It was my first day of training, there was me, the other trainee and the instructor who was on his first week as an instructor after a weeks induction course. He was an instructor 10 years ago or so apparently and in all fairness seemed a nice enough chap with a good knowledge base.
The day started out OK, after a few elementary checks the Instructor took us out for a drive (minus hi vis vests) and after 20 or 30 minutes handed the reigns to Steve, he drove ok I guess for his first drive in a lorry, a few fluffed gear changes on the slapover Iveco box but probably as much as you could expect for a first go. My turn came and I managed to find the handbrake after a bit of a search and on his 2nd or 3rd irate request to release it. I struggled like hell with the gears, I kept pushing the stick to far and switching to low and high, apart from that it seemed okish, but very stressful. He was a bit embarrassed by my slow and painstaking reverse in a service area (my first reverse ever in a lorry).
On my 2nd go I was stilling messing up the gears a bit, I was trying to meet his requests but would get 5th instead of 7th etc which was not going down too well. Anyway I had pretty much lost control of my legs through severe jellyness and my arms were rapidly going the same way. I was definately trying to do as he asked, just unfamiliarity with the gears (30 minutes so far) was causing me fluff it up.
I asked to pull in a parking place and being close to tears , shaking legs and jelly arms and rapidly going downhill decided to call it a day.
On a positive note, I should be able to get the hang of it, just I maybe need offroad practice and a patient instructor on a 1 to 1 basis.
So I plan to maybe save up for a few weeks and book an assessment with another training company and explain what happened and see if they can help.
It was my first day of training, there was me, the other trainee and the instructor who was on his first week as an instructor after a weeks induction course. He was an instructor 10 years ago or so apparently and in all fairness seemed a nice enough chap with a good knowledge base.
He will be the new one from the recent job advert then
Are they still using an undersized LGV (12 to 15 tonner)
Did instructor talk you through each gear change
…just I maybe need offroad practice and a patient instructor …
and on his 2nd or 3rd irate request to release it.
Was your instructor patient with you - or did the instructor get ‘up tight’ when you could not do something
I asked to pull in a parking place and being close to tears , shaking legs and jelly arms and rapidly going downhill decided to call it a day.
This concerns me - after how long into the day/drive was this
Wozzer However badly you think you did!! Don’t Give Up
Moving up from driving a car onto something ten times bigger is something that a lot of drivers don’t even think about doing!!! You have got through your first day having to cope with a much longer & wider vehicle a heavier clutch and completely different type of gearbox and braking system.
It sounds to me your instructor was being a bit harsh with you, just remember a couple of things you are the customer and you are paying a lot of money to to be trained in a professional manner, if the instructor is damaging or affecting your confidence, Tell Him, if he is any good at his job he will listen and take note of your concerns. Just because somebody has a HGV/LGV licence doesn’t neccessarily mean that they will be any good at passing those skills onto someone else so be prepared to change training companies or instructors if you feel you are not getting what you are paying for
Hi Rog,
I didn’t know that it was a ‘Sterling no pass you pay thing’
I know you have put masses of info for new drivers to look at and can only recommend that it is accessed and taken on board by anybody that is trying to move up the driving ladder.
I’m sure that you would agree, though, that a poor instructor can destroy someones confidence in the first day and consequently put someone off for life
Being a driving instructor of any kind does take special skills, much more than just having the appropriate licence, and just seeing all the free help you have provided to newcomers to the industry I hope you are back in the saddle sooner rather than later
davepenn54:
Hi Rog,
I didn’t know that it was a ‘Sterling no pass you pay thing’
The only possible way he may get a refund is if he can prove that the instruction was not up to par but from other posts concerning this company, I would not bet on it
davepenn54:
I know you have put masses of info for new drivers to look at and can only recommend that it is accessed and taken on board by anybody that is trying to move up the driving ladder.
A lot do see the warnings as to the practices adopted by certain companies but alas, it is usually too late
Can’t seem to fathom out this ‘quoting’ part of the forum!! So I’ll just list the points in order:
Yup, he’s the new instructor.
The truck was a 12 ton Iveco Eurocargo, pretty short and also used for the ‘artic’ course with a trailer on it.
I find it difficult to dislike anybody and the instructor was a nice enough chap, he just seemed to think I wasn’t listening to his requests. I think his apparent lack of patience was due either to me misunderstanding his initial instructions or a combination of that and his slight vagueness. For example, due to circumstance during my first drive we pulled into a service area and with lots of parked lorries around I was very cautious, so a car and trailer parked where we were heading and so he asked me to reverse, he didn’t actually say where too until the 2nd time he asked. I’d never reversed a truck before and was unsure of the procedure so I was very cautious and took it slowly. As we left the service area he mentioned how embarrassed he was with all the experienced drivers present at the services. I was only 10 to 15 minutes into my first drive at this point.
I had to ask him twice on two separate occasions before he allowed me to adjust the drivers side door mirror.
All in all I had perhaps 30 to 45 minutes of driving before I couldn’t go on anymore.
I think davepenn54 has a valid point about me being the customer Something I had actually forgotten.
