New to Trucking
You’ve gone through your training course to obtain your Class 1 licence and air brake endorsement and now you’re ready to go over the road, right? Well it can be a little more difficult than that. There are aspects of the job, of life on the road, which a training school cannot prepare you for. The only thing that is going to make you a professional truck driver is real on-the-job training and experience.
At Len Dubois Trucking we know that finding your first job, fresh out of school, can be a difficult task. It is no secret that companies like to hire drivers with experience and that very few companies offer a mentorship program that can help ease you into your driving career. That is why we started the Len Dubois Trucking Mentorship and Training Program for new drivers over 2.5 years ago.
How We Help You Succeed
Our Mentorship and Training Program is split into three phases to help new truck drivers learn the ropes with real on-the-job training. Our goal is to help you ease into your new career with dedicated one-on-one in cab training while performing all of the duties required by a truck driver.
Phase One
During Phase One you will be placed in a truck with our Driver Trainer who will run with you for 6 to 8 weeks. The training will consist of highway and city driving in locations outside of Winnipeg, 10 to 15 hours of backing, log book training, and border crossings. During this phase your Driver Trainer will ensure that you are confident about the everyday operations of the truck, trip planning, and Canadian and American DOT Regulations and Safe Driving Practices. You will also gain practical on-the-job training with all paperwork that truck drivers must work with on a regular basis.
During this phase we try our best to get you home every night. By starting with day trips you are able to learn the ropes while not having to deal with the added stress of being over the road for long periods of time. In addition to your Driver Trainer the Safety and Compliance Manager will meet with you on a weekly basis to answer any questions or concerns you may have and to keep you apprised of your progress through the Mentorship and Training Program.
Phase Two
Once your initial training with our Driver Trainer is complete you will move onto Phase Two of our Mentorship and Training Program. During the phase you will be assigned your own truck and will be eased into solo long haul truck driving.
Being on your own, at first, can be one of the most difficult things truck drivers experience. That is why we start you off slowly with short haul, controlled dispatch runs. You will be given runs with 1 or 2 drops and will stay regional; travelling to Saskatchewan and Alberta in Canada and in the U.S. areas like Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Staying regional will also allow you and your family to adjust to the trucker lifestyle. Learning how to be away from your family is challenging for everyone involved. Starting off with regional runs allows us to get you home on a weekly basis to give both you and your family time to adjust before you head into a long haul career.
This phase can last 3 to 6 months, until you are comfortable in the truck by yourself. During this phase you will never be asked to run in the mountains or be put into areas where you would have to cross any mountain ranges. We will also not send you out to larger, more daunting cities like New York or Los Angeles until you have gained the confidence you need to navigate and work in larger cities.
While you will be in the truck by yourself the Safety and Compliance Manager is always just a phone call away and will schedule regular follow ups with you to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
Phase Three
Now the long haul part of your career starts. Once you have gained the confidence, tools and experience you need to be an over the road long haul truck driver you will start to operate as one. All of the training, experience, tools and knowledge gained during the first two phases of our Mentorship and Training Program will help you succeed in your career as a truck driver.
You will start to take longer runs, which can include mountain driving and larger cities, being out on the road for longer periods of time and driving more miles per month. Many of our drivers choose to run 10,000 or more miles per month and generally get home every 8 to 10 days for some much needed home time. Of course you are still not alone as the management team at Len Dubois Trucking is always just a phone call away to help with any problems you experience over the road.
Get Off to the Right Start Join Our Team Today
Successful candidates for the Len Dubois Trucking Mentorship and Training Program must have a valid class 1 license with air brakes endorsement, a clean criminal record check (no arrests or criminal charges), a clean driver’s abstract, hold a valid passport, be able to pass a DOT Drug test and be able to pass a Len Dubois Trucking Road Test.
If you are interested in participating in the Len Dubois Trucking Mentorship and Training Program please contact John via our Join Our Team page or call him directly at 1-888-590-2760 ext. 309
