The First of Many – Stories In Truck Driving

As the title suggests, I had many...experiences during my truck driving days. This one starts near the very beginning – back during orientation for one of the large starter companies. You know, those big companies that have a high turnover rate, but are a necessary evil if one wants to gain experience in the field.

This will be a rather short story. I think. It's rather anti-climatic, but I believe we can all relate to running across that one person who tries to get back at you for something you weren't at fault for.

It took nearly a month to find a trainer, but after going through the necessary paperwork, slides, speeches and waiting and waiting in a hotel room, I was finally out on the road. In hindsight, I'm so glad I had the patience to wait for the trainer I was assigned as she has become family.

Now, this particular story begins just after training. I was finishing up the last of the paperwork and some classes no one informed me I would need in order to graduate training. I literally heard about them in passing while I was walking through the terminal. Okay, so I talk to some staff and quickly get thrown into some ongoing classes before going back to the hotel to wait the few days for my driving partner (I was to be a team driver). It was nothing major. A few hours of classes, quick tests and done. Or, so I thought.

Once I had completed my additional classes and thought I was to finish up the process and take a final ID picture the following day, I got on the transport van to hop back to the hotel. A tuna sandwich from a vending machine wasn't sitting well on my stomach, but it was all good because I had already completed all my tasks.

Well...

The next day I'm yelled at because apparently I had “disappeared” and kept this particular staff member waiting. She was going to finish up my paperwork and prepare my company ID the previous evening.

I. Didn't. Know.

This last minute change wasn't communicated to me, but it was my fault she had been at the terminal waiting for hours. Hold on... Why wait for hours? Common sense dictates to call my name out over the intercom system, at most, a couple of times and if I don't report in 15 to 30 minutes, or before end of shift then I've missed my chance and no one else is put out for it.

Okay... Sorry?

And so, what used to be a pleasant staff person to speak to every morning became a spiteful, hissing monster. She decided to keep me waiting to take that photo. She just sat at her desk doing nothing while I watched and waited in the lobby. It didn't matter that I had apologized and tried to explain the situation. (Miscommunications are the downfall of any company.) I truly felt bad for not being where I was suppose to be and keeping someone at their post late.

Eventually, she stalled long enough and I inquired to see if another staff member may be able to take my photo so I could catch the transport van back to the hotel before it stopped running for the day. In that instant the hissing monster stomped over to me (she had been watching me speak to another staff member) and said she was ready to take my photo. I was all for it, got it done and got the heck away from snooty-zilla.

I dislike anyone to be angry with me, but in the world of trucking I soon learned a very important lesson: You can't please everyone. No matter how hard you try someone will throw a tantrum at you, regardless if you had anything to do with the issue. Just apologize if you made a mistake and calmly explain the situation. Try not to get upset. It's okay. When it's over, shrug it off and smile. There are nice people in the world.

No one needs a butthole to like them, or be in their circle of friends. Drama Mama, no thank you!