swift fired me for two incidents and I just recieved my DAC Has two accidents on it

CRE does put 2 students in a truck. That is what led me to the 3 to 4 students in a truck statement if you start placing more trainer requirements out there. You're going to end up creating too many problems for yourself. If you don't put that many students in a truck, they're going to be sitting in a hotel for weeks and weeks with no pay.

 

Most companies...to my knowledge...send the students home if there is going to be a long delay (more than a few days) in getting them on a trainer truck. Just my experience so far...no attack....which seems to be a "trend" right now...and not just this thread either!

 

Central refrigerated sends multiple students with a trainer. I've seen it first hand.

 

This I agree with. I don't understand why companies hire so many students when they should know they don't have enough trainers. It's a oxy-moron. As a student, you can't learn anything from a trainer if you have more than one student in the truck. Trucking should be one on one instruction.

I also want to note that trainers need to be profiled as well. Knowledge is useless if you aren't willing to teach, or you can't teach at all. Trainers that use students for a logbook and trainers that talk down on students are the worst trainers on the road. Even worse than the trainer with 6 months of experience who's a good teacher.

Driving a truck is all about common sense. It doesn't take 5 years of experience to develop common sense. There isn't any rocket science behind the job. Yeah, I do agree that a trainer with less than a year of experience is a case of the blind leading the blind, BUT your ability to drive the truck is only half the battle. Your ability to drive doesn't mean squat if you can't do a proper trip plan, if you don't know the proper way to present yourself to a customer, if you cant manage logs, if you can't communicate, etc. IMO, this is where many students fail. They aren't properly trained. How can you expect a student to know enough to be able to drive on their own when they were on with a trainer for only a month? The best trainers in the industry can't teach you everything you need to know in a month. IMO, the minimum requirement for training periods should be 6 months. Students are sold the illusion that all there is to the job is holding a steering wheel. They get a rude awakening when they get handed the keys to their own truck.

 

Man....this page looks like me going through my e-mails!

Delete, delete, delete, delete!!!!!!!

 

These companies really should be more selective in how they choose students as well as trainers. They'll train anybody that has a pulse. I'm sorry but if you don't have enough common courtesy to clean yourself up, dress properly and at least TRY to look presentable you should be turned around in the parking lot. I've seen a few of these yahoos and I've seen cleaner people living under an overpass.

 

Even when I get 2 or more years of experience I would never train. My truck is my living space, Id go crazy if someone had to live with me for 3 weeks at a time. No way Jose.

 

I'm the same way. I have my way of organizing things in my truck and I cant stand having to undo it. I get stressed when my wife rides with. It's like my personal space is being invaded.

 

It is!

She just likes to try and slip things by without you noticing now and then!

 

That's why I carry one of those kiddie-size battery-powered lights that look like a little Coleman lantern. Put in on the ground right below the loading dock so when I backed-in to the 55ft dark 'garage' loading dock in the bright daylight I could actually almost see something back in that dark cave...it wasn't pretty and I did feel a bit silly with that toy lamp but it 'got'r done'.

Remember, Swift really does not care at all about it's drivers and most trucking companies don't either. They have 130% turnover for a reason....and with the economy so bad there are so many folks desperately in need of work. Since Swift is on of the few who take inexperienced drivers you gotta kiss their butt for a year or two. If you want something bad enough.........