Swift crash on I-85 kills co-driver/trainer

Do you remember years ago that organization, Trucker Buddy. Did they not do it then??

 

Lewiston....wow that was a tough school back in the day! I spent an afternoon chatting with one of the instructors as we watched the students "put through their paces". Back then, Lewiston was the leading terminal for doubles, we pulled them too down in Stockton and Sparks...but Lewiston was the top group. Those students had to back a dolly 100 feet, keeping everything with a limited boundary before they could graduate to a trailer and road training...some took weeks, but they were determined! From that, I included using a dolly to teach a student not to over steer....

 

Trucker Buddy is still around...but they don't deal with driving or driving around a big rig. They are more geared to "public relations" and getting the "little ones" trucker friendly.

 

Also there was a study a few years back, the majority of the accidents today, caused by 4 wheelers. When one happens and it gets reported, the headlines read, semi accident with car, family dies. Around the 3rd paragraph you read, while the 4 wheeler lost control and crossed the median and slammed head on...... , but how many people actually read the whole article. They just see the headline. About 20 years ago in KY on 71 there was that large crash, truck into bus, killing all. Headlines, trucks crosses median, then later in the article, you read, pick up truck. There is actually a facebook page that is dedicated to nothing but Swift crashes and screw ups, but you never see in the photos or captions, what actually happened. Just Swift screws up again, so what does also the general public see

 

I have heard recently that at our Academy's that if you fail straight line backing 2 time, you are sent home. I have heard that Lewiston is still the best now, but Memphis is getting up there with their new range for learning and training. Thinking about training, I can still remember many years ago with the pumpkin in Green Bay, the skid pad. What fun(not)

 

Always wanted to try that skid pad....there used to be a YouTube video with that.

 

It sure did teach me, old cab over with flat bed and then cab over bobtail. I remember having to do a SIM class here and passed with flying colors, only because I remember doing it in real time. Now there is something that I need to learn my self, knowing how to get out of a skid with manual transmission, but what about a auto. But the tranny in neutral, unlike a manual, step on the clutch

 

Had a load over to SLC...saw Swift out there with CRE using that frontage road that parallels I-80 past the airport. Guess SLC has an academy now too.

 

Never thought about that till right now. The girly man truck I now have, has the push button for direction right below the radio....awkward to say the least....brother what a distraction from a critical event if you have to look down to press "N"...not good!