New to Swift, any advice?

Good luck to you I am on my 2nd day with mentor and having a blast so far. The QC is pretty easy to use so far just have to remeber those mac27 and mac10's and all is good!! I am sure you will have a greAt time.

Btw super target decaded is gravey.



Be safe

 

" A failure to plan is a plan to fail".... I always look ahead and plan my rest areas etc. As far as Google Earth, I have found that if I look at a picture, it stays in my head. I used it to checkout my delivery stores, ie: do I drive behind the costco to get to the dock or what? It helps reduce that last 5 minute stress. It also gives me something to do while dinner is cooking.

http://www.truckstopsplus.com/ There is the TS plus add-on.

 

Your bio said you had been a trucker for 11 years. But, more importantly, it said you had been alive in this world (you know, the one that is NOT perfect every minute) for 54 years.

Maybe there is some back story where the majority of the time things sucked ash for you. In which case, walking out was understandable. But do you not see the possibilities here? First, you helped your DM out big time. It is very likely he or she did not know the situation as you even said. Why not calmly and rationally and respectfully (imagine how you would like someone to speak with you, especially if you just made an error) talk to them about it? Tell them what happened. They know you were there for them.

Despite some people and their very ignorant assertions, DM's (as well as the Planners who actually do the loads) do not screw up the logistics numbers because they do not like a driver. They are human and their jobs are on the line. They do not have to like you, simply be able to count on you doing what you are supposed to when you are supposed to. The problem is, ####E HAPPENS.

So, instead of having a DM who would try and return the favor and cultivating a professional relationship that would benefit you long term, you, frankly, acted like a prima donna stood up on prom night and stormed off to your proverbial room slamming the door. Now, you not only probably wrecked yourself at Swift, but wrecked your DAC. And for what? Who is hurt in the long term here?

If it was simply so bad all the time for you, you could have quit with dignity, (gave your notice after pick up of a load told them "hey, after this delivery I am turning in truck, last week was final straw. You really burned me on that Houston deal.") so as to not screw some other driver, which these sudden departures often do, and perhaps the DM or even Fleet would have spoken to you and made things better.

Overall, where and when in your life have you ever found a situation that is perfect?! Maybe you forgot to tell all the other stories that made this the "last straw". I hope so, as it seems amazing to me an adult would literally burn bridge(s) that way over a single incident and not even give it a week or two to for the culprit to correct things for you. Especially, if your record was clean without preventables or violations and you were on time.

Either way, nothing personal in this post. Good luck to you. Hopefully others can learn from, and think about, this situation. Like the saying goes: "A wise man learns from his own mistakes; A wiser man learns from others' mistakes."

 

My rule of getting there doesn't fail me. Because I have gotten screwed before, I made the rule. I was taking I Beams to Houston and I was taking my time and got a blow out. Then I get a road side inspection. Now I'm late for my appt on Friday. The planner resched me for Monday. Now I lost miles and losing money because I still need to live. IT'S STILL MY FAULT THAT I MISSED MY APPOINTMENT AND I'M SITTING THE WEEKEND.

With that said I get there on Monday only to find out they couldn't care less what TIME of the day I show up as long as I got there that day. I didn't blame the planner or my DM because they only go by the notes and instructions in the computer. If I would've showed up on Friday late I would have delivered and been down the road.
I'm not mad because it's a lesson learned.
I always go straight there no matter what. Also I always call if there is a chance I'm late. Also a lot of times I've found that there is a special circumstance and they are open late. So now I deliver a day early because I got there the night before.
Also I've done the rule whiling pulling a dry van. Works for me! Just be careful of appt restrictions with van which you can ask your DM.

 

Also T calls are great in my view. it's delivered once you T call it. Being a Lease Op I could say no to most anything and I never have. Everything they do is meant to keep me/you rolling.

 

I'd take the sleeping bag. When the truck is moving you will have to be in the bottom bunk which probably has sheets on it already.

The good thing about Houston is that they do a lot of local work, especially out of the Home Depot DC, you might get lucky and get on that fleet and be home every night anyway. Houston shares the yard with Central and a few other carriers park there as well. They have a very small office staff and shop. They are planned out of Lancaster.


EDIT Sorry, just now saw you're from Bryan.

 

My advice as a mentor is this...Take everything everybody says with a grain of salt and figure out whats works best for you. You have 2 examples here of what happens when you runrunrun and what happens when you take your time and stretch it out. Me, I do a little of both but that`s because after awhile you get a feel for places and after going to the same one`s over and over you learn an idea of where you can deliver early and where you can`t. And when in doubt...just ask your DM. There have been plenty of loads that I`ve been given 4-5 days to finish. Running team there is nowhere in this country that will take 4-5 days to get to so I just check with my DM to see if I can deliver early or t-call. You just gotta figure out your own rhythm.

As for what to bring...the sleeping bag should be fine if that`s what you want. I have both beds made up in my truck with furnished pillows and take the bedding home every time I go. Some mentors (probably alot) Don`t do that. I also have half the truck empty for my students and I KNOW alot of mentors don`t do that (as was the case of mine) I would say if at all possible try to get in touch with your mentor before you have to leave...just to see how much room he has so you get a better idea.

Hope some of this helps and good luck out there!!

 

Hmm I have not failed yet. You got to remember I drove when there was no cell phones,no computer,no qualcomm you where on your own so I am use to it.

Very easy for me to just get the load info and run with it without worrying about what the place looks like. I will find out when I get there. As you run the highways you start to get familiar with where all the rest areas and truck stops are.

I usually just have enough time to write down the load info and get rolling. The way I remember it to be when I drove a long long time ago..

I am not like you trucking nerds who have to know every step of the way or else you get stressed. I just get er done!!!