Training

arkjarhead · Jul 5, 2006

Ladies,
As you may already know I have been involed in expediting for a short time(a year). My wife is considering quiting her secretary job to come on the road with me. What advice can you give me in training her. What advice can you give her on making the transition? Any advice will be appreciated. Thank You very much.

TeamCaffee · Jul 5, 2006

Hey Joseph Good for you, if she really wants to do this you guys will have the time of your lives!! Let her ride with you for a little bit and make sure you guys can be together 24/7. Your life as well as hers will really change. We women take up lots of room, have special needs, and also need lots of patience. She will need to get started on the process of getting her learners permit and getting the background check for her HazMat. As you know our job sounds very exciting but at times when you cannot be at home for that special meeting, family events etc, this can cause a lot of stress. For any questions or ideas for what she might or might need on the road send me an email. I will be more then happy to help any way I can. The Expo will also be a great place for the both of you to talk with teams. Hope to see you there.

bryan · Jul 7, 2006

HI

Look at training from a professional trainers point of veiw not from a husband training his wife point of view.

Learning to sleep in a moving truck is an art that takes time to learn.The excitement of doing something new makes it that much harder.So plan on both of you being burnt out after 3 or 4 days.

And what ever you do don't pull a Smurf.He stopped at a rest area while his wife was in the bunk.He went to the rest room came back out and drove away.Not realizing his wife had also went to the rest room.It took a long time for his bruises to heal.

arkjarhead · Jul 7, 2006

She didn't get a hold of him with a cast iron skillet did she?

TeamCaffee · Jul 7, 2006

Bryan does have a point about the other half driving off!! I can only say if I get left it had better be for a long time so I can cool off. In reality though we have a system so that if we do stop and get out and then the other half decides to get out we know they are gone. Also each of us always get out of the truck with a phone in the pocket.

cheri1122 · Jul 9, 2006

A simple system for knowing whether your codriver is in the bunk, or in the WalMart, is to leave the shoes of the codriver on the floor in front of the passenger seat - if the shoes aren't in the truck, neither is the person!
I once left a codriver in the WalMart - not on purpose, but I still think he deserved it

TeamCaffee · Jul 9, 2006

We have rope lights under the upper bunk and if those are on then no one is at home!! Dog likes the front seat so we cant use the trick of yours Cheri. When Bob first started driving Semi's that was how they took care of that problem.

cheri1122 · Jul 9, 2006

Linda: since I can't have a dog copilot, I tend to forget that some can.
Arkjarhead: The advice I'd give you is to remember that you were brand new at this once, too, especially those times when you need to take a deep breath. The advice to your wife would be to come to the Expo - especially the seminar for Women in Expediting - that's what it's for. And either of you are welcome to pm or email me with any questions, any time. Hope it is a terrific time, for both of you!

LDB · Jul 9, 2006

It's a simple solution. If the codriver is in the bunk to sleep the curtain should be closed. Come back out of the t/s and the curtain is open then don't drive off. If the codriver isn't on sleeping time then you holler "all set to go?" and if there's not an affirmative response then don't drive off.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5507, 5508, 5509
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

Coco · Jul 10, 2006

Communication is the key. Ask her to express her feelings calmly and appropriately. It will help her to look for ways to streamline and prioritize her daily activities. Also, remind her not to set unreasonable standards for herself while on the road.

Best of luck to both of you

Coco

So much of who we are is where we've been.

paid2vacation · Jul 21, 2006

When I decided to leave the world of nursing, my wonderful husband took on himself to teach me the ways of the road. I must admit that I'm hardheaded and have my own way of doing things. So it took me a little while to finally listen and learn from him. I had so many fears that thank GOD I finally got over, (I'm still nervous about driving in tunnels). But he was so patient with me and let me work thur my failures and high fived me when I did it right.

I do everything he does, loading and unloading, backing into docks, paperwork, I have never fueled yet, but I do get out and wash the windows and mirrors and walk the dog. It's sound trival but it's important to be a team and feel like you part of it.

But the most important piece of advice I have ever gotten from a fellow female driver is, no matter where you are or what time it is, I always put on my makeup and try to fix my self up. Even if it is just powder and lipstick. That piece of advice was so freeing to me and I really don't know why. But it helped.

I hope that it goes well with you and your wife on the road. Let us know how it is going. Will ya!!!

arkjarhead · Jul 21, 2006

Just to let you know how things with me and my wife are going. As for the truck is concerned it's not going. As soon as she started taking her cdl tests we found out she is pregnant with our first child. So she's staying n the office, and I'm going back to tractor trailers where I can be home more. On the weekends and 2 nights in the week. Plus the good thing about it is since its flatbed I'll be making some good money. So as of right now my wife says it will most likely be roughly 19 years before she gets on the truck with me. If we only have one kid. It's kinda good it turned out this way. She rode with me for a week and I had a great time, but she really didn't seem to like it. Then the next week we find out she's 2 months pregnant. At least this way she didn't have to tell me she changed her mind but I could tell she had. She's the kind that takes 2 showers a day or more sometimes. Doesn't really like eating out, and wants to be in her bed every night. Plus the bed on my truck is the standard truck bed. I guess a twin. I can't complain. We already had insurance, but the company I'm going to work for is going to pay 75% of my insurance thru their policy. It's going to be different being an employee again instead of a sub-contractor. But I'm sure it will all work out in the long run.

paid2vacation · Jul 21, 2006

Congradulations!!!!!

One thing for sure is that trucking will be here when the child is grown and on their own. Enjoy your kids and family because time flies. Well best of luck and keep us informed on the baby.

Candy

ATeam · Jul 21, 2006

>Ladies,
>As you may already know I have been involed in expediting
>for a short time(a year). My wife is considering quiting her
>secretary job to come on the road with me. What advice can
>you give me in training her. What advice can you give her on
>making the transition? Any advice will be appreciated. Thank
>You very much.

I know you are asking the ladies, but let me offer this. The important question is not "How can I train my wife to become an expediter?" Expediting is the easy part. The important question is, "How can I train myself to be her co-driver?"

There is no "Expediter's Manual of Common Tasks" with well-defined tasks, conditions and standards to which drivers are trained. While someone could easily write one for the work itself (Task: plan a trip, Task: secure freight, Task: submit a POD, Task: conduct a pretrip inspection, etc.), married-couple team expediters do not train for the job. They do the best they can together and find their way through.