DES MOINES, Iowa — TMC has announced trainers of the month for November and December 2019. For November, Brian Post has been selected; and Ken Bates has been given the December recognition.
Post began working with TMC in 2013 while in the process of retiring from the Army. After attending a career fair and meeting a recruiter, he had a feeling that TMC was going to be the place for him.
“I’ve always had a ‘get the job done’ mindset, and I knew this was something I could do,” he said.
After driving for two years, the idea of training other drivers came to Post somewhat organically. While picking up a load one day, another TMC driver asked him for assistance.
“I came to find out he was a newer driver, and he wanted to make sure his securement and everything looked okay before he left,” Post said. Both drivers ended up delivering to the same place, and even though it wasn’t going to get him home, Post took another load that would keep him running with the new driver. “I just wanted to help the guy out and do the right thing for the company, and that’s really how it all started,” he said.
Post always stresses to his drivers that safety is a priority. “My ultimate goal is to have drivers who are safe on the road and on the job,” he said.
When Bates joined TMC in May 2014, he was new to the trucking industry. While in school, he did his research on different companies and TMC stood out from the rest. “From what I could tell, TMC had the best equipment and the best standard of training. Plus, I liked my recruiter,” he said.
Becoming a driver trainer was always in the back of his mind, Bates said, but he took advice from his own trainer and waited until he had two years of experience under his belt. He started training others in 2016.
“I really enjoy getting other drivers prepared for the field,” Bates said. “When they first start out, it can be overwhelming, so I’m very hands-on without being super strict.”
Bates also stresses the importance of using all available resources whenever possible. “I credit TMC’s ‘Train the Trainer’ class for giving me a lot of the information I needed to start off and be successful. In that same way, I encourage my trainees to use their resources and expand their own knowledge whenever they can,” he said.
Being named the Trainer of the Month wasn’t something that Bates was expecting, he said. “I really appreciate the recognition. It’s nice to know that I’m making a difference for the company,” he said.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
