System Transport, Spokane Washington

Orientation, Day 3!


So it looks like tomorrow I should, hopefully, fingers crossed, get signed out of orientation and in the truck with a trainer. As I found out this morning at breakfast, I'm one of four trainees (fresh students) out of our class of 14 people. So, I guess that tells you how many students TSI hires regularly. I assume it's just easier to pick up experienced drivers, less training to deal with. A team is going out tomorrow, husband and wife, they are jumping into a brand new 2012 Kenworth T660 (with TWT) another couple is getting their rig tomorrow too (System) they're getting a brand new 2012 Kenworth T660. One of the denver guys is getting his truck tomorrow to drive back to denver, a 2009 Kenworth T660, and he'll be taking one of the trainees with him. However, Joe specifically told him to not let the trainee drive at all cause he is still a student and the driver is not a trainer. Leo was originally supposed to go team with a buddy of his, but something came up (hell, if I was going to be on his team, something would come up too and I would go solo lol). So Leo may be going solo for awhile until they can find him a partner, good luck. The JJ Williams guys took off today, they are going to be the local tank yankers. They'll go through their training at a different site here in washington and get their bunny suits too. They were released today, lucky them. Another guy will be jumping on a plane back to his area to get his truck, and the other two trainees will be getting their trainers assigned tomorrow. One of them already knows his trainer, I have no clue who mine will be.

Today consisted of securement training, about a half hour long video (no Leo, so class was actually productive!) just for the System guys (well half of us). Dale (the head of safety) went over securement with us, we had a test after the video. This is the first test we've had that we didn't take along with the video, we actually had to watch and retain some information, which was good. I learned that some people don't know how to read aloud, I kind of felt bad for the guy (not our trainer, another student) you could tell he was nervous and had no clue how to read a few words, but Dale helped him along and we all kept our mouths shut. After finishing the test, we walked over to another building to do the hands on training with securement, pretty easy cause he tells you exactly what to do and where to put the chains.

After securing, we went over putting on tire chains and each got to do it ourselves. I've never put on chains before, so this was a first time experience for me, and am I glad it was indoors and the tires were elevated!

Once we got back to class we had lunch. We thought we were going to be out doing the smith training today, however, there were some others that took priority and took our spots, so we got other training done. Once we finished with securement and chains, we basically had a time to kill and got the rest of training done with. With the exception of satellite and qualcomm training, we're done. We got our safety gear today too. System guys get a hard hat, safety glasses, and work gloves. TWT gets safety glasses and work gloves. When you do your smith training you get issued a reflective vest (I should get mine tomorrow).

We also got issued our company hats, TWT hats look like Greenbay Packer hats, System has a red white and blue hat like the TWT hat, and the one pictured below, can you guess which one I chose?

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day I think. We have Smith training, then satellite training, then qualcomm. Hopefully we get it all down and I get to head out with a trainer, if not, I'll be back at this hotel again tomorrow night.

I talked to a couple drivers today (TWT) and asked what their average mileage is a week. He said it's been kind of slow lately, but usually upwards of 3k a week, do the math and that's decent money. Tonight I'm doing laundry, in hopes I won't come back here tomorrow. Joe suggests you get a commercial road atlas, definitely going to be one of my first buys, I looked through is today and it has a plethora of information right in the first 10 pages. Once you learn how to read it, it will get you anywhere.

Sky was clear today, weather was still freezing (I'm from California, so anything below 70 is freezing to me lol) Tomorrow is looking like a promising day. If you don't hear from me for awhile then you know I'm out on the road. Once I get the rubber on the pavement I'll try to update once a week and let you know how it's going. I think I may need a new camera.....hint hint hint (Digital SLR preferred lol)

Stay safe!

