My Swift Experience

I bet Dino would be a great mentor for KH..

 

Well, now that the pissing contest has come to a halt, I have a couple of things I'd like to say here. Keep in mind that my OPINION is no more than that, and counts for very little.

KH, you know that I am and have been one of your supporters. I wish you nothing but the very best. But I think you need to stop and ask YOURSELF a few questions and be honest with YOURSELF with your answers.

Now I don't know exactly what happened that made you leave SWIFT. I do know that the stuff that you and I talked about on the phone, you did not want posted on the forum. I will always honor that.

But my point here is sort of short and simple.

As I understand it, (and I may have gotten some things wrong here,) you have worked for two different owner/operators and have left both of them with less than wonderful feelings.

You have left two driving schools with less than wonderful feelings.

You quit Walmart because someone made you angry and/or said hurtful things to you.

Man, I really DO care about you. But perhaps it is time for you to do a re-evaluation of what you are going to be able to do.

It is a tough world out here. And people are not kind and generous. Or at least a lot of people are not.

We on the forum, have shown you so much support, that it makes me wonder if we have done you a dis-service here. As I have said many times, not everyone who thinks they want to drive, is cut out to be a truck driver. That is nothing against anyone, just a fact of life.

You are an intelligent person. In spite of your handicap, you have the ability to think coherently. This is shown in your many posts here.

But it appears that you need a bit of time away from certain situations, before you can formulate a response that is appropriate. I understand this, as I'm sure most of us do here.

But unfortunately, life does NOT always afford you that time, when a situation turns bad. Because trucking is a business where you have to deal with each situation as it comes up, it makes me very concerned about your future in the business.

You really do need to consider how you are going to react to the shipper/receiver who is giving you hell. NOT because you did something wrong, but because he is having a bad day. It happens to all of us from time to time.

Dealing with people, is one of the hardest things in the world sometimes. This is true for all of us.

I know that this post is going to make you angry, and possible hurt your feelings. Neither of which is my intention. But even if I make you mad now, if I can get you to really look at your situation, then it will have been worthwhile.

 

But Dino lives in FL.. Ron lives in that other place..

 

I agree. Dino could teach a new driver more in 2 hours than most truck driving schools could teach in 2 weeks.

 

Glad to see the thread un-Masterlocked!

As far as the Swift academy system...they don't believe in "one on one"...they don't need to, just like the turn over rate at Swift, they have hundreds in line waiting for a spot...so attrition at the very bottom level is of no concern for them. When Nana went to her academy in Phoenix, she was very fortunate that her entire class bonded and they helped each other out, and I got a little hint that this "kinship" was offered by the fellow students, but summarily dismissed by the instructor. Very poor instructor/student relationship, or the instructor is so "self indulged" that because he can't manage one on one, and the other students can teach and understand hardships...he feels threatened.

I have read several reports on this from the Millington Academy...if it were the first or even the second time...I could go with "pissed off student"...but I think the negative mark does fit the instructor in this Millington case!

When someone has a deep love for a specific goal...that goal is usually achieved, and with such passion that the individual, most times, becomes a person others look up to and look for, to get advice and instruction. KH...you have shown this passion for this industry, and with your "ailment", it seems to be a "perfect fit"....solitude, time to reflect and inflect, and the issue of grumpy shippers/receivers or other motorists...that can be handled by just "pressing the ignore button".

KH...I think you have a good plan to "apprentice" for some driver! Just do some "heart to heart" over coffee and be very open and detailed about you and your "ailment"....there are many kindhearted and giving drivers out here...something tells me you might find one to get you over this hurdle you have come to.

OTTER

 

please K/H dont drive for free--that is an open door for abuse--and also if you get hurt--there would be no coverage--i can see driving for a small wage while learning--but not free
i wish you the best in your job hunt--but on the road people can be very cruel--they look for any weakness and then exploit it--now these people are few and far between but they are out there----would you able to deal with a crack head hanging on the side of your truck screaming at you cause you wont buy his fake jewlery ?
have you thought of going into aviation ?
i know it is one of your interests--and there are quite a few interesting jobs in it
but if you are set on the highway--i am sure there is something for you out there--it just remains to be found

 

Isn't that the same thing you told the lot lizard when she asked if you had a condom?

 

ummm no
the way i remember it--you were there and went first--and she gave me a discount cause you hadnt --umm taken up much room