Feeder School-Lack of Training (Keep on Topic)

MN-Kid

Member
Hey Everyone,
Just wondering if someone can answer this for me. I went through feeder school and did not take the state test, because I felt I was not ready. Here is the problem. In the week I was training, I had a total of about 9 hours behind the wheel, about 4hours with pre-trip and about 2 hours in backing. The rest of the time my trainer felt that there were more important things to do, like his own tasks, paperwork I HAD to fill out. Am I wrong to think that I did not get adequately trained in feeders? I get it, there is a lot of information to process, but feeder drivers I spoke to said most of them had 45-50 hours training and I had about 30.
Just looking for thoughts on this.
Thanks
 

MN-Kid

Member
Just 1 week of training ?
Yes. The first week is training, then if you pass on the fifth day they do the productive week. I guess with me having no experience at all, I find it concerning that I was actually only around/driving the semi for about 20 hours at the most. Here I was really excited to be in feeders.
kind of looking if I had a recourse if any kind.
 

9.5er

Well-Known Member
Yes, you should have had more actual driving time than you say you had. But the paperwork indeed did have to get filled out. At the end of your week did your trainer say he thought you were ready for exam? You don’t have to be perfect shifting gears during the test. Just need to show you can handle the vehicle and do it safely.
 

MN-Kid

Member
Sounds like you panicked and quit halfway through training and now you're trying to blame the company.
Sounds like you panicked and quit halfway through training and now you're trying to blame the company.
Wow. Let me guess. Your a supervisor. Considering you were not there and that most Class A training is more then 20 hours, panic was not the issue. I think my trainer was lacking patience, more concerned with paperwork. So if that is blaming the company, you got it right.
 

MN-Kid

Member
Yes, you should have had more actual driving time than you say you had. But the paperwork indeed did have to get filled out. At the end of your week did your trainer say he thought you were ready for exam? You don’t have to be perfect shifting gears during the test. Just need to show you can handle the vehicle and do it safely.
I appreciate your response. It was the pre-trip that held me up. I knew I could not get it done in the 45 minutes allowed so I backed out. I guess what I anticipated to be more hours per day was not the case and I just did not get it.
 

MyTripisCut

Never bought my own handtruck
I appreciate your response. It was the pre-trip that held me up. I knew I could not get it done in the 45 minutes allowed so I backed out. I guess what I anticipated to be more hours per day was not the case and I just did not get it.
So you DID quit....
 

MN-Kid

Member
That is correct. It was Thursday and the test was Friday and I knew I could not pass the pre trip part so yes I did. After the fact , I was told that I should have had way more hours behind the wheel as well as more hours in general. Frustrated. Yes. One of those life experiences I guess. Thanks for responding.
 

trickpony1

Well-Known Member
Talk to HR or the District Manager.
Explain that, in comparision with other trainees, you thought your training was incomplete/inadequate.

Well it get the supe in trouble? Yes.
Will it probably ruin your chances of ever being a feeder driver? Probably.

Since you didn't bother to take the state test, you'll never know if you would pass.
If you took it and failed you'd be in the same position you are now.

Three steps forward, two steps back.
 

barnyard

KTM rider
Feeders is not for everyone.

You started 3 threads (that were merged) about being nervous about going to feeder school. People posted advice, including pretrip vids. Others posted that they studied on their own to learn how to do the pretrip. You knew in January you were going to feeder school, that is a lot of time to prepare.
 

Johney

Well-Known Member
It was the pre-trip that held me up. I knew I could not get it done in the 45 minutes allowed so I backed out. I guess what I anticipated to be more hours per day was not the case and I just did not get it.
Huh? 45 minutes for a pre-trip?????
 

silenze

Lunch is the best part of the day
Yes that is how ups works. Day 1 paper work videos. Day 2-4 training. Day 5 test. They don't hold your hand. They throw you to the wolves. Like they previous poster said. You should have had the pretrip memorized. They just test with a single Never doubles
 
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RolloTony Brown Town

Well-Known Member
Minnesota has a timed pretrip? And you can’t get through a pretrip in under 45 minutes. Sounds like you weren’t taking the time necessary to work on the pretrip. If you decide to take another shot at getting your CDL, leave it all on the table. This is a marketable skill that UPS can never take away from you.

I’m not trying to say you weren’t working hard “at work” but do you think maybe your trainer had you working on your pretrip so much because it wasnt sinking in? When it comes to bettering yourself you gotta go all out. It’ll be worth it.
 

burrheadd

KING Of GIFS
Hey Everyone,
Just wondering if someone can answer this for me. I went through feeder school and did not take the state test, because I felt I was not ready. Here is the problem. In the week I was training, I had a total of about 9 hours behind the wheel, about 4hours with pre-trip and about 2 hours in backing. The rest of the time my trainer felt that there were more important things to do, like his own tasks, paperwork I HAD to fill out. Am I wrong to think that I did not get adequately trained in feeders? I get it, there is a lot of information to process, but feeder drivers I spoke to said most of them had 45-50 hours training and I had about 30.
Just looking for thoughts on this.
Thanks

Another snowflake that didn’t get enough training
Driving the big rigs isn’t for everybody

SMH
 
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