I was a trainer for this company. I requested to be a trainer about four months before I was finally routed to Chatt. For the classes. I continued to make the request every few days. All this time, I was assured that "next week" I'd be routed there.
When I got to training (after being out for five weeks) I asked about going home after the classes and then getting a student after being on home time and was told that it would be no problem. I went through the class and was THEN told that I had to take a student IMMEDIATLY after my classes. This meant being out an add'l three weeks with the student, right? (wrong).
After my classes, I waited for three days to be assigned a student. This particular person was assigned to me, we had moved his stuff into my truck and before we were assigned a load, a "Master" driver trainer decided that HE wanted this guy and he was immediatly taken from me and assigned to the other trainer.
I'm a non smoker and I told Covenant that I could not and would not tolerate a smoker in my truck. (I'm not BLASTING smokers here - don't get the wrong idea) The next person that I was assigned had requested the "next available trainer" with NO regard to MY demand. I also requested to train males only because I didn't want to get accused of any wrongdoing that could come up with a female on my truck for three weeks.
She was about 5'6" and weighed not less than 290. She was also "gonna quit" smoking. I had to use the top bunk for obvious reasons.
The first loads we were given amounted to a dedicated run that someone either quit or was on vacation for a week. It was a run that went from someplace in Tenn. To a place in Ohio with a drop in between each way. I was told, after the first round trip, that I would be paid $750.00 for the week for these runs and the trainee would be paid her. 13 cpm. After figuring it out, the pay would have been less than half of the pay that should be going to a trainer. I told Covenant that I would pick up the next load but they would have to find a re-power because I wasn't going to accept the deal. The other option was that I would drop the student somewhere and renounce my trainer title. They folded under this and I was paid like I should have been. Had I not asked about it in the beginning, they wiuld have never said a word about the arrangement for the pay. ALL Covenant saw was a hazmat TEAM to do this run.
What you've read about making us run as a team instead of giving ANY opportunity for training is true to the MAX. We ran night and day as a team and it wasn't pretty. I got very little sleep and then had to drive for my 10-11 hours so the trainee could sleep.
We were treated like s—t for the entire FIVE weeks that I had her on my truck.
When I finally got her to Pomona, Ca. To upgrade, I had to stay there for ANOTHER three days before they could find me a load going the same direction as my home (Seattle area).
The "pay" for training a student is $500.00 IF the student passes the drive & backing test the first time. $250.00 if anything else. I stayed there and watched her pass the requirements the first time and even saw the results afterwards. Covenant paid me $250.00 for this. After taxes it came to about $130.00.
I went home finally, after having been out for nine and a half weeks. My wife and I decided that I should just quit and find something else. After being home for two days, I got on the Qualcomm and said " I'm quitting & where do you want me to take your truck?" (they had the nerve to ask why I was quitting) Anyway, I took the truck to French Camp, Ca. And turned it in.
Get this & EIGHT days after I quit, my cell phone rings and it was my former dispatcher and he wanted to know WHY I WASN'T ON MY TRUCK.
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