New soon to be swift trainee!

For anyone saying this or that negatively about my choice, when did I say I know it all? How many "bad" companies are out there? How many times do we hear new drivers doing this or that however many months in? Last time I checked defending myself doesn't insinuate that I have all the answers. When you or they can quote back to me or anyone else when exactly I specifically said "I know it all" then that would be great for everyone involved. To have enough experience to go to a "better" company and then say "you don't enough experience" to do this or that is dumb. Yeah I said it, how does that fit into your logic? I listen to sound advice but when someone comes to my thread and tell me I can or can't do this or that and show their colors with a lack of respect towards me and my company then I for sure will not listen to that disrespect. Or does it shock anyone that I defend something that I believe I can do and evidently have been doing for myself without anyone's assistance the majority of the time? You guys who came to this thread an voiced your opinion of me in disrespect, who are you guys and where were you when I was just starting out? Had you been here since the beginning I would listen to you, unless of course you said go back and do your local retail job. I truly don't take kindly to anyone's advice saying I shouldn't do this or that and I'm very glad I don't know some of you personally because y'all negativity comes from where?

Oh by the way that millington thing? Go to cr England site and talk to those newbie drivers leasing. Or those at crst who just start out, or Werner, or just about any other training company and talk to them and tell them what they are doing for their families they shouldn't be doing. While you're at it make sure that since you know when someone should do this or that that you open up a company only train drivers with years of experience and see how long it takes for you to realize "man to stay open we need more people, there aren't enough "senior" drivers who are squeaky clean to keep our doors open." if I have enough experience to move on then I have enough experience to train someone. Believe it or not whether you believe I can or not isn't your job, your job is to make sure you get here to there in a certain amount of time and do it safely. I'll be waiting for that quote of me saying I know it all.

Also show me where I got upset over someone's view who respectfully approached myself. I can show you where someone disrespected me and that's when I drew the line. If you don't like my attitude from henceforth there is a little x button at the top right corner that closes this page. Thanks. You sound like a certain guy that was running for president talking about a certain 47% and since I'm in the 1% percent I'm better and never will do this or that. This isn't the thread for that but that is how you come off and that is why I will never ever listen to your advice because it once again has shown disrespect towards me, my coworkers and the people who work hard day in and day out to provide for their families. If you don't like it thats your problem not mine. I affect my career. I mean I, ME, the guy on this side of the computer, controls HIS career if you did for me, woe is me. I'm sure glad I don't have to rub shoulders everyday with the likes of you. You want to place yourself above swift? Then run a company. You just repeating what you hear about swift is the foolishness I was talking about, you don't have a clue what's its like because it's "so beneath" you. Well if people can't see your lack of respect now and see why I say what I say in response then, that's them but I'll stand up for what I know. I never want to become you. All those years and all you've spewed is hatred for something and someplace you've never even worked. How does that make any sense? You don't even know. And that sir is obvious. Chow!

 

I am not a Swift mentor but I have driven for Swift almost 9 years and know most of their policies fairly well.

First off Swift's policy when a "new driver" gets on a mentor's truck is that the truck will be considered a solo truck for at least the first 50 hours of the students drive time. The mentor is to be in the second seat at all times the trainee is driving during this time.

After the first 50, it is up to the mentor, not the company, if the truck goes into a team type operation. There is supposed to be no pressure to go right into teams. Again, it is the driver's choice if he thinks he can run teams with the trainee. Most of the guys that are in it for the money only will jump right into team at that point, which I consider a horrible choice, unless the new driver is under refresher training because he has been out of a truck for some time.

Swift offers the mentors a choice to go super solo, which means basically the runs should be longer, but not team runs. It is designed so that the mentor is supposed to be in the second seat still while the new guy is driving, but adds some of his own driving hours to complete the trip. During this time the mentor is not to be in the sleeper asleep while the truck is operated by the student.

I feel that a driver should have at the minimum 2 years experience to be a mentor, but I don't make the rules here. However, Swift doesn't just run up to a 6 month driver and say you should become a mentor. There are some things that the driver has to have accomplished to be considered...miles run, service failures, and safety are a few, sorry but I don't know exactly.

I wish he would wait, but I don't know him. I do know that in my time here, Swift's training regimen has gotten better. As with a lot of things there is always room for improvement.

