| Once finishing truck driving school, your instructor | | | | them, potentially doubling their income. The companies |
| hands you a certificate and sends you on your way. | | | | love this because team trucks are far more profitable |
| But your not a truck driver yet. Thats right, you have | | | | than solos. But where dose the leave the trainee? |
| your diploma, CDL, and maybe even a hat with the | | | | Being new to the business it will take time to adjust to |
| school logo. But your education is just starting. Driving | | | | those long driving shifts. For some, trying to sleep while |
| schools teach just the basics and thats it. Double | | | | the truck is moving will be nearly impossible. As for |
| clutching, parallel parking, basic logging, and a gigantic lot | | | | pay, the trainee usually receives a small paycheck |
| to learn backing in. | | | | during this time, but it's usually just enough for some |
| Unfortunately, real life trucking will be a whole lot | | | | food and expenses, not very much. Some companies |
| harder. Once hired by a trucking company, the next | | | | will even continue to team you with another rookie |
| step is to "run" with a "driver trainer" for three to six | | | | driver, even after the initial training! They say the extra |
| weeks. This is when the fun begins. All sorts of drivers | | | | "teaming" with another student improves your skills. |
| train students, and many are very good and | | | | I don't know how teaming with another trainee can |
| professional. Many are not. Many of these companies | | | | improve your skills, it just seems like they're trying to |
| allow rookie drivers with as little as a couple of months | | | | squeeze the trainees for all the profit they can. Since |
| experience train newer drivers. Like "blind leading the | | | | many drivers refuse to run team, team trucks are hard |
| blind"many of these "trainers" are clueless as to the | | | | to fill. First year drivers are paid far below average, so |
| serious business of driving a truck, and train mostly for | | | | don't expect top rates when starting out. I know what |
| the money. Some trucking outfits see this as an | | | | your recruiter told you, they told me the same things. |
| opportunity to run that truck as a "team" operation, | | | | Just remember that recruiters are paid to fill seats, and |
| which means running as hard as two veteran drivers in | | | | they're paid very well. Your education has only just |
| the same truck. Those trucks will normally run day and | | | | begun. |
| night, with very few stops. | | | | Have a safe ride! |
| The trainers like this because all miles paid are paid to | | | | |