Life on life's terms: One persons journey.

Discussion in 'Swift' started by momluvschloe, Apr 3, 2015.

  1. momluvschloe

    momluvschloe Bobtail Member

    33
    23
    Jan 16, 2015
    Texas
    0
    Thanks for the encouraging words.

    4/4/15

    Well all packed up and ready to go. I managed to pack everything in 3 bags: duffle, backpack, and a carry-on bag. Im probably going to purchase a medium sized gym bag once I get to Dallas in order to keep everything consolidated, therefore I would have my duffle bag, gym bag, and backpack. The carry on bag is flimsy and does not hold much, but it will do for now. I bought a little bit of food today @ walmart, mostly snacks like granola bars, peanuts, and fruit. Mom lent me some tupperware to use while I am out, and also some plasticware. So basically I have everything that the email requested that I bring.

    Ill be leaving for Dallas tomorrow on the greyhound in the afternoon and arriving in the evening.
     
    inkeper and Puppage Thank this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

    13,776
    16,234
    Nov 1, 2010
    Burnsville, MN
    0
    You'll find that you brought too much, in the end.
    It seems you have packed everything but the kitchen sink.
    LOL

    Don't forget, you will have VERY limited space while in the truck with your mentor. All those bags will be on the top bunk with you.
    Once solo you can get away with more stuff.

    I would limit it a bit more, if I were you.
     
    momluvschloe Thanks this.
  4. momluvschloe

    momluvschloe Bobtail Member

    33
    23
    Jan 16, 2015
    Texas
    0
    Thanks for the advice, but I am in Dallas now so I am gonna have to deal with it as is. Thats all I can say about that really. Im definitely gonna have to learn as I go.


    4/5/15

    Here in Dallas now. Enjoyed the ride up I-35 it was a peaceful one with the Texas wildflowers in full bloom.

    I lucked up and got a single room, but wow there are plenty of my little cousins (roaches) in here! I guess they wanted to come out and welcome me to their neighborhood. LOL.

    With that said, Im glad to be here and ready to get started tomorrow morning with whatever they tell me to do. Im guessing the D.O.T. physical and drug test first.
     
    Akula and Moosetek13 Thank this.
  5. momluvschloe

    momluvschloe Bobtail Member

    33
    23
    Jan 16, 2015
    Texas
    0
    4/6/15

    QUICK UPDATE: Got my D.O.T card and went to DPS to get processed for my CDL permit.
     
    inkeper Thanks this.
  6. momluvschloe

    momluvschloe Bobtail Member

    33
    23
    Jan 16, 2015
    Texas
    0
    4/7/15

    Today we watched 5 or 6 videos pertaining to various topics about operating a commercial vehicle and took a couple practice tests. It was all interesting stuff and important, so I paid attention. I do have to admit by 345pm I was pretty spun out from information overload LOL.

    Our class really shrank from yesterday, we had to have lost about 10-12 people for various reasons pertaining to D.O.T. physical or DPS reasons. One guy in particular that I felt for was an iraq veteran barely over a year removed from the military. He is still dealing with PTSD and it was something about his medication that the D.O.T. could not verify. That sucks.

    Other than that, things are going well and I am taking it one day at a time.
     
  7. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

    13,776
    16,234
    Nov 1, 2010
    Burnsville, MN
    0
    Thanks for the updates.

    Pay close attention to the horror video's and pictures with truckers in the ditch and overturned because they were too fast for the conditions or road.
    Never be in a hurry, even if you are feeling that you are rushed for time.
    That also applies to the road test.

    Plus-1 is your enemy, but Mac 9 and 22 are your friends.
     
    tazman74, momluvschloe and Kindle Thank this.
  8. Gunrunner84

    Gunrunner84 Light Load Member

    151
    12
    Feb 9, 2008
    0
    Do you remember after all that info if they mentioned what the rider policy is? Such as when a spouse would be able to join you on the truck? Thanks for all the updates on your journey.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2015
    momluvschloe Thanks this.
  9. momluvschloe

    momluvschloe Bobtail Member

    33
    23
    Jan 16, 2015
    Texas
    0
    I appreciate the encouragement. I guess I'll find out what plus-1, Mac 9, and 22 means soon enough.
     
