Ready to hit the road with Challenger?

We are a great choice for a First Class driving career! Challenger supports a People First culture that enables us to all work together to succeed. As a new driver with Challenger, one of the first signs you will see that backs up this philosophy is our commitment to investing time and resources into ensuring that our drivers are the safest and the most skilled on the roads. Whether you are a recent grad or an experienced truck driver, our training department has much to offer you. They want to see you succeed at Challenger.

Brett Nymeyer, Driver Training Supervisor said; “The ultimate goal of the Challenger training program is to ensure that every driver that joins the Challenger fleet will be a safe and efficient professional driver. To support that goal, our First Class training program is set up to be skill based, not time based. Drivers move through the phases of the program when they have the skills required to move forward.”

Having a skill based program brings to light the difference in the training requirements for new graduates versus experienced drivers. As a prospective driver you will have a pre-hire road test. This test will help determine first, if you will be a good fit for Challenger, and second, what level of additional training, if any, will be required.

For drivers with more than one year of recent road experience, it may be determined that no immediate additional training is required and you will be required only to complete our Orientation Program. Alternatively, it may be determined that you would benefit from some additional training to master a particular driving skill. Perhaps you have been driving for 10 years on a local route and you will be joining Challenger in a role that will have you crossing the border. Then our trainers will work with you to ensure that you are knowledgeable in everything involved in that process. Or maybe, even as an experienced driver, you recognize that there is a driving skill that you would like to be more comfortable with or efficient at. Our trainers are happy to work with you to hone all of your driving skills. They will customize our program to suit your needs and support your driving career.

Drivers classified as Full Trainees, which includes any driver with less than one year of driving experience, will benefit from our eight week program. This program generally includes one week of backing, one week of cornering, one week of mapping and trip planning, two weeks of city driving and three weeks of highway driving. Referring back to the fact that our program is skill based, it might be determined that you may benefit from a little extra time spent on a specific skill, or  as happens quite often, the driver him/herself may request additional time focusing on a particular aspect of their training. Our trainers are happy to accommodate these requests in order to ensure that Challenger drivers are safe drivers. When your training program has been completed, you will then join the experienced drivers for Orientation.

Another aspect of Challenger’s people first philosophy is, as a convenience to our new hires, our city training can be done through any one of our terminals in Cambridge, London, Mississauga or Woodstock in Ontario, Dorval, Quebec or Abbotsford, British Columbia.

There are requirements for on-going training for all Challenger drivers as well … because who doesn’t need a refresher now and then? All of our drivers benefit from the following required training:

  • Quarterly online training modules
  • Renewal of TDG (Transportation of Dangerous Goods) – every three years
  • Renewal of PDT (Professional Driver Training) – every three years
  • Renewal of Work Place Violence training – every three years

Challenger continues to be a leader in the trucking industry through innovation and dedication in all areas of the business and ensuring that we have the best drivers possible is a priority focus. Brett Nymeyer had this to say about Challenger’s approach to training and working with our drivers, “Challenger is a forward thinking company and our training program reflects that. It consists of evaluation, teaching and discussion. The goal of our trainers is the same as your goal, we want you to succeed in your career as an AZ driver at Challenger.”

Challenger, Driver, Training

Some of the members of our Challenger Driver Training team:

(Clockwise from front left)

Rob Stevens, John Watson, Mark Schisler, Kevin Lee, Glen Blacklock, Ashok Kumor and Brett Nymeyer, Driver Training Supervisor.

For information about all the benefits of joining the Challenger driving team and enjoying a First Class Driving Experience please contact our Recruiting Department at 1-800-334-5142 or complete an online application by visiting our website at https://www.challenger.com/careers/drivers/apply-online/

Karen Cardillo
Challenger