Whether a driver is just beginning a career or has limited experience, spending time on the road with a veteran driver/trainer has its benefits.
Given the fact that none of us were born with full knowledge of any trade or occupation it’s obvious that we need to take time to learn from a seasoned veteran—a driver who has real world knowledge to share and can set a good example to follow. This is the kind of stuff that no one can ever learn in any classroom.
A reputable truck driving school can teach you what is needed to pass your CDL skills test and get your Class A license. The real world of trucking is much different. Being out on the road with your trainer for a predetermined number of weeks, picking up and delivering loads under his or her guidance, will give you on-the-job lessons you’ll never get from a school.
If you have limited experience before going out with a trainer then this is an opportunity for him or her to evaluate your current abilities and help you improve. Time management, communicating with operations personnel and customers, as well as trip planning and navigation are just a few areas where a new driver can learn from real world examples.
Keeping an open mind will help you learn a lot about how to make the most of your time out here on the road while also making it enjoyable in the years ahead.