Newbie Heading Out Next Week!

Thank you guys for all the advice. Take my time is pretty much everyone’s advice and that’s something I don’t really struggle with as I’m generally a pretty patient guy!

I did bump my first dock today and also backed my trainer and I into our spot at the truck stop! What is a clear struggle for me is over steering when I don’t need to then under steering when I need to be cranking her hard. I had to take a couple pull ups on my 45 into the dock but no real biggie.

In school we did all our backing skills in a day cab. I learned quickly that backing a bigger sleeper cab is a whole new ball game.

I have to be honest and it’s probably just my newbie nerves/ paranoia but felt like backing at the truck stop that all eyes were on me and my swift trailer. It was probably just my trainer being outside the truck coaching me through everything. Everyone probably thought oh here we go gonna get another swifty YouTube video but I managed to get her in her spot and didn’t hit anything which is the main thing!

I also struggle personally with being a perfectionist. That’s mainly due to my mild OCD with certain things. I gotta get that thing perfect or it bugs the hell outta me. I need to just relax and get her in her hole. I took a pull up even tho my trainer said it was good enough but I wasn’t perfectly centered enough to my liking. He told me I’d get over that pretty quickly.

When we left the Gary terminal this morning I80 was a #### show but my trainer was driving. Even in a 4 wheeler I80 to me has always been a #### show. I guess it could be worse and stuck on I95 near Philly. My wife hearing about that poor guy this morning kinda freaked her out so had to settle her down a bit this evening. I took over after a few hours and logged about 5 hrs of actual drive time today with no real issues!

Over all it was a pretty successful first day! Hopefully the first of many!

 

Staying here with Swift is my plan for at least 2 1/2 years. For a couple reasons…first because as you mentioned I don’t want the reputation as a job hopper. Second, I paid for CDL school out of my own pocket (no loan or grants for me) and Swift has tuition reimbursement for 150$/mo. It cost me 4500$ for school…that’s 30 mos at 150/mo so I’m planning on staying here until I get my money back for school. I’ll be here perfecting my skills for at least 2 1/2 years then hopefully I’ll have options.

My recruiter told me that after 4-6 mos here at Swift I’ll start having options to move around here within the company. It’s funny you mentioned intermodal because I never really considered it until orientation last week there were a couple experienced new hires going to Swift intermodal and according to them that’s where the money is at with Swift.

The problem with that is they are running out of the Chicago rail yards and are home daily but I live in East Peoria 2 1/2 hours away that wouldn’t really work for me. Who knows maybe there are some OTR or regional options in intermodal with Swift. I’m not that well versed on the ins and outs of intermodal.

I do have every intention of heeding your advice and sticking around here for a while tho. Dry van for now but in 6 mos I’ll start exploring my options.

Are there regional or OTR options in intermodal?