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A mentor at last

Discussion in 'Swift' started by ltwombat, Dec 11, 2012.

Page 5 of 12
  1. Dec 19, 2012 #41
    fr8monkey

    fr8monkey Road Train Member

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    Right behind you
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    ....Ahhhhh...the south is part of it....where you live is awfully good for freight to...I have a BIG trapezoid i like to run.....I dont mind going thru Penn,Wv Va either...if im light!...but not that east coast,,north and south I95 crap....got a nice one to upstate ny...from indiana...we will see where we go from there...
     
    fr8monkey, Dec 19, 2012
    fr8monkey, Dec 19, 2012
    #41
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  3. Dec 19, 2012 #42
    MysticHZ

    MysticHZ Road Train Member

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    I'll add to the get away from your home terminal theory. The TMs are evaluated on miles per truck. I suspect there is an unwritten rule to treat trucks not from your area well. In return your trucks get treated well when they are in other's areas ... the alternative is screw over your neighbor, because he screwed you over, that serves no one nor any TM well.
     
    MysticHZ, Dec 19, 2012
    MysticHZ, Dec 19, 2012
    #42
    scottied67 Thanks this.
  4. Dec 19, 2012 #43
    blsqueak

    blsqueak Road Train Member

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    buckeye lake, oh
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    For some reason, I seem to get treated better when I am near the following terminals, Laredo, Fontana, Edwardsville, at times PHX when I am there so that I can walk up to the t-call window and of course Lewiston. These are also ones that you can actually talk to a real live human being that is willing to actually help out and take care of of L/O, and at times, can actually walk in and talk to a planner. My best has been Edwardsville when Donald is there, and 2nd shift at Laredo and Fontana. Seems that when you get around the east and those terminals, the fr8 that you are going to get, the East Coast fr8, and around Columbus, alot of t-called loads heading east. Right now the holidays are messing with everyone right now. Normally when I get down south on I-8, 10 and 20 I can usually stay in that area.
     
    blsqueak, Dec 19, 2012
    blsqueak, Dec 19, 2012
    #43
  5. Dec 20, 2012 #44
    ltwombat

    ltwombat Light Load Member

    176
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    Jun 2, 2012
    Las Vegas, NV
    0
    Well, been with my mentor for a week and all is grand. We get along very well and there are no bad habits that annoy me. My only complaint is that top bunk sure gets hot. If my mentor cools the top bunk for me then he freezes on the bottom bunk. But I am almost at my 50 hour mark so we'll be teaming soon so I'll be on the bottom bunk and can run it cold as ice which is perfect for me.

    The pay issue was a mess. I was hired Oct 18th under the old pay system ($450 wk for weeks 1-4, $500 wk for weeks 5-6) but didn't start with my mentor until Dec 12 under the new system (min wage for line 4, min wage + $1 for line 3). After a few calls to Phoenix payroll they finally decided I am under the old system which is good because when you conserve hours by using off duty or sleeper berth you're not getting paid with the new system. To get a full check you'll always be running out your 70 hr clock. This saved our butts the other day when we needed to get out of Larime wy as they were shutting down the interstate. On the new system we would have been sitting for a few days.

    All in all I am happy with Swift. Not much has changed since I drove for them in the 90's with the exception of out of terminal fueling. Back in the day it took an act of god to get fuel any place but a terminal but so far all our stops have been private truck stops. This is good for the shower situation as we have showered every night, which was one of my fears; that I would get a smelly mentor who only showered when caught in the rain. My mentor is very clean as is his truck. We're heading out this evening to make one last run before HT for the holidays.

    I'll post updates when I'm home as I don't have internet on the road. Take care and be safe by choice, not by chance!
     
    ltwombat, Dec 20, 2012
    ltwombat, Dec 20, 2012
    #44
    DocWatson, blsqueak and inkeper Thank this.
  7. Dec 30, 2012 #45
    ltwombat

    ltwombat Light Load Member

    176
    85
    Jun 2, 2012
    Las Vegas, NV
    0
    The holidays are over so it's time to hit the interstate. My mentor has LCQ training in the morning then as soon as they lift his safety hold we're grabbing a PP and rolling. Since we're teaming now he wants a run to the East Coast to make up for this lost week. The weather looks cooperative for an EC run so keeping fingers crossed. See ya out there
     
    ltwombat, Dec 30, 2012
    ltwombat, Dec 30, 2012
    #45
  8. Dec 30, 2012 #46
    MysticHZ

    MysticHZ Road Train Member

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    Oops ......
     
    MysticHZ, Dec 30, 2012
    MysticHZ, Dec 30, 2012
    #46
    fr8monkey Thanks this.
  9. Dec 30, 2012 #47
    fr8monkey

    fr8monkey Road Train Member

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    Yeah I had an oooops...... A few years ago I know what lcqt is(local close quarters training) fun!
     
    fr8monkey, Dec 30, 2012
    fr8monkey, Dec 30, 2012
    #47
  10. Dec 30, 2012 #48
    MysticHZ

    MysticHZ Road Train Member

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    May 28, 2010
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    Yep ... I'm not without sin. Unlike some other training companies, Swift will give you an opportunity to learn from your mistakes ... just don't make a habit of it.
     
    MysticHZ, Dec 30, 2012
    MysticHZ, Dec 30, 2012
    #48
    inkeper and fr8monkey Thank this.
  11. Dec 30, 2012 #49
    MicaBay

    MicaBay Medium Load Member

    563
    186
    Nov 23, 2011
    Idaho, North
    0
    I'd like to take the LCQT class, haven't had anything happen to have it assigned yet!
     
    MicaBay, Dec 30, 2012
    MicaBay, Dec 30, 2012
    #49
  12. Dec 30, 2012 #50
    blsqueak

    blsqueak Road Train Member

    3,988
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    Dec 27, 2009
    buckeye lake, oh
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    Holidays are not that over. I called in this morning to see how things where looking, and just in the Columbus area, short about 63 loads. A good chance that I will not get out until Tuesday.
     
    blsqueak, Dec 30, 2012
    blsqueak, Dec 30, 2012
    #50
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