 

One of the guys I talked to today (System Solo flatbed) said he takes his truck home. I'll be out of French Camp myself and I live about 2 hours from there, I don't think I'll be bringing my rig home cause I wouldn't have anywhere to put my trailer. The guy said that if you don't have a secure place to park your rig then the company won't let you take it home....also there is no pets allowed in any vehicle period, if caught it's immediate termination for violation of company policies and it will go on your DAC. Also, no one can be in your truck during your 90 day probationary period, which starts after your 8 weeks of training. On a good note though, it can be an immediate family member, spouse, or friend you have known longer than a year, and they have to sign off the insurance and liability stuff prior to, just like any company.

Hope this helps!

Anyone hear from BMac lately?

 

Hey JP how did it go today?

just talked to Roxy Reilly, recruiter at systems. I have to delay for a month or two to move house but she is keen for interested parties to call her, she worked for Watkins Shepherd before this and I had talked to her there a couple of years back. Anyway I don't have shares but she is a great lady to talk to. her no is 855 777-7699.

Interested to hear JP,s latest installment

 

Hey Roxy was my recruiter at Watkins...sadly i went home for personal reasons before i went on the road but she is a very friendly lady.

 

Orientation, Done!!

So today was the last and final day of orientation, I am officially an employee of System Transport, Inc. has a nice little ring to it. Although today we did do some training, but not everything I thought we were going to go over. The rest of us System guys that didn't get a chance to do the Smith System training the other day, got to do it, and have an awesome lunch at this pub downtown. Picture below, I had a BBQ chicken sandwich with provolone cheese and beer batter onion rings, courtesy of the company, awesome!!

Basically what the Smith System is, is a system of driving. It helps you to become a better and safer driver, while learning from your bad habits, to create new safer habits. I got a lot out of it today, it really was an educational experience that I would definitely apply to my driving in my own personal vehicle as well. I don't know how much extra detail I can give about it, you kind of just have to go through it to really learn what it's all about it. You can also google smith system driving and it will probably be the top of the search engine. There were four of us from System that were trainees and then two current employees. One of the guys was also the trainer for another trainee in the van, he had already done the training before, but did it again with his trainee just for the hell of it I guess. Pretty nice guy.

After the smith system training, we came back to the yard and watched a couple more videos, took a couple more tests and then went back over to see Joe (our orientation instructor). Joe signed us out and welcomed us as full time employees. We got our fuel cards (yes, plural), we have two because one works for Canada and one doesn't, but they both work for much of the same things in the states. We also got issued our driver number (or driver ID), issued our log books, issued the CVSA (basically another book on securement) and then the head man in charge of training came in and gave us our training packets. Lots of things to get signed off on before the 8 weeks is up, plus there is some computer based training you're supposed to do to, before the 8 weeks is up.

I don't have the material with me at the moment, but I do know that it goes over how much driving you are required to do with your trainer everyday for the 8 weeks. I know week one is at least 4 hours behind the wheel or 200 miles a day for the first week. Plus you are also on a curfew time as well, for the first three weeks, no driving between 12am and 6am, so your body can acclimate to the different driving hours, etc. You also MUST log every backing event you drive (driving in reverse), before your 8 weeks is up you have to have logged at a minimum of 8 hours driving in reverse, from what it sounds like, it all adds up pretty quick.

The team drivers got their trucks today and released, they already have loads too. Leo is still here, and may not be much longer...more to come on that lol.

I met my trainer today, I'm not going to put out his name unless he gives me the ok, we'll just call him Jack for right now. Jack is pretty much an older version of me, so it seems so far. Boots, wranglers, country, comedy, and stern. Had a great couple laughs with him before we went separate ways for the night. He's an O/O I haven't seen his truck yet, I'm hoping I don't grind gears much cause I know he may not like that very much lol. He said our first load leaves tomorrow, 2-24-12, to Clinton, OH. I've never been to Ohio, so I'm looking forward to it, plus I've never driven in the snow, and I think I may be getting a crash course in it pretty quickly.

