Over The Road Trainer From Hell!

This is a recap of the things that I have experienced while over the road training. My instructor, Al Burnett, a self proclaimed, egotistical, male chauvinistic ex-cop bigot. My first 9 days with Al were uneventful, and full of training. On day 10 I asked Al a question about a Pre-Load assignment in San Francisco, He said "you either do it my way of you can get the fuck out of my truck!" OK, I thought that I would if I knew how to get home. On day 12, I was hauling 42,000 lbs of dog food from Salt Lake City. We were about to descend in to California via I-80 over Dooner Pass. I drove past a brake check at the summit. I thought to myself that I had not really been using my brakes that much while climbing up the Sierra Nevada's. I was anticipating him to direct me over to the side of the road, so that he could educate me about why California wants commercial vehicles to stop. He did not. 5 minutes into my decent he say, "You know what your problem is, you have a ego problem!" I'm thinking, "me!" This guys ego is so overinflated that we have to use this semi to transport his fat ass around! I asked why he has concluded that my problem is my ego. He told me that I think that I am such a great driver that I don't have to use the tachometer, and that I totally ignored the brake check area. I tried to assure him that has nothing to do with a ego, but more like inexperience. On day 12 Al informed me that when he first met me, he felt like after this was over that we should go have beer. Now that has changed. He told me that I am not his friend, and that if I wanted, I can get a new instructor when we get back to the Pacific Wa.. He also made it clear that the evaluation that he writes about me will make or brake my career with Gordon Trucking. On that note I jumped in the drivers seat and we drove 16 hours straight through, back to Washington. I have informed Human Resources about the situations that I have endured in the last 14 days. They have a new instructor for me to finish up ware I have left off. Originally I was very pleased to here that Al Burnett was a retired Sheriff. I felt safe. This is not the case. Al Burnett is a lier, and a bully. This has been a learning experience that I could have done with out.

14 Day's Over The Road

Holy cow batman, get a handle on this thing.

Joy and I have driven a total of about 10 thousand miles in two week of training, separately that is. I have ran out to Chicago and back, over to Salt Lake for 42,000 lbs. of dog food, and than back to Seattle. Joy is hauling Home Depot stuff all over the place. To many stories to add to the blog at this time.... peace out

Training Day

Here we go, of in to the wild robin egg blue yonder. Joy is leaving this morning, and I will follow tomorrow. Last week we did are driving tests for Gordon Trucking. Same type of truck that we were all were trained in at CDS, same miles too. The one exception is that we had 25,000 lbs. of freight in the trailer. I was thinking that the truck seemed kind of gutless. After that they sent us of to a Motel, and set us up with 3 square meals. Orientation was long 11 hours of special speakers. All of the political issues were covered that any large company would put you through and then the added trucking part as well. For the real newbie’s, we wont be back for the rest of orientation until our training is over in 28 day’s. They sent us home for the rest of the week, and told us to wait for calls from are trainers. Joy’s trainer is a veteran driver of 13 years, and she will be taking Joy on a large triangle route, Seattle, LA, Salt Lake and back. Sounded like that they will be primarily be hauling Home Depot stuff. I am going to be trained by a driver that has been with Gordon for about 3 years. He is also a retired cop. He told me that we will haul everything, and that we will haul it everywhere this side of the Mississippi. We are both very excited and kind of freaked out at the same time. So here we go, wish us luck…