Some questions about my mentor

Take it up with injun via PM's.

she'll advise you

 

She has a part time job,

keeping walmart stocked,

please continue holding !!!!

 

As a former Senior Mentor..(12 years as Mentor/trainer)...you are doing the right thing about calling in your concerns. To be honest with you...I am not surprised about the response from ECT...they don't have the means to deal with a student v Mentor situation, so they are trying to "delay any decision" until Driver Services gets in on Monday, and to "pacify" you to hold off. There really isn't anything they can do, beyond where you are now...off the truck, and hopefully your Mentor is getting rest and not partying his home time.

As for the trailer damage, and the OS&D (over short and damage) issue...this needs to be reported, as it will get found out when the bills get to the billing department and the notations are finally spotted. Now by delaying the response to the shortage...it creates a PR headache and an image issue with the shipper and receiver...

For the trailer damage, don't worry about the exact location it happened, just keep the trailer number and the description of the damage at hand so your statements can be verified. Even if your Mentor goes in and gets the damage repaired before you get back on the truck (if applicable) the shop will have record of the damage being worked on and the light replaced. That type of damage is actually very common, since many cities don't trim trees, and we with tall rigs at times can't avoid close proximity...but it does show a lack of policy and protocol respect and adherence from your Mentor, which is what he is supposed to be teaching you.

Driver Services will be asking you, since you have only been on his truck for such a short time...if you are sure you aren't "making too big a deal" out of these issues you describe. Think your answers through to their questions. Don't be emotional when you are speaking to them..keep it "business like and productive"! Have all your notes in order and ready to be referenced when you do get a hold of them. DO NOT GET BACK ON THE TRUCK UNTIL YOU DO TALK TO THEM! Even if you make your Mentor wait an hour or two...

As to the post by Walstib...ignore him...he does not know Swift or how they operate...he is Watkins/Shepard and a great promoter of their training program...it works for some and doesn't work for others, just like Swift's program. He, and many others, think by reading the complaints here on this forum (and other forums) that they somehow understand the workings of different companies, yet they have no experience with these other companies. So it becomes a case of "the blind leading the blind"....

Every training company has both good and bad trainers/Mentors...Swift is no exception. 95% of the Mentors at Swift, even if they lack some experience, do care about what they teach, and what they are supposed to be teaching. I personally know the Director of the Mentor/training Program at Swift. While we have had our differences in the past, Scott does care deeply about his program and the Mentors he has working for him. He does not put up with Mentors not doing their job as they are supposed to. But his , and the company's, hands are tied unless the students report honestly about what is actually happening. So you need to pass your information on to Drivers Services.

Be absolutely sure that your issues are not "personality generated", but truly are safety and compliance concerns.

Injun drives nights and should be coming on here very soon....though she is not and never has been a Mentor, she does know and understands Swift training policy and Swift company policy, and her advice is well thought out and given with respect to both the driver, and the student in mind...along with maintaining the policy standards Swift expects from their Mentors.

PM me if you need something answered that you would prefer not being out in the public eye!

Otter

 

What I do know is SWIFT's safety record doesn't prove their trainer program helps much...I'm sure they have many good trainers, but how do you explain the safety record not being far superior to those with no trainer program?...Please educate me on this as it doesn't make sense...That's a serious question, I'm not trying to be argumentative or confrontational, what's you take on that?...

 

Ooooo kay. First, let me address Walstib:
Men can effectively train women and women can effectively train men, whether you like it or not. Sailing is not complaining about sexual harassment. And, there is a reason Swift has a better safety score than Watkins/Shepard. If Sailing chose to train with a male mentor, perhaps it was because she didn't want to wait weeks for a woman to get freed up. That's her choice, the mentor's choice for agreeing to train women and not your concern. I was very effectively trained by a man.

Now.

The tree, being in the sleeper your first day out, driving fatigued and writing in your log book. These are not "minor" issues. Question I have: How do you know he was hallucinating? More curiosity than anything else.

Where do they get these yoyos?

Your job right now is to learn. His is to teach. He can't do that from the sleeper berth.

You are supposed to be doing the backing. That's how you learn it. Not filing a shortage report, well, that's not really that big a deal, but if the customer complains, it will fall back on him. No worries there.

Question I have is, when is your mentor supposed to be getting back out on the road? If you are in a motel, that is what he is supposed to do when he goes home and doesn't arrange for you to be home too.

After hours and weekend office people are generally very inexperienced. This weekend has been crazy for them because the new computer system isn't letting anyone fuel. Yesterday aftternoon, there was a list of fuel requests 3,700 trucks long. It seems to me, someone wasn't listening to what you are saying.

I'm curious whether Marty gave you a phone number to reach him personally, at home, after hours. Most driver services (student coordinator) representatives do this. If he didn't, and you're not leaving until tomorrow, don't sweat it. Call him tomorrow. If you are leaving today, call Phoenix (800) 800-2200 and talk to somebody in Safety. You'll have to wade through the computer system and maybe go through a weekend driver leader to get to them, but there should be someone there.

If you are very concerned for what's going on and your mentor wants to leave today, develop a sudden case of "food poisoning," if you get my drift. He won't want you trying to drive if you have to "whoops" and crap every half hour. This can buy you time to get ahold of Marty.

There are good mentors with Swift. Many of them are men and many of those men can and do effectively train women without incident. I don't know what this knothead's story is. But, don't give up.

I suggest get a different mentor. If Marty doesn't want to help you, call Phoenix. The reason I say that is, I just learned of a major donnybrook at the Lancaster terminal that has the office in a big uproar. Marty's boss may not be up to speed yet, since he was only very recently brought back.

I know all of this seems disjointed, but I've only been asleep since about 0500 and was told about it about a half hour ago. You are safe right now. Let's see what happens when you get ahold of Marty tomorrow.

 

Quit your ########....you got an extra hour of sleep last night/this morning.....talk about not being a morning person!!!!! SHEESH!!!!!!!

*The ######## is "a female cat in heat--ing"*

 

There is no such thing as a minor issue, if you are in fear of your own well being.

I'm not riding with a student or a 30 year vet...IF I feel unsafe. I will buy a bus ticket !!!!!

End of Story......

 

I just compared Safe Stat scores for both W/S and Swift....seem pretty close!

Personally...I appreciate what training W/S does get through in their "in-house, cover it all" it seems to work as well as Swift's and others in the "ride with" style. Each student learns in a different way...so one program will work for some and not for others...we have had this discussion before.

I continue to be an "outside Mentor" with Swift, even though I am not employed there any more...because I know their system, and I do have some input to their system with current Mentors, and the Mentor Director...yes we still communicate...he is actually on this forum but I promised I wouldn't let his "moniker" be known to his actual identity...to anyone...even Injun, who he does respect!

So this issue with "Sailing" will be seen today or tomorrow, if not already, by Scott and his crew.