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Post by SilverBullet on Sept 22, 2003 6:40:52 GMT -5
Do companies usually request newbie drivers to drive Southern Routes or do they just give you a rig and say "good luck"? diego No, you will not just get to travel the south. The whole point of being with a trainer is to learn to drive. You will hopefully drive in snow, sleet, ice and rain. Mountains, deserts, snow covered mountains etc. As flyboy said, slow down....Just take it easy and you should be ok out there. You don't have anything to prove, so don't try any heroics in bad weather, or anytime for that matter. When that driver comes by you doing 65-70 on a snow covered interstate, remember that chances are, you'll see him in the median a few miles up the road.
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Post by diegotrucker on Sept 22, 2003 11:39:51 GMT -5
Thanks for the input silvebullet and flyboy. My only concern is that I'm going to one of those CDL Mill schools; and I'm hoping that my "experienced" trainer has "experience" in snow, ice, rain, etc. From what I've heard and read on this thread some of those schools send you out on the road with a "trainer" that should not be a trainer at all with sometimes less than 3 months expereince Yea, slow down that's the first thing my Dad told me . thanks again, diego ;D
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Post by SilverBullet on Sept 22, 2003 18:51:03 GMT -5
From what I've heard and read on this thread some of those schools send you out on the road with a "trainer" that should not be a trainer at all with sometimes less than 3 months expereince . diego, If you are going with the "big gold trucks" I can gaurantee you that some of the trainers they have, have barely gotten away from their trainer...When you get ready to go, request to be put with a trainer that has at least 5 yrs. experience. That's what my fiance did and she ended up with me. ;D Believe me, you don't want to be in a truck with a trainer that has basically no experience when it comes time to cross Wyoming in the snow and wind, or come down Donners Pass with snow on the ground and two people who have never driven in snow... Not a good thing. I wish you the best of luck in this venture.
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Post by truckertom on Sept 23, 2003 10:04:22 GMT -5
Here is the trouble with this thread. No matter how many years a trainer has under his belt, he still can't get it to snow in July up north. If you break in as a student driver with a company in summertime, you won't be seeing winter driving wheather anyway. Unless you want to make the $350 a week as a trainee for 6 months.
Most (not all) of these companies that hire students out of school would rather they just pull over and wait it out. But we can agree with one thing, a driver with 6 months of driving experience does not need to be a trainer. But driving a truck is something you will be still learning 10 years from now. You never really stop learning. Just about the time you thought you had seen it all, something new comes around.
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Post by flyboy2610 on Sept 23, 2003 19:54:36 GMT -5
And the congregation said; " AMEN!!"
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Post by diegotrucker on Sept 23, 2003 19:56:59 GMT -5
thanks truckertom and silverbullet, I agree and understand that no one is an expert driver and your always learning something new, that's just common sense in any line of work. Biggest concern and priority I have is "TRAINING". I want to learn trucking from someone / company that is interested in turning out good drivers, not just filling their quotas. I would bet money my recruiter, with those big "gold" trucks; would laugh at me if I wanted a guarantee of an experienced driver with 5 years, I'll try though. Can't help but think I'm making the biggest mistake of my life but you have to start somewhere. I'm going to check out Schneider's website and see what they have to offer. So the "big gold trucking company" is getting a thumbs down from you ?
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Post by SilverBullet on Sept 24, 2003 6:47:01 GMT -5
So the "big gold trucking company" is getting a thumbs down from you ? To be honest with you, Yes, as far as training goes, I give them a thumbs down. As far as driving for them as an experienced driver, I would give them a thumbs up. The miles are good, the pay is about average. It's a pretty good company, but I would not recommend them for training. However you cannot go wrong with The Big Orange Trucks as far as training.
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Post by diegotrucker on Sept 24, 2003 15:38:58 GMT -5
Hi SilverBullet, thanks for the information. I'm checking out the "Orange Truck" company now and comparing the training. Noticed one thing though, the "orange" truck school is only 11 days vs 17 days and only 1-2 weeks with a trainer vs 4 weeks OTR for the gold trucks. Am I missing something here? The advantages I do see, the "orange" trucks pay for lodging, meals (2) vs you have to payback lodging and you only get the "dried concetrated eggs" at the lovely Days Inn in Riverside I'm quickly approaching my start date so need to make some big decisions quickly. Wish my recruiter would call me back or let me know when he's in the office, guess that's one hint for sure. I'll fill ya in on what happens. thanks again, diego
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Post by Arcflash on Sept 25, 2003 13:03:12 GMT -5
It's actually 2-4 weeks a trainer at Orange... Then they could hit you with another 2-4 weeks C-teaming with another noob.
