Your right. You can tell this guy has heard everything and experienced none of it. He is just ooozing NEWBIE.

 

Well I think the reason We're still talking about you, well Me at least is that I hope that you'll keep updating us on your adventures/trips/experiences. That's why I hang out at CAD. I don't do OTR anymore so I like to hear about those that do. Hope your safe and having fun.

 

I think Reb posted a picture of a banner reading-- Troll area.

I'd just stick to trying to give advice that can be used by OTHERS as well- if Kevin wants to take any of it- is completely up to him.

This thread has been "entertaining" at least.

I did think the one post- were someone told Kevin to "go way, no one likes you" was a bit harsh, cruel, and unnecessary. I don't share that opinion at all. But, seeing that this tread as already progressed beyond Kevin's original topic-" How to get a new mentor." He's already got a new one. So, I'll make this my last post here... Good luck to you- Kev. Keep America Moving. Looks like I'm near the end of my career- your's has just begun.

 

not worth it

 

yup i agree

 

thank you, i am actually doing quite well. Took my road test and couple classes to upgrade. Now i am at home taking my 6-days of 'home time'. The next phone call i get will be 'come pick up your truck'. Which i am sure the next couple days after THAT will be spent hanging around the terminal waiting for my A-service to be completed. Want to be sure that truck wont break down on me 10 miles out of the yard.

Nice thing about Swift, is in a few more months, they will not have any trucks on the road over 2 years old. They are replacing everything that is 4+ years old now. So if i do get a POS Volvo, i wont complain about it, ill take it and run it, and hope in a few weeks i get the message saying "take the truck to Memphis/Phoenix and pick up your new truck".

I am glad to finally be done with training, and the next time i drive, that next paycheck should be twice as much as i was making as a student.

 

which shop's terminal are you getting the truck out of, and which shop is supposed to look over it? cuz, i can tell you from past experience, the shop won't look over jack shit unless it's something obvious that needs immediate tlc. you'll get the typical and common, "yeah, everything's fine!"

 

I ran outa the Salt Lake City yard, the 6 months I was with swift. I had really bad experiences with the shop there, but that was over 4 years ago so it's possible that they got better.
The one thing I'll always remember was when they were just getting in the new W-900's back in 04 and had 2(a white one and a blue) parked sideways behind the concrete barrier that sits to the right(eastside) of the truck wash. One of the mechanics was told to grab a truck that had blown a turbo(I believe) and to bring it in. Said mechanic threw a tantrum because he wanted to go on break, so he grabs it and drive it with oil flying out the stack. He had looped it around the drivers smoke area to be an ass. He gets it in the bay and loudly informs everyone that he is going on break and will be back when he gets back and turns around struts right into the foreman who was coming over to kick his ass. While he was driving around He had liberally splattered both new Kens(and several other trucks) and over course the windows were open on both trucks because Drivers were crawling in and out of them all day. I turned and walked away right as the foreman started yelling.

 

slc's terminal mechanics are still shitty. the trailer shop guys are spot-on, however. the tractor mechanics are just like every other shop i've taken my truck to. they only do half-ass work and you'll be lucky to make it to your next destination without any trouble. last time my truck was having a b-service done in slc, the morons there forgot to refill the oil and coolant. it took them longer than an hour to get their shit straight and refill both. :angryblue: phoenix is another no-no to take your tractor in to. once again, the left side of the volvo hood latch isn't releasing. fortunately i should be back in town by no later than friday of next week. i'm enjoying the east coast and eastern parts of the central time zone a bit too much to care about being back too soon.

the best swift shops, in my opinion, are denver and mira loma. they both did some extra stuff to the truck that didn't need work asap, but got it fixed anyway. both times the truck has been at either shop, they got it done right the first time around.

 

I agree 100% about Denver and Mira Loma. Those shops were so far ahead of the others that it wasn't funny. I had actually considered basing myself out of Mira Loma, but something weird was going on at the time and you could only base yourself out of the ontario or whichever one was just north of I-10, east of the T/A a few miles.

I loved that yard! Plenty of placed to park and it was quiet and they always had MT's, but had no where close by to walk to get a soda or dinner