The start of my first year with Swift.

My beautiful bride stayed up and gave me a ride to the truck at 0100 hours. I got the load to SLC on time. I lucked out and was able to get the LCQ class done as well.

Now the LCQ class is basically driving a local truck for Swift while the local delivery guy "trains" you. I have to admit I did learn something. He showed me more about backing than my mentor ever did. The trainer was a nice guy and really easy to get along with. The down side to the class, and something no one tells you, is that you don't get paid while taking it. So, for curbing a tire I was chewed out by two people in Sumner, given a written counseling, it was reported to DAC as a preventable crash, I had to take an online class, and do the unpaid LCQ class using up driving hours. New folks, that's what you have to look forward to should get a PC. Pay attention!!

I'm now sitting in line to get my B Service. I was told it wouldn't be done until tomorrow. If I'm lucky I get to sleep in my truck tonight and not go to the hotel to stay with a roommate.

I saw one of the guys I went to the academy with. He said he's been averaging 3000 miles a week since he went solo. Certainly not my experience.

 

Good LORD, this SLC has jumped to the top of my worst terminal list. I pulled my truck into the "quick lane" at about 1200 hours. At around 1330 they got me in to do the paper work so I could get my oil changed. From there I was sent back to wait in another lane. At 1500 I was given a bay to pull in and told it would be done at 1600. At 1630 I went to check and no one was working on it. At 1645 I talked to a guy who said he would be working on it soon. I told him I had been up for nearly 24 hours and if he wasn't going to be done shortly I wanted to go to the hotel. He said no he would be done by 1800. At 1800 I go back and he's over talking to another mechanic at a different truck. He tells me he'll be done at 2000. I go back at 1930 and he's no where to be seen. I wait around and he shows up telling me he hasn't started yet but will be done by 2030. At 2030 I go back and he says it will be another 45 minutes. I'll be calling my DL tomorrow after I get up. I'm sure it won't do any good.

 

I finally got my truck out of the shop at about 2145. I had my PTA set out for 0730 and I hit the rack at about 2200. I slept until 0645. It's been a long time since I slept that long. My truck bed is starting to feel like home and with the fan running I sleep pretty good.

I got up this morning starving. If you can help it, don't eat any of the junk they have in the terminals. There were several drivers in the lounge just pounding down the junk food and they were gigantic. I have no idea how the passed the DOT physical. I got up this morning and made oatmeal with peanut butter.

So when I went to get my truck, the guy working on it said there was a cd stuck in the stereo and he had to get it out. I asked him why he put one in since the shop had written it up to replace the stereo because the cd ejector didn't work. That is what was causing the check engine light that no one else could diagnose. I had explained it in detail to the guy who wrote up the order. I don't listen to cd's so it didn't matter to me. The guy just shrugged and said the order didn't say that.

They did put on new steer tires. This was a last minute plan by someone who finally looked at my right steer and decided I shouldn't be driving on it. This is the third shop to look at them. I was told Swift had problems with the Commercial brand tires they had been putting on steers and they no longer use them.

Still no load and it doesn't look promising for today.

 

If you talked to my wife she would agree with you. I'm certain this is my punishment for a misspent youth.

 

I'm now in Wichita Falls, TX. I got a load out of SLC and it was luck that got me the load. They had preplanned a load on me for delivery on the 3rd in Hurricane, UT. The problem was that the load was still on the rail somewhere between Chicago and SLC. The planners wanted the load kept on me and have me wait. The planner in SLC took the load off of me and gave me this one. It's the longest run I've had in a long time. Because I was going to have to drive through Dallas/FT. Worth traffic at 1600 on a Friday, I sent in a running late macro and explained there was no way I was going to make it with only 45 minutes of extra driving time on my clock. They rescheduled the delivery for 0300 tomorrow so that was good.

The planners must have figured out I was going to be out of hours after this so they gave me a load to KS and it's set to pickup after I do my 34 at the Lancaster terminal. I hope it's a good terminal. I was only there once to get DEF and it was packed. I do know it's hard to find and people miss the turn. The last time I ended up in a residential area. I'm going to try and not make that mistake again.

Good news, it looks like I will get a $250 performance bonus on the 9th. Now that's not all that great since my buddy started a week after me and his is over $300, but it's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

 

I'm guessing you took an advance for something and they deducted it from you pay. I've never seen it on my pay stub. Perhaps someone else knows.