Swift - Starting the New Year training with Swift 1/7/13 - A long read...

On the subject of dock people making comments, I got one the other day. I had a 3 stop Sears run. I called Sears to let them know I was out back and ready to dock. They needed to break the seal so I could back in. When I pulled my brakes and got out to meet with the guy that was going to unload me the first thing out of his mouth was "you must be new". I kind of got offended for a quick second and asked him "why do you say that?". He told me it was because I had a clipboard with me when I got out and usually drivers don't have a clipboard. Weird I guess but I got it. No offense. I told him I was just organized. Any time I get out of my truck I always have my clipboard carrier thing with my BOL's and my notebook/pens inside so I don't have to guess about things. First time I ever heard that comment.

 

I'm currently at the hotel near the Phoenix headquarters with my truck in the shop. Again.

Since I returned on December 27th I've had my truck at 4 different terminals before this one trying to get this A/C issue addressed. The last time was at the Atlanta terminal where I spent 2+ days with them working on it. No luck. But since then I've been running around in the Northeast, through the Midwest and up to the Northwest where it's been cooler. However after a mild day up in Oregon, the AC still not working, I decided that it was time to get this issue addressed. It's not that I need to run the A/C up there all the time but if I feel so motivated to work out in the truck it would be nice to run the AC for a few minutes to stay cool before I lie down to sleep. So far that hasn't been possible.

Last week I was up in Washington at my home terminal, on a hometime technically even though it was really a little more than a 10 hour break turn around. I used the home time request to get them to move me out of the east coast out to the western states. While I was there I met with my DM for that safety conference and to go over my goals of platinum status. The safety part went fine and I got my 20 or 25 safety points. That's cool. I think I was a +4 on my RA score. Most of those points came from my only critical event last summer when I took a 20 mph curve onto an onramp from hwy 512 to I-5 S. I was at 20 mph but apparently that corner catches a lot of drivers. So now, after these new 20 or 25 points I should be a -15 on my RA. That is good. My DM and the head DM there really couldn't give me concrete answers on what it would take to get me to Platinum. I was told it is something like 108,000 miles a year on a rolling 52 week basis. But what I really wanted to know, and what couldn't be answered, is how many miles a week I need multiplied by X number of weeks to get to platinum. That wasn't answered. While I was there I expressed my concerns about this A/C issue and we agreed on my getting down to Phoenix to switch out trucks.

I'm one of those weird drivers maybe. I can care less about heat when I have to choose about a climate control issue. With lack of heat I can throw a sweatshirt on while driving or, if sleeping, I can get an extra blanket. Cold doesn't bother me as much. But heat does. Humidity does. It makes me cranky and it is as consistent as rain in Western Washington. Heat makes me cranky and I can barely deal with myself when it is hot. I'm fat, I'm Irish and my excuse is that I'm genetically inclined to hate excessive heat or humidity in the same way that I'm genetically inclined to burn easier in the sun, enjoy the consumption or eat things made of potato. But even when I was skinny I would sweat at the slightest inclination or hint of heat. It's always been that way. It's just compounded with a 250 lb. frame.

When I dropped my load from Oregon to Albuquerque I asked to be routed to Phoenix for a new truck. They obliged. Kudos to Swift as my next load was a t-call to this Phoenix terminal. I had assumed (yes, making an ##### out of myself) that my DM had done some due diligence and had ensured that Phoenix had trucks. I also assumed that Phoenix always has trucks available. I also assumed that since I have been to 4 different terminal in the past 5-6 weeks with this AC issue that they would willingly allow me to change trucks. I was wrong. I called Phoenix's tractor assignment division to ensure they had trucks. I couldn't get through until, of course, I was at the Flying J or Pilot that is a couple of miles away. No, they don't have trucks. And there is a waiting list for trucks. And I would have to have my truck in the shop (again) for 2 days or more before I could get another truck. So I put my truck into the Phoenix shop today and here I wait. To say I was cranky today would be an understatement. I was walking around like I wanted to kill someone. Heat does that to me and the added aggravation of not running.

