Trucker Buddy International announced a new Trucking Mentor program aimed at educating high school aged drivers, to teach them how to share the road safely with big trucks.
Trucking Mentor pairs professional truck drivers with high schools either in their area or along their route. Drivers visit the high school once or twice a year to teach the students about the issues of driving along-side a big truck.
The goal of Trucking Mentors is to save lives and build a positive image of the trucking industry among teenage drivers.
I believe that as an industry we have a responsibility to help our communities understand how to be safe around a truck and continue to improve our image. That is especially important for teens beginning to take the responsibility of driving a car, Randy Schwartzenburg, executive director, Trucker Buddy International, told Layover Magazine Trucking Mentors will not only save lives but will increase respect between all the parties. Having both Trucker Buddies and Trucking Mentors teaching students about our industry not only helps the students drive more safely but helps everyone understand our industry’s impact on our nation. Saving lives, improving our image and building respect are why launching Trucking Mentors is so important.
There are currently 2,600 Trucker Buddies across the world. Those currently participating in the Trucker Buddy program are encouraged to participate with Trucking Mentor. Drivers who want to mentor, must fill out an application, have approval from the company they work for and must pass a background check. There is no charge for the driver.
Trucking Mentor has a pre-selected curriculum, so drivers won’t have to develop their own content. The topics that will be taught are:
-Stopping distances
-Passing
-Blind spots
-Safety videos
-Trucks and teens tips
-Tests and information
If you would like to get involved in this exciting new program, visit the Trucking Mentors site. A link can be found here.