National Trucking Week happens every year in Canada from September 5th-11th and in the United States from September 12th through the 17th. We often look at the truckers of a fleet which are the lifeblood of our industry. While that’s true of the drivers the truth is that any successful carrier will tell you that success comes from a team effort. Dispatchers, load planners, operations staff, and much more all play a part in getting a load from A to B. Thank you very much to all the drivers out there for what you do, but also to those supporting the drivers behind the scenes. Know that your job makes a difference.
What we often overlook are the people that contribute to training those drivers, the trainers. Many of the trainers out there have been successful drivers and are now giving back by teaching new truck drivers and transportation personnel coming into the industry. This is not an easy task in today’s World as people come in from different cultures, language barriers, and different customs. A good trainer learns how to deal with all of those things and works through different training methods to ensure the training gets across. As a trainer myself it can be very difficult to get information through to students as many learn in different ways. As a trainer you don’t always see what happens to students you teach and so it can be a thankless job for those wondering if their teaching methods have been effective. Really the only gauge you have is the success of the school in general and longevity in business. I can tell you each instructor that I have met do their best to ensure the trainee completes the required training but also understands the importance of being a safe professional driver on the road.
The TTSAO recognizes the importance of their trainers through their instructor of the year award that happens at their annual conference. Doug Groves was the winner of the award this year.
So let me say thank you to the instructors in the transportation industry whether at a training school or carrier, out in a truck, in front of a class, or working to improve drivers in another capacity. Without quality instruction our roadways would be in peril. THANK YOU!
About the Author
Bruce Outridge is a veteran in the transportation industry with over 40 years in the industry in a variety of roles from driver to fleet supervisor and more. Today he is a media specialist in the industry producing a number of programs for the trucking industry such as his trucking podcast The Lead Pedal Podcast for Truck Drivers at www.theleadpedalpodcast.com or his radio station Lead Pedal Radio at www.leadpedalradio.com
Disclaimer: This article is written and based on the opinion of the author and is for general information only