I am happy to accept full responsibility for my failure to grasp todays driving lessons and don’t want to pass the buck, but I’ve never felt so inadequate and frustrated before.
I think I shall wave goodbye to my Sterling pennies (no pun intended) and try to find some cash for an assessment with another company who I can speak to directly and explain the problems I have had, and see what they say after the assessment, before I decide to continue or not.
Thanks for the replies and assistance, very much appreciated.
On my first day, I was taken on the nursery route (round a ind est) till I got the hang of the controls. I don’t wish to patronise you but some people do take to it like a duck to water and other need a little more coersing, if an instructor cannot determine the candidates needs and is embarrassed by the trainees cautiousness/nervousness then he should be looking for another job and you need to voice your concerns (although selective hearing is a unique ability of Qualitas/Sterling). Don’t give up mate, as you know theres a wealth of info on here. Have you read THIS and I’ve stuck a post in there about slapover boxes.
As we left the service area he mentioned how embarrassed he was with all the experienced drivers present at the services
IF that above quote is true, and at present I have no reason to think it is not, then all I can say is… WHAT A [ZB]
I have to respect the rules of this site so cannot put in what I would realy like to…
Hehehe, ROG, it wasn’t quite that bad, something like “anyway this is a bit embarassing with these experienced drivers around”. It didn’t effect me too much and I am much happier now I’ve got it all off my chest.
I would have loved the chance to familiarise myself with the gears and brakes on a quiet industrial estate before going out onto the busy roads. It would have made all the difference.
If I elect to try again I shall follow the guidelines of assessment, meet the instructor etc.
“anyway this is a bit embarassing with these experienced drivers around”.
The smallest comment like that should not come out of the instructors mouth IMO - I await other comments on this…
I agree, it’s a stupid statement, what does he expect from a trainee who’s never reversed before? And why be embarassed, it’s a learner in a training vehicle
Oh my God!! This sort of thing makes me REALLY mad!!
I managed to find the handbrake after a bit of a search and on his 2nd or 3rd irate request to release it.
Why on earth did you hae to search for it? You should have been given a full intro of the vehicle and been shown clearly where the handbrake was and how it works. (It is easy for us to forget that car drivers have no idea how truck handbrakes differ so much from cars and they have to be explained clearly.)
and the instructor was a nice enough chap,
Its all very well him being a nice guy - what you are paying for is a good instructor.
I had to ask him twice on two separate occasions before he allowed me to adjust the drivers side door mirror.
If you cant see properly then adjust to suit. This should have been done before you even started the engine.
I think davepenn54 has a valid point about me being the customer Something I had actually forgotten.
Exactly
Being a driving instructor of any kind does take special skills, much more than just having the appropriate licence, and just seeing all the free help you have provided to newcomers to the industry
Oh this is so true once again. If you are dissatisfied with this intructor then please say something to those in chasrge.
With it being Sterling I doubt if you will get any joy from them but a written complaint about lack of instruction could hardly be ignored.
The more newbies that put up with this sort of thing only lets compnanies like Sterling get away with it.
I hope you get on better as the days go by and if you are unsure about anything at all make sure you ask to stop and make sure he explains thing thoroughly to you.
any good instructor will tell you the three important things.
What to do
How to do it
and most importantly WHY it has to be done that particular way.
And it will all be explained clearly with plenty of feedback from yourself as to how well you are understanding it and taking it in.
Good luck
I also feel that the instructor in the way he has spoken and his lack of basic training to his pupils, should be ashamed of himself and do everyone a favour by packing it in now!
I would have felt exactly the same way as Wozza in the circumstances, personally I would report himto DSA, though what good that will do remains to be seen,
I did look at sterling ect for my own training but luckily decided to go with a small local one man company, who first off even though I had driven 7.5 tonners previous, he took me to a disused airfield, showed me around the truck and where everthing was, and then asked if I was happy to have a go, which of cause the answer was yes, a few runs around the track then a few goes at reverse and tight turns ect and away on the road, I think the above was better as there was no pressure form anyone else, no one watching ect with no pressure at all form the trainer, any mistakes I did make were spoken about but no stupid comments ect juct constructive.
All ican say wozza is put it behind you and try again, as in earlier comments this guy is nothing but a complete arse and the best thing you can do is pass and then wave the license in front of his nose.
“anyway this is a bit embarassing with these experienced drivers around”.
The smallest comment like that should not come out of the instructors mouth IMO - I await other comments on this…
I agree, it’s a stupid statement, what does he expect from a trainee who’s never reversed before? And why be embarassed, it’s a learner in a training vehicle
Also agreed. Being an instructor means having tons of patience and thinking only about the needs of your student, not of your own ‘image’. Even the most promising candidate can have a shaky start and such comments as shown above suggest this particular instructor should find an alternative career.
Mothertrucker:
With it being Sterling I doubt if you will get any joy from them but a written complaint about lack of instruction could hardly be ignored.
The more newbies that put up with this sort of thing only lets compnanies like Sterling get away with it.
Sadly, by the time we realise what we’ve bought into, Sterling has all your money and it’s far too late. I speak from bitter experience…