1-2 weeks is if you go there with a CDL and driving experience within 60 days.
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Post by truckertom on Sept 25, 2003 19:26:05 GMT -5
I am going to go out on a limb here and admit I once worked as an Instructor at one of the biggest CDL mills around....Franklin College. They raised their prices to about $6500 plus the intrest on the loan dolled out by The Student Fianance Corperation. So the cost of the school soard from $2800 cash price to about $8500 total pay out.
This was intirely too much to be paying for a truck driving school!!!! So it attracted students that had no intention of ever paying the loan off! Franklin is out of business, as is the Student Fianance Corp.
Ask any school how many students they wash out. A bad school is way more intrested in the money than the student, and this translates into no washouts. A bad school will never wash anyone out as long as the loan is good, no matter how unlikely the student will ever drive. Franklin had some very good instructors, most of the good ones have moved on to smaller and better schools and the bad ones are not in the business anymore.
Tuition re-embursement is offered by most of the carriers we train for at the school I am now at. This helps the student who has sometimes been collecting unemployment for awhile pay back the student loan when he begins driving for a living.
Starting over again takes bravery, but you can also be smart about it. But a school that does not care about their students should not be in business!
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Post by diegotrucker on Sept 25, 2003 20:49:02 GMT -5
Thanks for the information TruckerTom -
Well I sent a "detailed" list of questions to my recruiter of the big "gold trucks" via e-mail. He was impressed with my list of questions and said, "hmmm, you've been doing some research haven't you? ;D I'll get back to you with answers on all your questions soon". First thanks to Rachelle and anyone else that worked on the book, "Drivers ABCs, Surviving the 1st Year Guide Book" and everyone in these forums.
From another website I found someone that did attend training for the "orange trucks" out here in California and there were "gold truck" students in the same class as well. He mentioned the school was "United States Truck Driving School". I could not find this school in the newbie database so does anyone have any input/comments or know of this school? That was one of my questions to the recruiter, "What's the name of the school". The "orange trucker" said he went to school over a year ago, so things may have changed. Any "gold truckers" out there that can provide input/feedback on the companies school/training?
diego
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Post by Starkitty on Dec 9, 2003 18:50:54 GMT -5
Those "Gold" trucks wouldn't happen to be coming out of Iowa would they? There is only one company that comes to mind with gold trucks, and that is the one that I am going to be going to. Any many of you who may have read some of my past post will know what company it is for. My fiancee' has been there since the 1st of December, he still likes it.
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Post by truckertom on Dec 11, 2003 21:58:18 GMT -5
Starkitty.
You can make a go at just about anywhere as a team driver with your other half. Driving teams can be great money as long as you treat it like a job.
The Gold Trucks are going to have their good points, and bad. Just like any other company. Find something you can live with and stick to it.
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Post by Drafter1964 on Dec 20, 2003 19:01:28 GMT -5
Hey All This will probably be my first or second time posting on the Board but this topic really interested me. I am Currently on my third week as a Driving school here in Tampa. It is a Three Week course. Which is the main reason I chose the Company I am going to work for. They have a 6 to 8 week training period for new drivers and I wanted at LEAST that amount of time with an Experienced driver. They also have some trainers who have only been there for 6 months or so and If they try to shove one of them I will refuse to get in the truck. I would like a Train who has a heck of alot more experience driving so I can pick his brain dry during the time I am with him. A Few of the other companies who sent me the pre hire have training programs such as 3 weeks with a trainer and 30 days with another student. NO FRIGGEN WAY!!! I said I don't want to get in a truck with someone who might have LESS Idea about things than me. I am going to be starting orientaion at Werner on Jan 2 and am happy about it. While I have heard some negative things about the company there were a heck of alot less negative feedback about them than the other companies on my list. I Just Wish I could get a trainer Like You Trucker Tom. I am eager to learn and not one of those macho types I have seen all to often in the school where I got. I Hope a decent trucker sets them on the right track or they are going to end up dead with six months. If the Road Don't do it some Trucker out there is going to kick thier butt and they will deserve it.
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