If they have no clue, you can guide them down the path to "GOAL" or "Look for a setup mark" or "Remember to take the BOL inside when we get to the receiver".

At the end of each day, I would do an overview of the day, and say "So, what would you say went well for you today?" and after that discussion (again, only positives allowed out of their mouth) ask "What caused you to be successful in those things?" Usually, they self identify task repetition, staying focused, positive self talk, GOAL, etc as leading to their successful outcomes. Then, imo, the golden question. "How can you apply what is leading you to success to areas that you may still be having problems in, to gain a positive outcome?"

This may not work for your style. I know it was phenomenally successful for me once I adapted it and began using it. Does it take more time than telling them, at the end of an 11hr drive all the schtuff they fubar'd? Yep. Breaking it up into smaller segments throughout the day, though, allows them to incorporate their OWN feedback into future performance in the same shift. I know for a fact that NONE of the drivers I used this with had ever experienced anything like this.

But please, don't for a moment think that safety issues don't get an immediate discretionary over ride (hand held phone, speeding, distracted driving, etc are all an immediate corrective action). Also, I was not there to be their friend - I was their to make sure they were able to meet the standards of the organization, be a safe and professional driver, and represent the company and their fellow employees well. Yes, I did evaluate on customer service. My opening spiel was along the lines of nobody likes a cruddy attitude driver - make people happy to see you rather than dreading the next visit from XYZ Trucking. All of my daily documentation and weekly documentation that I took to the TM was signed by the trainee driver each day, with a line on the bottom that they had seen and understood the feedback. There were never any ambushes at the end of the week.

I was passionate about training in my former life. I was passionate about training in my previous job. It IS how we improve our profession.

I know this was a long manifesto, but I think that your question was a legitimate one. You'll find that you're likely to become the answer person after you turn the trainees loose on their own. That validates that you trained them, rather than yelled at them for a few weeks.

Great successes to you.

Teach the things that a driver is going to need to know out here!

Here's the TRANSFLO APP....

Here's how to check out the road conditions on your phone....

Here's how to check out the customer on Google Maps before arriving...

Here's how to adjust the tandems....

Here's how to change a glad hand seal....

Here's how to read the oil level on the dipstick....

Here's what to do when the trailer brakes are frozen....

Here's how to replace a lightbulb (Seriously!)...

Backing, macros, lane control shouldn't take a genius to figure out in two weeks. The above items, and many others....I see drivers several times a week that I swear don't know the difference between diesel fuel and a glad hand seal.

Congrats. Ive not been doing this long enough to comment on the trucking portion, but I taught sports for over a decade.

In skiing we usually called a husband training a wife, a divorce. But there's a few simple things about teaching physical activities.

1. Student centered. Her goals, your goals, make the two align.

2. I'll sum up Maslow's hierarchy in saying make her comfortable in the environment and she will be able to learn.

3. VAK. Most learners are primarily visual, but females tend to learn kinesthetically - by feeling. Demos demos demos. Demonstrate the right movements and get her to connect a feeling to the image, be it connecting a glad hand or arcing the trailer backwards.

4. Actually first for you. Always think and teach progressional. Break each concept down into 3 easy steps. Build from the simple to the complex. Break down what ever you do as a whole into simple obtainable steps. Best thing, teach me how to make a Peanut butter and jelly sandwich using progressions.

5. Always we say talk less, show more, check for understanding and practice.

Next thing up is called the teaching cycle and learning cycle.

Thank you all so much for the advice and encouragement! I honestly have been really nervous about training because I have strong personal views about the direction the industry has been going because of unqualified (IMO) trainers with too little experience training new drivers (blind leading the blind essentially). I don’t want to be part of the problem so I’ve been very critical of myself and want to make sure I’m qualified before I begin training students.

I’ve been pretty busy out here the last couple days so it’s hard to respond to everyone individually but be sure I’ve read and reread all of the responses. You all have great insights and I’m already trying to put them into practice.

A couple more questions:

- One or more of you mentioned reference points when backing. What do you mean by that and how do you teach it?

- How do you guys explain backing and/or break it down into simple steps for a new driver? I’m trying everything you guys are saying and it’s really helpful but I’m still having the hardest time explaining setups, different backing maneuvers, and how to get the most out of a pullup. I just don’t know how to communicate these things to her and it’s frustrating for both of us. I can show her and know it in my head all day but when I try to explain things like managing the angle of the truck to the trailer while backing she looks at me like I’m speaking a different language lol

Thanks again in advance!

Ok, reference points. Example I can relate is the 45 degree backing. When I was first in training, I was taught to pull up until my left shoulder was midpoint to the space next to the parking spot I needed to back into. That was my “reference point”, I always had difficulty with this reference point. Then a new instructor taught me to pull up about 10 feet further to a new reference point and that made a great difference. Reference points can be used for straight backing. Most distribution centers have docks in line with lines across the way, if that makes any sense. Use these spots as reference points to get aligned straight to back into the dock. I hope someone more articulate than me, like one of the moderators or experienced drivers can elaborate on reference points. This concept has been very helpful to me.

If a driver can identify the reference points that work for them, then it becomes a matter of repeatability. Can anyone else help to explain this more clearly?