Meet Sean Wilson, TMC's Trainer of March 2019

on Monday, May 6, 2019 in Awards & Recognition

Sean’s journey with TMC began 10 years ago when he started Orientation in June 2009. Over-the-road truck driving wasn’t exactly the career path he had in mind for himself, but it has turned into a lifestyle that works well for him and his family.

“Before starting at TMC, the economy was bad and I was unemployed,” Sean says. “I couldn’t find a job in my field, which was accounting, so I decided to do what I never saw myself doing.”

While attending a local driving school, the Hudson, NC native started researching different companies to see what was out there. “I heard TMC had really good training, and I wanted to be home on the weekends with my family,” he says. “TMC sounded like a good fit right away.”

After driving on his own for a year, Sean decided to take on the role of a Driver Trainer. “I’ve trained at other jobs before, and I always enjoyed showing people the ropes.”

Sean takes a very hands-on approach to training. “I try to get them behind the wheel as much as possible to work on their driving and backing skills,” he says. “With securement, I show them how I like things to be done and let them do one side of the load while I do the other, checking on them periodically.”

This approach has proven to work well for him. “I try not to overwhelm them with too much information. Once they get a feel for how things are done, I let them do the job and give any tips along the way if I notice anything.”

For both him and his trainees, Sean says that having patience is most important. “New drivers can’t be in too much of a hurry; this is where mistakes happen,” he says. “For me as a trainer, I have to remember that this is a learning experience for them and it’s different for everyone.”

As for his favorite part of the job, Sean had a quick answer for that. “I enjoy hearing from my former trainees about their accomplishments. It’s nice knowing that I helped them get their start and they are doing well.”

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 March 2019 Trainer of the Month, Sean Wilson!