my swift training progress

Hang in there madagascar....im stuck in columbus weather too...i felt same way you did, but lile my trainer said...o e day eveything will just click and it will become easier....shifting will be fine....i still struggle with backing and have been known to pray for spots to pull through if at all possible....you will get it.

 

Hang in their, it will get better*****

 

My first trainer with Swift was john Dyer, he was the biggest A__HOLE you ever met. He was trying to make me flunk out, he just wasn't man enough. He tried to tell me to log at the end of the day instead of as you transition, he broke my balls every possible way he could.
I got past him and now have 3 years experience and can work where ever I want.
Marty Sprouse was an Ahole too - he tried to keep me out past my 240 hours of required mentor time, but I got him too - I finally had to tell him I was not going to drive any more until I had a load back to Lancaster. So much for nice guys in the trucking business.

Just hang in there man. There are 1000 reasons why this isn't going to work out, and only ONE reason why it is...BECAUSE YOU MAKE IT WORK OUT.
Don't worry about what ANYBODY says, YOU are the driver, YOU are responsible for what YOU do with that truck.
There will ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS be someone behind you wanting you to go faster. If they were that good, THEY WOULD BE IN FRONT OF YOU! SCREW THEM.

 

Everyone feels like that at first. Yes, it just takes time and experience to get your confidence level up.

Guys starting out at this time of year really have my sympathy. Fewer daylight hours and bad weather can be overwhelming. Most companies will take you as a recent grad if you start within six months of getting your license, so maybe in a few months when the ice and snow is behind us, you can give it another try. Get several months of dry roads under your belt before the snow hits next winter.

And yes, Northeast Regional sucks. However, the lease ops like it, since they can make more money there.

 

Madagascar, it might be more the time for a new mentor, than giving up on driving altogether.
They are not all that way.

And once you get solo, you are more free to run the hours you like best.

 

im sorry to hear you left. it can be difficult for the first few weeks but it does get better. my first load was from phoenix to pa mountains ice snow and night time as well. but i go slow and easy. i was running late so macro 22 and keep rollin. you only fail when you quit. get a new mentor that can take the time to teach.

 

I saw in a trucking magazine this week the mega carrier turnover rate annually is up two points to 99%

 

Wish I'd had a trainer like you. Mine was ok, but was "too helpful" when I was backing, so I didnt really learn how to back/park.
KD