Meet November 2018's Trainer of the Month, David Somers
on Thursday, January 10, 2019
in
Awards & Recognition
David started his professional driving career just over seven years ago in January 2012. He had come across TMC while in driving school, and from there it was an easy decision on where he wanted to begin his journey in the trucking industry. “I never found another place that offered what TMC did, so I knew this was where I wanted to be.”
Being a driver trainer was not something that David initially set out to do. “I was hesitant for a while on if I wanted to train or not,” he says. “After seeing a few guys out on the road who asked me for guidance, I started thinking that maybe it would be something good for me to try.”
David started training two years ago, and now he enjoys it more than he ever thought he would. “Training really brought my job into perspective,” he says. “I already knew how to do my job, but I had to learn how to instruct on what I was doing, which is a process you go through with every trainee.”
The Abingdon, Virginia native has found that teaching through demonstration is one of the best ways for trainees to learn the job. “After showing them how to do the tasks a time or two, I let my trainees do the job themselves, making sure I’m sure to be there with them every step of the way,” David says. He also stresses the importance of taking it slow, being aware of your surroundings, and doing the job safely.
“David is one of those guys who kind of flies under the radar,” says Jeff Geist, Training Coordinator Manager. “But his numbers speak for themselves, as his trainees do a great job and all have excellent safety records.”
While David is thankful for the recognition, he says he is just out doing his job. “As long as my guys are out here taking the time to do things right and with safety at the forefront, then that’s all that matters.”
Driver trainers are vital to the TMC Training Department, and each month a trainer is chosen who demonstrates the outstanding qualities TMC looks for in a trainer. The Trainer of the Month recipient is chosen based on their safety record and the safety performance of their trainees, the number of drivers trained and the retention percentage of those drivers. Congratulations to our November 2018 Trainer of the Month, David Somers!