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Trainers

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by WyoBigFish, Apr 21, 2017.

Page 1 of 5
  1. Apr 21, 2017 #1
    WyoBigFish

    WyoBigFish Bobtail Member

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    I was wondering if anyone can tell me what companies offer good training for a new driver? I ended up going to Swift Academy, because not very many companies that offer paid training hire out of Wyoming, I thought I might get hired on by Jim Palmer, but that didn't workout, I tried several other companies, but the Wyoming factor came in.

    I left Swift for a couple of reasons, one was training, and the other was I had some family issues. Swift is giving me the opportunity to come back with them but I'm uncertain about going back with them.
    I had some problems with the trainer I was with, he had us in several DOT violations. I was told at the terminal by other drivers, I wasn't to be driving at night in the first 50 hours which wasn't the case, my first trip out I had to drive into Vegas that night, needless to say it was a bit nerve wracking. This guy wouldn't stop for breaks to get food, my first couple days out I only got one meal, he acted like it was an issue that I wanted to get food, because he said he only ate once a day. He would be playing video games while I was driving. He wasn't very helpful when I was backing in to make deliveries.
    I almost wrecked a couple of times, once was making a right turn where it was extremely tight I couldn't make the turn from the turn lane so I split the right lane and turn lane so I had enough room to make the turn, he starts yelling at me that made me lose my focus and I almost took out the box that controls the whole block of traffic lights. On the second deal he was actually helping me back into a dock and if I wouldn't have stopped and looked he would have had me hit another trailer.
    The last day I was with this guy it kept coming up on the Qualcomm that a driver with a learners permit wasn't supposed to be driving a truck, I asked him when we first took off on this journey when we were going to go to Wyoming so I could get my license, he told me it wasn't a big deal and we would get it soon, that just didn't seem right.

    A couple of other guys I went through the academy with had incidents as well.
     
    WyoBigFish, Apr 21, 2017
    WyoBigFish, Apr 21, 2017
    #1
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  3. Apr 21, 2017 #2
    ExOTR

    ExOTR Windshield Chipper Extraordinaire

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    Jan 23, 2013
    Fort Worth, Tx
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    If Swift is your only option, go with Swift. Or Knight-Swift, whatever they are now.
    Good trainers are a numbers game, the chance of you getting 2 crappy ones in a row is pretty low.
    Don't violate DOT, obey whatever rules your training coordinator has in place for your training. If the trainer isn't following those rules, call into dispatch and request a new trainer.
     
    ExOTR, Apr 21, 2017
    ExOTR, Apr 21, 2017
    #2
    WyoBigFish, G13Tomcat, Suspect Zero and 1 other person Thank this.
  4. Apr 21, 2017 #3
    Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

    77,008
    179,762
    Aug 28, 2011
    Henderson, NV & Orient
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    Maybe go back to Swift and bite the bullet to finish training.
    Otherwise try:
    Contract Freighters Inc. (www.cfidrive.com)
    Carolina Logistics
    CRST
     
    Chinatown, Apr 21, 2017
    Chinatown, Apr 21, 2017
    #3
    WyoBigFish and DoubleO7 Thank this.
  5. Apr 21, 2017 #4
    Lepton1

    Lepton1 Road Train Member

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    Nov 23, 2012
    Yukon, OK
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    Regarding you being told by other drivers at the terminal that you wouldn't be driving at night during your first 50 hours behind the wheel, that's a crock...

    ... as in either wishful thinking from slackers or they were blowing smoke up your Southern orifice.

    It's on the JOB training. The emphasis is "JOB". This is a job. If freight has to move at night and if YOU want to get paid for driving, then do your job.

    Other than that you always have the option to contact your Driver Development Manager to request a new mentor/trainer. However, if you do that it can mean waiting at some terminal for a new trainer to become available.

    If Swift is your only option, then don't quit over a trainer. Get through the training, upgrade to get assigned a truck, and start really learning to drive on your own.

    I was a trainer at Swift. I run to the oil patch now. Wyoming has oilfield jobs available. Where in Wyoming are you living?
     
    Lepton1, Apr 21, 2017
    Lepton1, Apr 21, 2017
    #4
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  7. Apr 21, 2017 #5
    DoubleO7

    DoubleO7 Road Train Member

    1,532
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    Aug 21, 2015
    Southern Illinois
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    I say he should go back to Swift, suck it up, do 6 months accident free and move on.
     
    DoubleO7, Apr 21, 2017
    DoubleO7, Apr 21, 2017
    #5
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  8. Apr 21, 2017 #6
    Rocknroller4

    Rocknroller4 Road Train Member

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    Nov 25, 2015
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    Would you all recommend Werner to start off with? I can't say I'm exactly thrilled about team training.
     
    Rocknroller4, Apr 21, 2017
    Rocknroller4, Apr 21, 2017
    #6
  9. Apr 21, 2017 #7
    Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Aug 28, 2011
    Henderson, NV & Orient
    0
    Watkins-Shepard you only have to team for 10 days then can go solo.
     
    Chinatown, Apr 21, 2017
    Chinatown, Apr 21, 2017
    #7
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  10. Apr 21, 2017 #8
    Lepton1

    Lepton1 Road Train Member

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    Nov 23, 2012
    Yukon, OK
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    I have heard nothing but good things about Watkins-Shepard. But I haven't heard much since they were bought by Schneider.
     
    Lepton1, Apr 21, 2017
    Lepton1, Apr 21, 2017
    #8
    Toomanybikes and Chinatown Thank this.
  11. Apr 21, 2017 #9
    ExOTR

    ExOTR Windshield Chipper Extraordinaire

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    Jan 23, 2013
    Fort Worth, Tx
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    I trained with Werner in 2004, back then the "team" aspect didn't really kick in till after the 3rd week. Supposedly it's even more restricted now, "x" number of hours riding shotgun with the trainee until you can even log sleeper while they drive.
     
    ExOTR, Apr 21, 2017
    ExOTR, Apr 21, 2017
    #9
    Lepton1 Thanks this.
  12. Apr 21, 2017 #10
    Rocknroller4

    Rocknroller4 Road Train Member

    1,165
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    Nov 25, 2015
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    I tried Watkins. Had too many gaps in employment.
     
    Rocknroller4, Apr 21, 2017
    Rocknroller4, Apr 21, 2017
    #10
    Lepton1 Thanks this.
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