Training Vs. Teaming

This is my last 2 weeks otr with a trainer and my trainer is under the impression we're suppose to be teaming the last 2 weeks so he can make big bucks after being told by his fleet manager that he wasn't aware of us teaming. So he's trying to manipulate and force early deliveries to try and get a new trip in which is causing me to drive my full 11 everyday (which is fine) but its leaving me to drive while tired to help his pockets. My training is suppose to end on a Wednesday so he says that's dumb so we'll prolly run the rest of that week and finish you on that Sunday which will mean I'll go 4 n a half weeks he said that way he'll get to make more money with those extra miles while I'm stuck with my $400.00 a week for his convenience. I'll be putting a call in to my recruiter at the beginning of my fourth week letting her know I'm not going any longer than I was instructed at orientation especially if all my evaluations are passed with flying colors!

What company are you with? I know with Swift after the first week we go to Team Driving. And most other companies I've talked to (or some of my fellow Roadmaster graduates went to) do the same thing.

DeJuan, I just want to give you a heads up cautionary word here. You may not like the way your trainer is doing this, but I went through the exact same thing with my trainer, so I know a little about how this works. We were supposed to operate as a team during the last two weeks of our training, but my trainer told me after our very first delivery that he recognized I knew how to drive, and we were going to start teaming right away. We did close to 6,000 miles a week from that day forward, we criss-crossed the country several times. He was making some killer money, and I'm embarrassed to tell you what I was making - it was considerably less than what you are getting.

Remember you are the "new guy" - you have no pull. I'm far from a push-over, and I don't want you thinking that I think you should let yourself get walked on, but here's the reality of your situation. Your recruiter has no interest or authority to get you off that trainer's truck, their interest in you ceased when you showed up for orientation. Your trainer has the final word on whether or not you get promoted to solo, this is not the time to start going against him. You can rock the boat if you like, but for most people I've seen that tried it, the end result was not good. My trainer pulled the same thing on me about going a few extra days. To be honest with you I didn't like the idea at all, I was tired, frustrated with him, and was counting the days till my time with him was over. But I did just what he wanted, never lost my cool, and kept up the pace he was demanding.

Here's the deal, in my experience, part of what this was all about was they were testing me to see if I could handle the pressures of the job. I had no idea that was going on, I just thought I had a real jerk of a trainer. The "suits" in the office told me afterward that I was being tested, and they knew I was ready for going solo by the way I handled it all. You can read about some of my experiences by clicking here.

DeJuan, you can take some comfort in the fact that your trainer trusts you enough to team drive with you - that means that you are doing well. I've seen trainers who were scared to sleep while their trainee was driving, and that is not the kind of situation that indicates you are progressing nicely and moving toward your own truck. My advice is to keep your mouth shut, do what is asked of you, and realize this is a very small thing in the overall picture of your career. Focus on the learning experiences you are gaining, don't let your focus be on how much money your trainer is making off of your efforts. I learned a great deal about driving and about self-control while enduring my time with my trainer. The day will be coming very soon when you may even wish that trainer was back there in the sleeper berth so you could stop and get his advice on the situation you've gotten yourself into.

I think you should be very careful about rocking the boat. Everyone gets weary of their trainer during that last week or so, I was literally counting the days till my four weeks was up. I was very disturbed when he said he was going to keep me on the truck for a few more days, but I didn't let him know it. My final load with him was in a pouring rain where he had me outside in a mud hole parking lot folding up the tarps all by myself while he sat in the nice warm/dry truck. I was completely flustered, and could have killed the guy, especially when I got done and he gave me the lecture about how that was how it would be when I was on my own with no one to help me!

Hang in there DeJuan, part of your training is just to get you accustomed to the frustrations of the job - if you can endure a crazy greedy trainer, then you can handle the job. Please, be careful about trying to get your way, when you are in training. It's just my opinion, but it is based in my own experiences that were similar to yours. Remember, it's a short time, and it is just one stepping stone toward your own truck. Handle it, and then you can move on.

I am in a similar situation. The load my trainer and I picked up yesterday doesn't deliver till Monday. There's about 20 hours of driving remaining to get it there, and he suggested yesterday that I drive 10 hours Saturday and Sunday so he doesn't have to drive. I don't know if he's serious, but it shows me where his head is.

He's been a good trainer overall, and I'll do it if he wants. It's what I signed up for after all.

He likes to talk about how much money he's making, and how I won't make as much and will get an old truck and won't be able to go the route I want if I go company and don't lease, but I've already thought through all that with the help and advice from the folks on this site. I know he's not going to persuade me that what I know is wrong. I think really that he talks about how great leasing is more to convince himself than me, not because the company told him to get me to lease.. I think he's heading for financial disaster because of the way he manages money, but that's not my lookout.

Again, he's an ok guy, and I'm learning a lot. Do I like spending all day every day with him? Nope. Do I agree with everything he does? Nope. Am I a little tired of this situation? Yep. But I'll be off his truck in about a month if all goes as planned, and I knew going in that this is what it would take to break into this business. As Old School said, this is just temporary and something I have to endure, and I'm the new guy. And I could've done a lot worse for a trainer.

The problem really is that I like to run things the way I want to, and I can't do that right now. I think that's probably part of the basic personality of a lot of people who are drawn to trucking - we want to do it ourselves, our way.

I would just grit your teeth and endure. Soon enough you'll be able to run your business the way you like. Just keep in mind this is a short part of a long career.

The problem really is that I like to run things the way I want to, and I can't do that right now. I think that's probably part of the basic personality of a lot of people who are drawn to trucking - we want to do it ourselves, our way.

Wow! Bud, you are 100% right on the mark with that comment!

This is why trucking attracts so many Alpha Male types, this is why you meet all kind of characters at the counters in the truck stop cafes. It is also one of the reasons some people never make it past the training period - they just can't seem to wait long enough to be on their own. That is why I talked about learning self control earlier. I was self employed for thirty years before I got into trucking, when ever I told someone to do something they did it without question - I have always been the boss. I had to suck it up a lot during training, but I knew what I wanted and was willing to go through the process of getting there.

Great response Bud, follow your own advice and you too will be running solo just shortly after DeJuan.

What OS said. Try to rember that you are in a temporary situation and it wont last forever. Just get through it and move on to your next step.