I went to the Jake Brake, got a PO or advance for the hotel and took the shuttle over here. I feel a little more relaxed now although that could be due to the frigid A/C in this room. Feels wonderful. But I hate having my truck back in the shop and I hate not knowing when it will be finished. On the positive side, I'm glad that it is being addressed here at this shop and not at some of the other shops I have been to, including my home terminal's shop. I told the shop guys about the previous attempts at fixing my AC and they laughed about how these Prostars are known for this issue. They said that even once it is repaired there is no guarantee that the repairs will hold. I like the Prostar, this is my third one and it is the only truck I have driven for Swift outside of the Freightliners I drove during OTR training or the Volvo I tested out with. But with this AC issue in the Prostar, how does International get away with it? With a company as large as Swift losing money with these trucks in the shop for this issue, how has it not been addressed? My original 2011 Prostar had issues with the A/C. My next Prostar, a 2014 had issues with A/C. And now this truck (a 2015?) has continually had issues with it.

I don't get it.

With that being said, I was kind of hoping to maybe check out one of those new fancy Kenilworth's I see driver's sporting around in. Probably not for the right reasons, but I like the way they look. I like the HID headlights that are so annoying when I see them shining in my sideview mirror as they pass me. I've heard that drivers like them. I guess maybe sometime in the future I can try again to get into something like that.

 

I was just looking at the calendar and I'm currently out for 45 days OTR consistently, other than a couple of days of shop time. My record, as I remember it, is for 8 weeks out before time off. So I'm only about 2 weeks away from meeting that record and I'm pretty sure I'm going to beat it as I have no plans to take any time off until I have to go back to Virginia and do my taxes. I'll probably wait until at least late March for that. I've requested home time twice since being out but they weren't actual hometimes in my eyes. They were basically submitted, both times, just to get me moved out west. Once I got out there I took a 10 plus a few extra hours and then went back out on the road. I don't consider a real hometime until I've taken at least 2 scheduled days off and that hasn't happened yet. So I'm going to see how long I can push this thing and beat my old OTR record. For right now, 45 days and counting...

 

This place is actually pretty nice. It is called Premier Inns - Toleson. I think they brought some students over here. With the Swift discount it is $44.71.

I thought these other guys were going to another hotel yesterday. I'm curious if that was the better one.

This one charges me $5./day for wifi but there is a pool here. Unfortunately I was hoping there would be a movie theater or something nearby but there isn't. There's just a waffle place, Jack In The Box and an adult novelty store. Not a whole lot of fun to be had here.

True. I may just start driving naked.

 

Day 2 in Phoenix.

I didn't realize that the shop here runs 24 hours. No progress on my truck. I asked today and they said that maybe later tonight, around midnight, they will take a look at it. When I asked for my key it seems they lost it. It was my only extra key. I went to the shop to get more keys cut based on my truck number and they cut 2 new keys. Odd thing was that these new keys will only open my passenger door. They don't work in the driver's door, the ignition or in my storage doors. Weird.

I checked with tractor assignment about getting a new truck and they have a list. I was number 7 on the list and they don't have any trucks yet. I was cranky and asking the tractor assignment guy about how driver's get a replacement truck if there were none there and he told me that the only trucks available now are "recoveries". I guess those trucks that are abandoned in who know's where are the only ones available. Out of curiosity I asked him how someone would get a recovery truck and this is what he told me: You put your personal items in storage (at a terminal I guess?), you get bussed to the abandoned truck, pick it up, drive it to the closest terminal to get checked out and cleaned up and then you need to get a load to wherever your personal items are stored. What?!?! I would rather go pick up pee bottles at a truck stop then go through that to get a replacement truck. I asked him about other terminals having replacement trucks and he said that this time of year there really aren't any. How are new students getting trucks? I thought there was a driver shortage but apparently not with Swift at this time of year if they have 100% of the trucks assigned. It was mostly curiousity about the available trucks as I'm better off just waiting for my truck to be repaired. I need that Qualcomm GPS update anyway. But still, is Swift running at the optimum number of drivers? I'm pretty surprised.

He said they get brand new trucks in next month at the Phoenix terminal. I asked how one would go get one of these. Again, out of curiousity. He said they go to mentors. Interesting. Now I'm curious what kind of new trucks are coming to Swift next month.