PDI New Buffalo MI

Ok, I didn't know where to throw this, so I decided to BLOG it, hopefully somebody might see it and be able to relate to it, or laugh at it. I won't name the school, lets just mention here in SW Lower MI it's one of the few.

Now, I have NO issues with those of you who do drive for SWIFT, it's just not my cup of tea. I have done quite a bit of research here on this site to get the feeling that we wouldn't mesh. I do feel that I can mesh with another company however, just not SWIFT. So please, no attacks from ya'all as I'm not intending to either.

Ok, I'm a rookie, wet behind the ear, non-driving, attempting to learn a new lifestyle schooler. I don't know it all, and if I did, I wouldn't be here. But here's just the black and whites of my experience.

Ok, first day, owner comes into classroom and tells the class of rookies, that if it isn't on the MVR it didn't happen. If it didn't show up in your police reports, it didn't happen. Don't tell on yourself, and you'll be fine. Ok, I really don't have any issues with that, but I was still of the mindset of Honesty being the goal. Silly me. From behind his "no intermodal" Tshirt, he continues on how there are a lot of things that happen that you just don't want to admit to. Ok, I still agree, but as an owner, I wouldn't be in front of a class of unknowns preaching this.

Next instructor, the "range guy". If it isn't on the test for the MI test, you don't learn it. You train to the test, and nothing more on the range. Mind you, I asked several times before putting my money down for the school, if this was going to be a train to the test, or a actual school. It was day 3 and the contract says at day 3 you have no right to any refund if you do not continue your three week course. Nice, you're locked in when you finally get to see that you are in a mill. Great, what next?

I had done quite a bit of homework before going to the school, and there was a SWIFT Trailer at the entry to the school. I asked the "recruiter" about it, to make sure that the school wasn't going to try and push SWIFT down our throats, and was told that they encourage each company equally. Ok, another wonderful thing I allowed myself to believe. Day 5 involved a "road trip" to the Gary Terminal of SWIFT (great BBQ food however, and my first real time on the road in a big rig). The instructor who drove us there was new with our school, so he said that this wasn't a common occurance.

Back to more range time, "take out the cone on the docking, don't try and be perfect, it's only points" "don't try and get around the corner so perfectly, just take the points" this coming from the range dude whose arrival was punctuated by the alcohol from the sweat.

Road time. Mind you there were two road instructors. I got the ***hole. Now that I have made it through it, his instruction still needed improved, but the guy as a person was not as bad as he seemed. Ex D.I. from the stories, so I know some habits die hard.

But, again, training to the test. "we can't tell you where the test will be, but when you get to this point, he will have you perform the emergency stop maneuver by that sign right there". "It's against the law for us to take you on the testing route, but when you turn here with the road tester, be sure to ......" Again, training to the test.

I can't complain too much about my road instructor, he lacked the ability to instruct, and used intimidation as his tool, but it was effective. He had done it a while, and had a good program for teaching "building blocks". My only complaints were training to the test. To mention it was pointless however.

Low and behold, final week, and SWIFT recruiter was there. Asked if we would see any other recruiters, and was told "no, they don't come here". SWIFT recruiter made several mentions on the "wonderful relationship" that the school and SWIFT had, and that it was highly productive for both of them.

I just didn't appreciate finding out the truth about this place after I was "locked in" with my money. If I wanted to go to SWIFT training, I wouldn't have paid for it, as I had the offer from SWIFT. Again, the school is a train to the test and don't deviate, mandatory minimum mill, I just wonder if they are all like this, or if some will actually teach you?

 

Heyns,

I thank you for your input, and appreciate the further information that you were able to provide, that a student as myself was not and would not have been aware of.

Also as far as teaching to the test, I agree to a point that it must be done as far as the yard maneuvers. Repitition was the key to me being able to consistenly hit that cone every time. However being able to "see" what the training is doing for you, would be better shown by having you practice in a variety of scenarios, instead of the loops around the course same direction, no alterations. We were not given a choice nor chance to practice our yard maneuvers anywhere but the yard. The cone for the RT hand corner, we were instructed to just not hit the cone. Nothing helpful for taking an actual RT hand turn, such as pull forward 12-15' past the cone, and turn right, thus treating it as a sidewalked corner. in the school if that was a corner, we were almost encouraged to go take a wide buttonhook, which wouldn't work in the real world with a parked car there at the light.

I can always see the good and bad at the use of "loud voice" to instruct, as the past 7 years I've been on the firing line with several persons who didn't belong there, and who can't handle the "voice" corrections. I agree that it is effective within reason. Too many times of yelling at your dog, and it will lose it's effectiveness eh? But on the other hand, when you are driving in a truck, and your instructor is barking orders (I'm not the most sensitive person in the world, I can take this, however a class mate couldn't) instead of giving feedback/advice/criticism, it does not lead to a productive learning environment.

Again, thank you for your input, and I hope that this doesn't appear to be a complete whining post. I did learn while I was there. Could I have learned more? We all can.

 

But no thanks! I'll try and do my best to avoid that "splendiferous" type of situation for now..

 

Well, glad to hear ya enjoyed my alma mater! lmao.. If you seen an A-hole running around, it wasn't the road one, you would have seen the "range" instructor. The other guy would have been on the road. I think I seen ya'lls truck there at the diner on US12/Red Arrow Highway.

So driver, heres a ?? for ya, why SWIFT? It's not an inflamatory question, just wondering what they offered that you were most interested in.

Since I'm askin, I'll answer the same thing. I'm highly interested at this time in Maverick. It's the hometime and the pay that has me interested. As far as a Student Driver I was torn between TMC/ROEHL/MAV and TMC passed on me, and ROEHL is getting a ton of negative press lately, and I just didn't want to risk it, when I could be drivin the same miles for a higher paycheck.

And before I went to the school, I toured it, and they all had their "prospect recruiting faces" on, I fell for it! lmao..