We did get instruction from the head of training that we are NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE CELL PHONES IN THE CAB WHILE IN TRAINING, but the sleeper berth is ok. Which is fine by me, I don't want any kind of distraction while trying to learn what I'm doing, or while controlling 80k pounds on 18 wheels!

I feel like I'm forgetting something......eh if I remember I'll just add to this. Ok, so Leo.....

We all get back to the hotel and apparently we are the most lively and entertaining group that has come through here, according to the front desk girl, Lily ( I think). 15 minutes before me Wyatt and Keith walked into the lobby to check back in, the manager had called TSI (the mother company of System, TWT and JJ Williams) to tell Curtis about Leo having a prostitute in his room. Leo bragged about it to one of the other guys, he threw a Bu11$h!t flag on that one, but apparently it was true, because, this morning, the hooker walked out of his room in her gogo boots and nasty clothes. She's a regular. Well the manager called curtis, and he was not happy. Leo was not happy with the hotel because it was his own private thing, which I agree with to an extent, but you have to keep in mind, we are guests here and representing a company that we are going to work for, the hotel has a reputation to keep up, and if their other guests see hookers walking about, I don't think they'll keep business. So, Leo yelled at the front desk girl, said he was going to sue the hotel if he doesn't get this job with System, I just laughed.

About 2 hours later about 6 of us were down in the lobby eating pizza, saying our goodbye, laughing about our fun time we've had so far, then the front desk phone rings....Lily says "Yes sir, I'll transfer you right over" we all kinda looked and come to find out, Curtis was calling to talk to Leo!!!! At 6:30 in the evening, so that can't be good!! The team couple that was staying in the hotel for the night got caught in the elevator by Leo and were unfortunate enough to have to talk to him on the long ride down from the fourth floor. Leo asked them "Can Curtis fire me? I mean, they hired me today, so he can't do anything, right?" He told them that he had met a girl and was talking to her and she came in his room for a couple minutes, that was it...but the cameras show her leaving in the morning (I haven't seen the cameras, or video, so all you got from me is hear-say, take it as you will) and the story he told the other driver was that she was coming in all week and giving him a good time each night.

Leo says that Curtis wants to talk to him face to face in the morning, so I'm pretty much excited to see what happens, this, to me, is all comedy. How can someone be so dumb and jeopardize a great job opportunity over a little bit of raggedy (and probably infected) sex!?!? I'll admit, I love sex, but I have limits lol.

Well, that's all I have for the night. Tomorrow I leave for Ohio, wish me luck!! I'm going to try and keep everyone posted about once a week. Just follow my blog!

Stay safe!

 

Hey JP, I just had to pip in for a second. I just graduated from DTS, the school that's on the lot there at System. I'm the 15th guy that is out for surgery. I thought it was funny that someone mentioned me in passing. Shame that I'm not there to meet another TR.com guy. But I'm running for TWT as soon as I get off medical leave. You should PM me sometime.

 

Ryan, you missed an awesome and fun orientation! Lol can't write much tonight but we're in pottervile, Michigan about 3 hours early for our first drop. I'm gonna take a nap, but I'll keep y'all posted! I got plenty of pics and lots of good info for those that are interested! Stay safe!

Ryan, I sent friend request and added you to my contacts, I'll message you in a day or so. Hope you recover well from the surgery!

 

The name is Nate. Good meeting you. I look forward to hearing from you more about your system travels.

 

Those of you following my little blog I've been putting up here, the next post is coming...just kinda busy and hard to find time between sleep and learning. I have a good chunk of it written, I'll post soon enough. Or better yet, if you want to follow you can check out my blog (link below) so that way I'm not crowding this forum thread....sound good?

 

Those of you following my little blog thing I got going on here, I'm working on the next installment, jus taking sometime. If you want to follow instead of me crowding this thread you can link over to my blog by the link in my signature. Talk to y'all soon! Bedding down in Litchfield, Il tonight on our way to Santa Fe Springs, Ca.