The Swift Experience

This sounds nice and all but it’s not all about you. Probably every other driver has driven while their mentor was in the sleeper at some point. Driving down the interstate at 65 is literally the easiest thing you can do in a truck.

Why should an experienced driver volunteer to live with some stranger for a month, sit in a a chair next to him for ten hours a day while he’s bored out of his mind for the same pay? If all mentors had to sit next to their trainee the entire time nobody, and I mean nobody would sign up.

 

3523, I will agree to disagree with you. When I am being trained it is all about me. If the mentor didn't want to sit in the chair then they don't have to sign up to be a mentor. I told the story of how I did it and it worked for me and suggest it could work for others.

But thanks for reading.

 

It’s all about you? No it isn’t. This isn’t a charity. Why should a grown man go through the aggravation of living with a total stranger for 4-6 weeks and working with him for ten hours a day, everyday, and not get compensated.

If I was your trainer I would have have explained to you very calmly that this is how it works. All the millions of other drivers (including me, ahem) did it the exact same way. And we’re ok. Gotta earn your stripes boyo.

”if the mentor didn't want to sit in the chair then they don't have to sign up to be a mentor.” How bout if you can’t handle the training then truck driving might not be for you.

Ok, now having said all that if you really feel uncomfortable with certain situations or you’re not ok with driving alone after your 50 hours then yes, of course you should tell your trainer and he should work with you to overcome those specific issues.

But the idea that every trainee should sit their trainer down on the the first day and tell them that they demand a full 200 hours of supervision? LMAO, no. #snowflake

 

I'm glad you were able to pull that off. I doubt many mentors will put up with it.

But I think that you are wrong in extending it out for your entire training period.


It's all about you, but you also need the feel of both solo and team driving while training. Demanding that your mentor is right there with you at all times defeats that. It does not allow you to be truly solo during your own hours, and it does not let you experience the team duties.

I would never team or be a mentor. I like my space and time too much.
But I also gained valuable experience by doing things on my own as my mentor slept.
I could always wake him up if I had a real problem, but I always tried to do it on my own first.

Your way is a cop out because you were afraid to think for yourself that soon.

 

Yep you seem like the typical swift driver lol!

 

Swift isn't what it used to be. Trucks run 65mph and pay is competitive now. They have plenty of freight and get me home on time. Sounds like the OP in this thread caused a lot of his own problems.