 

Hey inkeper and vision long time no see. Sorry I haven't been mr nice "oh you have experience, let me do exactly what you're telling me to do" guy. I felt disrespected with their approach at me and the hate towards swift from those who don't have a lick of experience with swift telling me how to drive and move forward in my career with them and then try to belittle me because I'm not listening to their disrespectful advice upset me. I've worked at some jobs that have paid me for years less than what I make now in 2 weeks. I heard how swift was back then sure, was I scared to give up all I had to go into something like that? Sure was, did I do it? Sure did! Has it paid me well all the time? nope! Did it get better? sure did! Why? Because I worked hard, learned what to do and put everything into action. Dis my pay and miles increase? You bet! Did my dispatcher and planner see it? For sure. Did they say you know you can make a little more training? Yes they did. Did I say ok?! No, I told them I would think about it and studied for this phase.

Where did I go for my info? I came to the forums. What did I find? People bashing swift because of, one, sadly people not preparing an planning for tough times, and two people acting like trainers and not respecting the students and taking advantage of them. From there what happened? I'll tell y'all, I was not happy that people who never has worked for swift downing them as a company and then downing the drivers who are trying to make a living. And two, what kind of person would want someone to be treated like crap for 240 hours of their lives and not want to somehow help. If the bad trainers have a right to still train why can't someone who is not doing it for the money? I'm not the greatest guy there is in the world but to see someone in need and not helping makes me just as bad as the one who is causing someone pain and trouble just so they could get ahead financially.the guy who could have gotten a bad trainer could have been me and I am extremely aware of that. I am aware that my experience of swift could have been dramatically altered by one guy who only was looking out for himself and not training a person looking for guidance.

I am not a jerk but for future reference anyone responding don't come to me like I'm an idiot. You're a man and or woman and a former boss of mine and still great friend said " I'll never yell at you, you're a man just like myself. You put your pants on one leg at a time just like me. You respect me, I'll respect you." same thing im saying. Just a little thing I would like to add to that. Once you have disrespected me, the gloves are off. And no, I've been to school, I got a good education, I don't need to curse and swear to get my words and point across.

If I offended anyone by defending myself or shown my rear end so to speak, sorry but I will not apologize for my words nor my attitude for those who have deserved it. I stand behind my words and my attitude and my career decision. If anyone else has anything else to say about swift and my training drivers and it's not respectful, then make sure you prepared for what my response will say. Swift is not the only company out there. At least they don't force new drivers to lease, they aren't forcing me to train, they aren't forcing me to team. They haven't forced me to do anything. My decisions are my choice. I live with them, time for outsiders get that through their heads and understand that. You stay with your choices I'll stay with mine. Easy enough right?

 

Still taking it personal I see. I never disrespected you, I just don't think anybody should mentor after 6 months. There is just too much you haven't experienced yet to say you are ready to train. That's not disrespect that's offering a point of view that I take very seriously. Please learn the difference.

And by the way I drove 2 years with a "bottom feeder" so trust me I don't have a care in the world who you drive for

 

Excuse me but do you get some sick thrill off of this? I said what I said, no need to further this convo. I never once said fat tell me please? Give me advice, comment on my thread. Oh please grace me with your presence. Let it go. Do what you do I'll do what I will. Geez thank you kindly?

 

Sounds like you're going to do OK, kid. And as for you guys picking on the newbie, you can say that I know it all! I can suck it up and take it!

 

and he's still taking it personally.....

Makes one wonder how good a trainer a 6 month *cough cough* veteran *cough cough* could possibly be when he still refuses to accept the advice of those who have been doing this for not just months, but years and in my case decades...

Like another poster said... it'd be akin to the blind teaching the blind how to drive...

 

Good luck man. You gonna need it. Why do you want to mentor so soon anyway?

 

I hate to say it but there are more young mentors out there that are far better mentors than most of the crusty old farts I trained with. It is about learning the job, not pleasing some perverse old geezer.

 

Hey you two saying "he is taking it personal"... Well sure I am cause you know this is my career, my job, my journey,my story, my experience, my thread, that I started, to keep up with what has and is going on with me. Soo.. Yeah... duh.... When was this about anyone else's journey? Anyone else's story? Oh, ok, kthxbye