Swift training ***HORROR STORY***

[wepwawet]

"A" means we really cranked it: 550+ miles each


This is the part that made me LOL and nearly fell out of my seat while being loaded. IF you think thats a "Hard" day or even close to a hard day of driving I feel sorry for you. Depending on the states you run you can do 700+ now thats a days driving.

Depending on companys you could be asked to help the company out and ummm make fright appear overnight


Im a newbie, noob, w/e label you want to put and if I ever feel that im anything more its time for me to get out of the truck. Overconfidence is the #1 mistake out here IMO.

[Wile E. Mile]

"A" means we really cranked it: 550+ miles each


This is the part that made me LOL and nearly fell out of my seat while being loaded. IF you think thats a "Hard" day or even close to a hard day of driving I feel sorry for you. Depending on the states you run you can do 700+ now thats a days driving.

Yeah, you're right. I changed it to a weekly system to capture the effect of the 34-hour reset:

3150-3500: A
2800-3149: B
2450-2799: C
2100-2449: D
< 2100 : F

These ranges are for a solo driver.

[geeshock]

Did you go back to Swift with another trainer?

Yes, and it's worse now.

My new trainer ("Blizzard") is a 27-year veteran: he's driven over two million miles solo (four million as a team), and has been training students since his first month in the industry. He sits in the passenger seat while I drive, and doesn't just retreat to the bunk and go to sleep when the shift is over. Sounds like the perfect mentor, right? Not really....

Blizzard is a Vietnam vet, and he runs his truck like a drill seargent breaks in a group of fresh recruits. He almost never gives positive feedback, but starts yelling when I do something that he considers wrong, like sequentially downshifting to a stop (he wants me to exit the interstate and remain in 8th [top] gear until I reach the limit line, then idle into 1st).

Anecdote: Blizzard and I got into a discussion about why he went into trucking, and midway through he said that any idiot could go into trucking. I asked him what that said about us, and he said we were both idiots, and that he was an idiot for going into the industry in the first place and training bad students (and no, he wasn't referring to me!!)

just grin and bear it. once you are done you can drive the truck how you see fit, btw I can garuntee you'll make plenty of mistakes. i still do and will continue to make them till the day i turn in my keys. no one is perfect

[Trukrswyfe]

Wile

Told my husband about your post and he just wanted to ask you to do one thing. If you do end up ungrading and go out on the road, one year or so later reread your posts.

He thinks that you will be very embarrassed by your ignorance and attitude about your trainer.
This is me from me, my husband is a trainer, husband, father,and truck driver doing his best to make all these people happy and not end up dead. Still trying to teach someone to driver and be successful show some respect.
Yes you should do what you feel is comfortable and safe, then try to make a buck or two and be on time. Believe me I could tell a trainers horror story longer than yours just based on the ones I meet and our interaction.
Being a trainer is not a picnic, these guys that he gets think they're on ckin vacation, your at work and soak up as much as you can while you have the trainer there. When your by yourself in a strange place lost, confused and wishin you had listened more than talked, cause you know everything already cause you read some posts. BOL

[Piece Of Work]

Being a trainer is hard, dangerous work. My hats off to those who do it.

[Radaremtjcw]

Did you go back to Swift with another trainer?

Yes, and it's worse now.

My new trainer ("Blizzard") is a 27-year veteran: he's driven over two million miles solo (four million as a team), and has been training students since his first month in the industry. He sits in the passenger seat while I drive, and doesn't just retreat to the bunk and go to sleep when the shift is over. Sounds like the perfect mentor, right? Not really....

Blizzard is a Vietnam vet, and he runs his truck like a drill seargent breaks in a group of fresh recruits. He almost never gives positive feedback, but starts yelling when I do something that he considers wrong, like sequentially downshifting to a stop (he wants me to exit the interstate and remain in 8th [top] gear until I reach the limit line, then idle into 1st).

My Trainer at Crete was a vietnam vet, he was driving trucks before i was born (36 Now) and at first he was a drill seargent, i couldnt back up, he never yelled when i had to pull up, he could see how frustrated i was, but one day i did something different, i actually listened to him and wow, can you believe it i actually backed the truck up into a spot without him telling me how and not pulling up. we are still good friends to this day. and i thank god every day that Ga. Speedman was my trainer.

this post grinds me for one reason, i have seen many trainees like this, get out of school thinking they know better, thinking their trainer is a moron, they forget to realize they are driving an 80,000 LB weapon
there is no humility in wile's posts,none, and in that alone it scares me.

there are alot of good trainees out there, but the type A personality that Wile exhibits has no place behind the wheel.

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

"A" means we really cranked it: 550+ miles each


This is the part that made me LOL and nearly fell out of my seat while being loaded. IF you think thats a "Hard" day or even close to a hard day of driving I feel sorry for you. Depending on the states you run you can do 700+ now thats a days driving.

Depending on companys you could be asked to help the company out and ummm make fright appear overnight


Im a newbie, noob, w/e label you want to put and if I ever feel that im anything more its time for me to get out of the truck. Overconfidence is the #1 mistake out here IMO.

Driving 550-600 miles in 65 mph truck is no easier than a person who puts 700-750 in a truck that can go 75 mph ...You put the same time in but just a slower pace .

[southernpride]

Anyone know the actual link to this story. I'd like to compare it to my experience.