Meet Blaine Butts, TMC's Trainer of the Month

on Wednesday, July 3, 2019 in Awards & Recognition

When it comes to the TMC way of life, Blaine is no stranger. He started his professional driving career just over nine years ago in June 2010, and a life on the road became the ideal lifestyle he was looking for. “After a long career in manufacturing, I wanted to find something new and a job my wife and I could do together,” he says. “TMC gave me that opportunity, and it seemed like the perfect fit.

Once the River Oaks, Texas native had two years of driving under his belt, he knew that training was the next step for him in his career.

“Everyone in the Training Department runs such a good program, and I believe it’s the best in the world,” he says. “Wanting to train came from loving TMC and wanting to help be a part of our continued success.”

His first trainee was actually his wife, Lisa, and they drove as a team for seven years. He trained on and off during this period, but when Lisa decided to go back to school, Blaine took on training full-time.

When it comes to his training style, Blaine does his best to be a friend and mentor out on the road. He shares his own triumphs and challenges that he has faced over the years, and works very hard to build great relationships with everyone.

One way he does this is by having them come up with a handle, or a nickname to go by. Blaine’s personal handle is “Captain Jelly Bean,” and some other names his trainees have gone by are: Hush Puppy (his wife’s handle), Wicker Man, Deputy Sunflower, Wild Alaska, Hammerhead, and Mr. Positive.

“I take care of my trainees the best I can, just like TMC does for me,” he says. “Being a trainer has also made me a better driver, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to do the same.”

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 May 2019 Trainer of the Month, Blaine Butts!