  10. momluvschloe

    momluvschloe Bobtail Member

    33
    23
    Jan 16, 2015
    Texas
    0

    Not sure about Swifts rider policy, I would look into swifts corporate website if I were you.
     
  11. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

    13,776
    16,234
    Nov 1, 2010
    Burnsville, MN
    0
    Plus-1
    Plus-1 is a computer program used to 'help' plan you with loads.
    The name comes from a concept of one more load per week.
    Meaning, it tries to maximize your hours to get you more miles.
    In practice it will cut any amount of fat from the load to try and get you to run as hard as possible for as long as possible, until your available hours are used up.
    By fat I mean any more than a strict 10 hour break between shutting down and driving again, with very little added for a pre-trip or post trip or any needed breaks.
    Fueling time is not even considered, I think.
    Many new drivers get many service failures by accepting loads as they first come in on the preplan.
    And too many mentors don't really explain things to the new drivers that help them control how they run.

    Mac 9
    Mac 9 is your first line of defense.
    It is what you use to accept or turn down a load.
    Once accepted, it is done. It is like a contract has been signed between you and the company.
    But there are options available to us to make the load better to our liking.
    If the times seem too tight for your available hours, or for what you need to do while on the load, you can adjust those times to give you enough time.

    You may need to do laundry, get a shower, go shopping, or simply need more sleep that night.
    You can use Mac 9 to include that time before accepting the load offer.
    You also will need to consider things like what time of day you will be going through certain cities. Rush hour can rob you an hour or more.
    Construction zones will slow your progress, as will being routed on smaller roads that go through towns that have a low speed limit.
    The loaded miles will usually be shorter than the actual miles you drive, so add at least 10% for that alone.

    The bottom line is that you HAVE to calculate the approximate time you think you'll need to do a load before you accept it.
    Because if you are late for delivery it will mean a service failure in most cases.

    If you don't like the times given to you in the preplan, answer N to the question of acceptance.
    You are given the option to input a different pick up time and/or delivery time.
    Use that to your best advantage.
    Take the time to check out the load. Look at the atlas to see what route you'll most likely take to see if you might be on a slow path.

    You are also given a few lines to input text for any other reason.
    One reason would be "Home time request"
    If you are 2 or 3 days from a home time request and they are trying to route you in the opposite direction...
    It is a valid reason for turning down a pplan.


    Mac 22
    Mac 22 is a late call.
    You use it when you can not meet the delivery time as scheduled.
    You must send it as soon as you know you will be late.
    The reasons may include a flat tire that needs to be repaired, truck problems, an accident that causes a long delay and many more things.

    Not acceptable reasons are things like "I ran out of time on my clock", because you should have foreseen that before you accepted the load.
    Things in your control are not acceptable, but things out of your control usually are.
    Usually.
    I got a service failure once because I got stuck in accident traffic 10 minutes from my delivery, which made me over an hour late.
    I did the Mac 22, but it seems not in enough time.
    ##### happens sometimes, and my DM was not able to get it removed. Oh well...

    I have also used Mac 22 to simply adjust my ETA.
    I would get a pplan with certain times, and accept it.
    Then when the actual load assignment came the times were adjusted to Plus-1 times, and a lot less time.
    So when I pick up the load I will send a Mac 22 after the loaded call, the reason being "I agreed to deliver by xxxx time in the pplan"
    Or simply, 'updating my ETA'. Because if the load assignment delivery is earlier than what I agreed to in the pplan, I know there is a window of time that I will be OK in.
     
    mukhtarjama and momluvschloe Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.