Should You Become a Driver Trainer?
After driving solo for a while, you might be looking to learn something new and rewarding to take your truck driving career to the next level. Fortunately, many companies, including Melton, have opportunities for you – the most popular one being training other drivers. Driver training can be both rewarding and lucrative for anyone seeking to advance in their trucking career. However, there are some requirements you’ll need to fulfill in order to become a successful driver trainer. Take a look at these requirements to become a driver trainer and see if this career path is right for you!
Driver trainers must be experienced, safe drivers – In order to be able to properly train new drivers, you must have adequate driving experience and a clean safety record, to prove you can do the job both efficiently and safely. Melton requires drivers to have at least a year of tenure in order to be considered for the driver trainer program, but this may vary between companies.
Driver trainers must be comfortable with/have a clear understanding of the processes, so they can teach them to others – Depending on the type of driving you do, there can be a lot of procedures and processes to keep track of in order to drive effectively. In flatbed, for example, you must be very comfortable securing and tarping loads of all shapes and sizes. Not sure if you’re able to explain the process? Try it out by explaining it to a friend or family member first. Practice makes perfect!
Driver trainers must be able to adapt to new situations – If you’ve been a solo driver for a long time, it will be a challenge for you to invite a stranger onto your truck. Prepare to adjust your schedule, make room for twice as many belongings, and get used to having someone around you 24/7. Curious about how Melton trucks make room for two? Check out our trucking equipment page for a full tour of our trucks!
Driver trainers must be friendly and patient with new drivers – As a driver trainer, you’ll be meeting new drivers often, and you’ll be spending a lot of time with them. You’ll need to be able to get along with all types of people in order to effectively teach them how to be a trucker. Patience is also key to being a successful trainer. Many of your trainees will have limited experience being away from home or may have difficulty picking up certain concepts. Be ready for anything!
Driver trainers must be able to pivot and redirect behavior as needed – Although being friendly and patient is very important, it is equally as important to know when you need to correct unsafe behavior before it becomes a bad habit. Your goal is for your trainees to go on to become safe, efficient drivers, so be sure to teach them how to do things the right way!
Driver trainers must be prepared to teach new drivers how to adapt to the OTR lifestyle – As previously mentioned, this will be the first time many driver trainees have been away from home for long stretches of time. Learning how to live on the road and manage your time is just as important as learning how to drive safely or tarp a load, and the most successful trainees will be those who are truly ready to embrace the OTR lifestyle.
Training new drivers and watching them succeed can be a very rewarding process, and sometimes your former trainees can even turn into lifelong friends. At Melton, we understand that training drivers is hard work, and we’re willing to pay for it! Trainers earn $100 for each day a trainee is on the truck, which is usually for a three-week period – meaning you’ll be earning over $2,000 per driver. Learn more about the benefits of being an experienced driver with Melton, or check out other career paths you can take to earn some extra money and further your career!