System Transport, Spokane Washington

Hey everyone! I've been reading this thread from the beginning and everything I've seen is making me more and more happy with the decision to go with System, I leave on sunday (day after tomorrow) for orientation. I went to Western Pacific Truck School in Sacramento and had a hard time finding a job cause of my tickets, but then I heard from Curtis, and now I'm starting with them!! He's helped out a lot, especially with all my military stuff going on (I am a reservist, and my job has been more demanding the past couple months which cost me my other civilian job), but so far System has been open to working with my military schedule to make sure I'll be home for my reserve weekends....Now when I actually start working, we'll see how the tables turn, hopefully they keep their end up haha.

Has anyone heard from BMac lately? I'd really like to know how his experience is going so far.

Well I have some packing to do, I'll try to keep y'all posted on how things go. I also have a blog I'm starting too, and I'll post mostly on that, just look at my user profile if you want to follow. I had already set it up before I just realized you can have a blog through this forum....maybe I'll look into that too.

Anyway, happy trucking! Talk to y'all soon!

 

Sent in my app, trying to get ahold of Brenna...phone tag sucks LOL! I'd like to get on with System...anyone know where we would take our trucks on hometime?

 

Well day 1 of orientation is over, and I have homework...to you other drivers out there (students mostly) brush up on daily logs and keeping track of your HOS, I feel a little rusty, but I think I got it ok...

Day 1 started off quiet, I woke up, got dressed, rushed downstairs to get this "awesome" continental breakfast I'd been hearing about, and as I walked off the elevator, my dreams came crashing down on the already dirty looking motel floor. They bragged about it (the hotel employee at the front desk last night) and now I wish I was carrying a ######## flag. Granted, the food choice was very minimal, I made it work. The front clerk said breakfast would be prepared by 5 am for us to grab before we left, it was barely even ready by 6, luckily I got down there early. Anyway, I grabbed a bowl of cereal, a brick (biscuit) with gravy, and some fruit on the side....I think they actually had tomatoes mixed in with the fruit...odd...? There were quite a few people in the waiting area, no one really talked to anyone, kind of felt like a high school dance where all the guys would line up against the wall and not say a word while the girls would mingle and get along just fine. I just sat in my chair by myself and watched some news while I waited for the shuttle. System has a contract with this hotel/motel for rooms and shuttle service to orientation each day, and the plus side is they have laundry service here. The shuttle seems a little questionable, the middle seat of the 15 passenger van doesn't seem to be bolted to the floor very well, and I think there is more seats than there are seat belts....I just make sure I'm in there early enough to grab me a safer seat.

In my orientation class there are 14 of us, supposed to be 15, but he had some surgery and didn't show, poor guy. Everyone seems to get along quite well, but you know there is always that one guy that knows everything, and talks way too much, and it's not me this time! This guy reminds me of a shorter, balder version of Joe Pesci (did I spell that write, cause spell check thinks so!) The funny thing about this, is that I watched Lethal Weapon 2 last night, and all I could picture when I looked at this guy is Joe's character saying "alright alright alright alright! I get it! Ok!? Ok!?" hahahahaha I feel bad for him, but he kind of brings it on himself.

The schedule for the day was introduction to the company (our main guy is Joe, funny dude!) then Drug Testing, Drive test (we went out in a 2012 Kenworth T660, man these trucks are beautiful inside, and the mattress is a super comfy Full size) Joe Pesci grinded gears like crazy and was all over the highway, this scared me because he is an "experienced" driver coming from another company......? The other guy I was with did pretty good, experienced from Schneider. I was last, and it has been over a month since I was in a truck, and I have to say, this thing drove like a car. Smooth as butter and I didn't grind gears once! Although I will admit, all three of us messed up and coasted in neutral a couple times with difficulties down shifting. But we didn't die or get fired, yet lol.

After (or during, cause they only take a few people at a time) the drive, we had an open book DOT test, pretty easy, just have to read thoroughly when searching for the answer. That takes up a good portion of the morning. Then for lunch we get a sandwich from this company in town that delivers, all sandwiches are made to order. You get an order sheet at the start of the day. They tasted amazing! While you're eating lunch, the recruiters come in and you get to finally meet that voice you've been talking to on the phone for a couple months. My recruiter looked almost exactly as I pictured him (Curtis) older black male, with the chin beard, extremely nice guy and funny too!

After the recruiters go over the driver services stuff we got briefed about the health insurance, which doesn't seem as appealing as my old job at the casino, but it's insurance! After that we have a lady who comes in that deals with our applications and background checks, she talks to each applicant individually to correct any missing information or mistakes on the application. Luckily I only had one issue, some one else had about 6! And these applications are long and very detailed. Joe (orientation instructor) also passes out this form we can fill out for any family we may have around the country, and what they do is, is if there is a load going to that area where you have family, they try to get you out there so you can get a couple days off and visit family, pretty awesome!

At the end of the day and the most time consuming, as well as tiring, is the log book guy. He know's his stuff and has a lot of good information, he even gave us homework! I finished it, but I have to admit I am a little rusty on the log books, but then again, this IS my first trucking job, so I should get a little slack lol.

While you take your drug test you also get your picture taken for your employee ID, even though you are not technically hired until after you pass your drug screen, you get the ID badge before you leave...see?

