Some Questions? Starting Swift Orientation @ Ocala, FL 10/23/12

sorry, misunderstood... you are just going to go to orientation.... 2 days... do you even have to go with a mentor?

 

They might have you go out with a mentor just get you reacclimated with driving over the road, and the "Swift way" of doing it. I know when I went through orientation with previous experience they told the group a trainer will teach you. But I was cut loose after the 2nd day driving team it took 2-3weeks to get used to how it works, hell I'm sure I am doing some stuff wrong still, and I've been here for more than 2 years.

 

I also have been here almost 2 years, and try and do something wrong every now and then, just to see if my DM is really paying attention, and normally, he is, and then at times he will try and see if I am paying attention.

 

Interesting, good know that I am not the only one testing the water. But in my case the only time I got a stern talking to was for overspeed in downtown Houston tx. Right when the lowered it to 70mph after that never been called on it or anything so dunno if my terminal cares or not. But then again I am based out of lewiston Id and most drivers here get to do some awesome hills around there.

 

Also based out of Lewiston. Got caught for an overspeed about 3 weeks ago, one of those hills on I-70 in MO. Forgot that my Jakes where not on. I have found that Lewiston is just very laid back. Just do your job and not screw up, and they leave you alone. They are the ones that keep talking to me about becomming a mentor. The best part about the terminal, no security to check in with when comming or going and one large parking lot,

 

haha small world! most drivers I run into don't even know where the lewiston terminal is at. Interesting I guess I have to start paying attention again to overspeed then but most of the loads we take if our hair isn't on fire when we arrive at the final we are late, those high value JIT runs. Another reason why I'm tried of teaming and thinking of buying another truck and going flatbeding again while my brother still does the solo thing in the current truck.

 

Everytime I get one of those JIT load, there is so much time on it, it is not funny. One that I get alot is comming out of the house in Ohio. PU on Friday afternoon in Akron, FED-EX and del 0700 Sunday morning in Edwardsville, about 700 miles. Sometimes I really wonder about those JIT loads. Yep, many drivers to not know where Lewiston is. Last time there, a driver was caught comming down that nice long one comming into town, and talk about overspeed. I think that he was let go the next day. If I remember, speed limit on the hill is about 35, and he was at about 60.

 

Yeah I think they started putting JIT on a lot of random loads nowadays but for us its like Fedex LAX to Newark airport pickup at midnight friday/Saturday night deliver monday morning or boston to Sacramento in about the same time. We mostly run stuff for Fedex/ups/conway and they set one appt time and swift has to then readjust the time for about 10-12hrs earlier. Which is fine the ones we hate are the late solo runs that are t-called and we can "deliver asap" normally in the middle of the night, which equals to your sleeping at the final infront of the gate until morning, or the sunday night blitz to clear all t-called loads in the nearest terminal, but that is its own topic how to avoid being a local driver as a team at swift.

 

Everytime that I have one appt time and Swift tries and adjust for a hole lot earlier, MAC 22 has become my friend, and then find out, the original appt was just fine. Good old Plus 1, like this one that I am on, PU Baytown on Fri at 1500, 1320 mile and del at 1400 Sun, get the routing and it is 1630 miles. Open window until Midnight Monday. My routing, 1430 miles. Baytown to Hurricane.