First of all this is not against the company just a trainer... Who made it perfectly clear the first day he did not like trainees. (what I didn't know is he really hates white trainees.)
This has been my experience with covenant so far I have talked to other students from the same orientation they all say the same thing, this is not the norm. I have been more than patient with Mr. David he made it well known from the beginning he did not want anybody on his truck, which begs the question Why is he a trainer? I would like a trainer that is interested in training not getting a local job with Ralphs. (He actually drove a Covenant Transport truck and trailer into Ralphs yard to fill out an application with me in the truck) I really want to learn to drive a truck but sitting in the sleeper I dont learn anything. As of Saturday morning I was logged in the sleeper for 36 hrs only separated by 3 more at a truck stop.
Orientation started Sept. 14,09 Monday, Thursday I became active and was told to call my fleet manager - Jaime Mathewson I was told to call back after 10 am when I called I was told the trainer was in Las Vegas and would call me. I sat in the hotel room all weekend my trainer Oliver David called me Saturday and told me to meet him in Long Beach. After driving to Long Beach terminal I called him told him I was there he came and we put our gear in the truck. I was given a shelf and the top bunk. My laptop and a small bag on the shelf my big bag had to stay on the top bunk. I was told by Mr. David top bunk was mine unless we were moving then I was on the bottom. He then told me do as I say not as I do. I was also told he did not like trainees he explained all the problems he had previously I assured him that would not happen. He explained if something happened and I was stuck in Chicago it would be on Covenant. I was told I would be driving at night. Not a problem for me. We then sat around the terminal for 2 more days waiting for a load. We finally were assigned a load Monday afternoon, by the time we got there we were told to come back to pick up a check in the morning. Back to the terminal. We left to pick up the check then picked up the load in a different location. We then went back to the terminal for lunch. We were then assigned a local load so we dropped the trailer and went to pick up the local load in San Pedro. We then delivered the load to the Long Beach terminal and hooked up the previous trailer for Ohio and left for Ohio. (I am really good at raising and lowering the trailer jack landing gear)
Wed am 2am I am behind the wheel Mr. David is in the passenger seat. As I was driving Mr. David kept yelling at me during my shifting. He had me rolling through stops signs. As we were driving on the freeway he kept telling me to get in the next lane a pass the truck in front of us. I explained every time I took the left lane the other driver would speed up. With the governor on the truck only allows a top speed of 65 I was unable to pass. I was allowed to drive for 9 hours then relieved. I took the sleeper as Mr. David continued driving I was in the sleeper for 12 hrs. Then at 2am I was allowed to drive another 9 and a half hours. I was then back in the sleeper another 21 hours some parked some moving. As we arrived after hours and could not unload until 6am the next day. Still in the sleeper but now in the top bunk. We had time to stop for three hours three or four times for a shower. We sat in the Ohio terminal with no facilities. We drop our load off around 7am and went for a shower at the truck stop. After I had my shower I figured since our load was not ready until 11 pm that I could do laundry as I found out that 3 days without a shower my feet begin to stink after the first so socks are really smelly. While doing laundry I saw one of the other students from orientation. He told me all he did was drive. So Im wondering am I missing something? I had time to wash and put my clothes in the dryer about 20 min when Mr. David came out of the shower and told me we were going. I explained that my clothes were still in the dryer he then yelled at me because he wanted to pick up the load early. We still had to scan I figured I had plenty of time. I was now told to remove my shoes in the truck. I again asked him when I would drive again he told me at night after the pick up We then returned to pick up and was told the load would not be ready until 11:30 as we sat down to update our log books Mr. David then looked at my log book and started to laugh telling me I would not drive that day and would not be home by November. Since I only had 2 segments my first week. He then explained it was Covenants fault and told me to ask for another trainer. I told him I just want to learn Im not learning anything in the sleeper. He called for Jamie and stepped out of the truck. He returned to the truck and he drove to the circle K where we sat for another 7 hrs. Until the load was ready. While sitting there I called the fleet manager dont remember who I spoke to and explained I had over 24 hrs in the sleeper and asked what is the training program because Im not learning how to drive a truck from the sleeper. He told me he would find someone to help and hung up. We sat in the truck at the circle K. While there the bathroom was damaged and out of commission. I had to relieve myself in the bushes behind the trucks. At 11pm we then returned to pick up our load. We hook up (I am really good at raising the trailer jack) and I am told he would drive the first 200 miles. I return to the sleeper and remain there until we stopped at a rest stop. Mr. David stopped for a bottle of water. I got up to use the rest room and he jumped back into the drivers seat and drove through the rest stop I asked him to stop so I could use the rest room and he refused. Words were exchanged. I stood up and lost my balance falling back in the lower bunk kicking over a trash can. Mr. David immediately pulled over and I jumped out of the truck over the guard rail and down the hill to relieve my self. When I returned to the truck Mr. David told me he would beat my ass if I did that again words were exchanged as we resumed I called the fleet manager and explained the situation. I believe it was Cindy that helped me she told me we would be rerouted to a terminal where I would be booked in a hotel until Monday Here I am 18.5 hours in 2 days behind the wheel after a week am I missing something 1 shower in 3days with 2 guys that truck stinks. While dealing with Covenants customers I was told by them at three stops to tell him to pull his pants up. I explained that I was only a trainee and he was the boss. Which he made clear on day one. I wont even go into the radio on full blast 24/7 or not being able to close the curtain. My first week has been miserable to say the least.
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