Once you finish for the day, you aren't done yet! We had to go to the clinic or some physical therapy place to do our physical agilities test. Basically lifting a few baskets with weight, then they check your heart rate to make sure it didn't go above a certain range; Lift a 90 pound rolled up tarp (for the flatbed division) twice and put it on a shelf, then get your heart rate checked again; Walk a 50 pound basket around the room three times then get your heart rate checked; Do a pull test to make sure you can pull 100 pounds (just use your body weight, easy) then check your heart rate; Push test, 100 pounds (body weight makes it easy!) then, you guessed it! get your heart rate checked; Then lastly, pull straight down from about mid chest 100 pounds (and you can easily use your body weight again, oh and then get your heart rate checked one last time. After you finished, the shuttle has already left you behind and I get to walk 3 blocks back to the hotel, and get my heart rate checked lol just kidding.

It snowed today while we were out doing our drive test, that was pretty cool, supposedly a storm might be heading this way by the weekend, I hope not. I should be jumping in with a trainer on Thursday, but we'll see. Anyway, time to jump off and head to bed early! Talk to y'all tomorrow! Be safe out there!

 

The day is over! Almost, just enough time to write the daily orientation blog, get some grub, then kick back in bed and watch some tv and fall asleep. As little as we did today, it was still pretty exhausting.

The day started out just like yesterday, pitiful breakfast, except they actually had eggs out, on ice, and we were able to actually make breakfast burritos. Just be sure to take it easy on them though, gave me the.....Okay! So, Joe Pesci got a new nickname today, we now call him Leo (from Lethal weapon) Goetz (spelling?), and he is amused by this. Sadly, though, he is convinced he looks like Al Pacino, we decided this could be true if he grew out his unibrow (compared to the picture of Al Pacino he showed us).

So the day for System trainees was boring, full of safety videos, tests on the safety videos, and winter driving....videos. The winter driving video was cool, whoever made it did a remake of "Another one bites the dust" but for winter truck driving, pretty catchy. Our instructor for the day (Joe) knew the words and decided to sing along, myself and another trainee decided to dance with it, then a pretty looking female came in, works for the company, not sure where though, and danced along with the song as she dropped off papers for Joe. So far, I love this company and the people who work for it, everyone has a smile on their faces, even the truckers! Everyone gets along, good jokes, kind of like being in the military and ragging on each other.

The other half of our class (TWT and JJ Williams drivers) went out to do the Smith System driving today and learn that equipment. They took Leo with them, nice! I'm not too sure what this system is yet, I'll learn all about it tomorrow. I think that the TWT and JJ guys (and girl) will be done tomorrow. The System guys have to learn load securement Thursday, so we'll find out tomorrow before we leave if we should bring all our stuff with us on Thursday morning.

A driver did get fired today, he finished his 8 weeks of training and was out on the road for his first load for only an hour, then he rolled his trailer and lost his load on the corner. Apparently he was speeding. Don't drive too fast for conditions!! He rode home with us to the hotel, he was pretty upset at first, but one of the employees for TSI had a buddy in georgia that may be able to help him out with a job. Of course, riding with our crew in the van also lightened his mood....Leo told us about his love for the van driver, I felt bad for her!

There was snow on the ground this morning, as I'm sure you can see from the pic below. It was pretty cold outside today. Lunch was awesome again today, tomorrow it's supposed to be even better. We'll have lunch on the road at some BBQ place, and the company is picking up the tab...thanks TSI!!!

Leo, Leo, Leo....this guy is one different individual. He explained to us today that was from Oakland....I sighed and knew I was going to kick myself in the ### when I asked which part. He then said "Oakland, in California" (I think there must have been some sort of idiot sign stapled to my forehead) I then told him that I am from the same area and said where. He said he was born in Hayward and grew up mostly in San Lorenzo and Oakland. Then the jokes started coming my way, "Oh ####, you guys must be brothers!" Leo took this to the next level and ask how old I was, cause I probably went to high school with his cousin who was about the same age as me (I'm 28). He said "Oh never mind, he's my age" me:"How old are you?" Leo:"I'm 43" Me:"So I look 40 to you?" Leo:"Well a little bit yeah!" I bowed my head and walked away with my tail between my legs, I'd been had, by Leo Goetz.

Aside from all the jokes and fun, the facility is pretty nice. We were hanging out in the drivers lounge while waiting for Leo's girlfriend to pick us up. There is a side room with laundry machines and some nice bathrooms. I think there may have even been showers in there, but I didn't see any right away. The yard is separated nicely, TWT on one side with their reefers, and System on another side, so the reefers don't wake the System guys sleeping in their trucks.

Dinner today was subway again, and tv by the bed. Early shower and bed time to catch the shuttle in the morning. Let's hope I don't get stuck with Leo, I don't want to hear about his wife's coffee shop in Kenya again. I think I need deeper boots, cause the #### is piling high with this one!

Be safe out there!

 

What's the deal with System's insurance? I've seen multiple people say it's not good. High premiums? High deductible? low coverage limits?

 

Hey JP thanks for the blog thing on your experience , will be going to system after I finish moving house. Great to read your experiences and hope you keep posting.

 

The insurance is kinda high, I declined it, I think the monthly per person (single) is about $110 or something. Deductibles were fairly high as well, and no vision....but it's what you make of it I guess...

 

Sounds like things are going good for ya man. I sure hope I get an invite to an orientation...waiting to hear back from Brenna. I really wanna work for System. Keep on keeping us posted! I love orientation blogs! LOL!

 

no..sorry they run california, washington, oregon, arizona, nevada
they are a pretty good outfit I dont think I ever sat for more than 5 hours

 

Unless they have changed your not supposed to take them home, but if your on a regional fleet you may be able to, they used to expect it of me.