SWIFT Orientation and Mentor A Diary

Thanks for posting! I am glad to get a first hand account of the things that happen out there on the road as an apprentice driver. I am looking foward to seeing how you do while out on your own... Good luck and be safe out there!

-baker03

 

lol i agree. After reading about everything you went through, it's very obvious how much you want to be a truck driver. I wish you the best of luck, i'm sure you'll do well.

 

Had a couple of friends who worked for them for over 10 yrs! But, you need to start out going for 2-3 wks B4 you may get down to 10 days out B4 getting home..

 

That's still probably not going to happen unless you are lucky enough to get on a small regional route in your area. I'd plan on atleast 3 weeks out at a time.

 

I just HAD to...

 

I am too a new driver with swift. I went out with my mentor for the first time on July 19. When we left the shipper and headed for Albuquerque, I was asked to drive, 20 minutes later the mentor was in the back asleep. We kept this up (me doing most of the driving with little or no instruction) until this past Monday August 20. Mentor would have me drive at night normally while he slept, then in the daytime he would blast the radio and smoke with the windows up while I was supposed to sleep. When I would wake him up for his turn to drive he would wine and pout like a child. When he is driving he stops every 2 hours for food or to play the slot machines, then he complains to the driver manager that we are not making any miles. Get the distinct feeling that the ONLY thing he is interested in is the .42 he gets for each mile I drive. Last straw was monday, I was completely out of hours, (even though he had 20 left) had driven 500 miles that day and pulled over to switch. At this point he had a temper tantrum because I woke him up and he had to drive. I told him "maybe you shouldn't work with students anymore" so next day he dumps me at the terminal and heads out solo without telling me. I had to call him repeatedly to find out what was going on. In four weeks, we drove 20444 miles of which I drove 13000 and this is with him having to take 6 days off during this period to take care of a bunch of his many personal problems. Looks like I will be finishing my training with a local city driver and wil be home every night. My experience so far has given new meaning to the phrase Student With Idiot For Trainer

 

Anything new to add? Still with Swift?

 

Dude, don't give up now, you have come to far. Things will get better for you, I will start praying for you bro. Just keep on fighting, hang in there for guys like myself...

 

Hey man, it's been a few years since you posted this. How did the Roehl thing work out? I'd be interested in training somewhere, but there's NO WAY I could handle 6 weeks in a truck with a stranger.

 

This was the most awesome...and scary...story I've heard about a trainer in a long time. I am SO sorry it happened to you mrgreenjeans, but you made me laugh many times I must say, lol. I'm beginning to wonder if that wasn't an ex of mine that was training you. Although, I don't think my ex was ever abducted. He was well over the weight you mentioned however. I guess it couldn't have been him but boy...the eating laying down and peeing in bottles and 'do this my way' sound so much like him.

Hopefully you are having much better luck. I think they do one of two things with newbies. 1. Run you like there is no tomorrow or 2. Barely run you at all.

I'm just glad my husband has an awesome trainer/mentor and he'll only be out for 2 weeks since he has 5+ years experience (just needed a refresher course since he's been out for so long).