SWIFT Student Driver with a backing incident on my 4th week of training!!

It just a 12' inch gash on the middle bottom of the trailer I made contact with. So that would tell u how slow I was goin. Thank god it wasn't any worse than that.

 

Watching/training/spotting for you IS his job....not making excuses for you hitting anything though...remember G.O.A.L.

 

Your mentor is suppose to be there regardless if he feels your confident or not. There's always room for improvement. This is one incident that have been prevented. I say its not only your fault but his too. Just my .02.

 

I was going to mention that as well, it's just as much his fault as it is yours. The reason that you were put on his truck is so that he can teach you and PREVENT you from doing something silly like this.

But, after this incident, I bet you won't hesitate to goal!

And I'm not positive, but I believe that backing incident may put you on a trainers truck for an additional 2 weeks depending on what office personnel think about the situation. I think I heard something along those lines while I was on my mentors truck, can't remember... That was 3 weeks ago.

 

Actually I spoke wit my student coordinator and she said I will have to take LQC class before I go solo. Its a class u gotta ta ke when u have a accident like that.

 

easy there cowboy. it happens. guess what it will happen again, and chances are they are already saying that. what this driver did has more than likely happened before.

most of us do get out and goal and it really sucks when its raining or snowing, but you do it. nothing to be ashamed of, shame is what the op is feeling since he didn't do that.

and before you continue bragging about never hitting anything, i'd like to introduce you to my little friend named KARMA.

 

Not bragging, just stating a fact. If I'd never hit anything, AND never once used GOAL, I might brag about that. I've only backed it up maybe 1,500 times, I know that's not a lot, and I still have days where a toddler pulling triples could back in faster than me but hey... Still haven't hit anything.

Hitting stuff happens, I've seen it, and just about every trailer I pull has scars to show for it but remembering GOAL can just about prevent all backing accidents.

 

I'll 2nd the importance of clean mirrors. Clean mirrors will reduce the glare effects on the glass.

 

This is exactly why at our terminals that purchase van drivers are not allowed to back into the dock, nor are they are allowed to pull out of the dock. Hostlers handle all of it.

 

Wow, I actually feel bad for you because this is going to be on your DAC. It's a lesson learned for you, but it also is an example to me for my career as well. GOAL!