The Swift Shaft

I didn't see where the OP said CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE.. He said NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE. And the court saw, under the circumstances, to give him a years probation. That doesn't sound like the big deal that you say should disqualify him.

Keep looking, SWIFT is, for the most part, a joke, it might be the best thing that happened to you. Does the school have any suggestions?

 

All that BOLD AND LARGER TEXT and you didn't read the OP's post did you? criminally negligent homicide is a lot different than negligent homicide!

What part of "front tire blow out" did you NOT understand? Heck sonny boy, These truck driving mills don't even teach these trainees how to handle a steering tire blow out so how do you figure a 19 year old from way back in 1979 would know how to handle one in his car? The ONLY safety flick I know of was made back in 1990 or in that time zone and was titled "Steering tire blowout and how to handle it" Not to many schools show it nor do trucking companies! I HIGHLY recommend that it be a main feature at both locations!

I've seen where PROFESSIONAL drivers do the EXACT wrong thing when a steer blows out and that's to hit the brakes which throws them into the ditch on the side of the blowout. STAY OFF THE BRAKES when you have a steering tire blow out and just ride it out and you'll stay out of a ditch and out of the side of whoever is beside you. EVEN in a curve!

Now screenman:
I would not worry about Swift. They did you a favor by not hiring you. The same for Stevens, CR England, Knight and a few of the other bottom feeders! Just look for a smaller company that might take you on and stay away from these larger 1000 truck monsters! Hell that accident was so far back in history that it shouldn't matter but you need to get a copy of the court papers (if you can) so you can show them to prospective employers. a lot of these companies are taking DUI's that are 10 years old and I was even recruiting for one that dropped that down to 6 years! Go Figure. If they can't do the math or understand those charges (like duanedragon) then that is a job not worth having. Don't sweat it as you live in TX and as soon as all the Arrow guys are all hired you'll get on somewhere.

Good luck
Rollover

 

so true. stay off the brakes is the best thing for a blow out.

 

I work for Swift, I don't find it a joke at all. So thanks to all those that do NOT work for Swift but feel the ever pressing need to insult us all. Kiss my foot.

To the OP. I'm so sorry that you weren't informed in a timely manner. That, in my personal opinion was wrong of the recruiter. I believe that like many of us you experienced a terrible thing as a young person. I don't know the particulars but I'm going to believe that because it was 31 years ago and you have nothing else like that on your record that you have become a fine and upstanding person. Well done. Many people would have been destroyed and never risen again. You rose above the past. Again: well done!

I wish Swift had given you the oportunity, and I do not know what the criteria is that they used to not hire you. I do know that even students (like myself) that went through the Swift school are not promised a job until AFTER completing orientation. (orientation follows the school and all the testing)

I am so thrilled that you found something else quickly and that it will be a wonderful experience for you.

Please keep us informed?

 

I hope you are right, but I think you are being overly optimistic.
Companies always need the best drivers they can get and wages have been stagnant or declining on the whole lately.
Instead of higher wages we will be told how fortunate we are to have a job.
Maybe we are.

 

Sorry about your freind there guy.That must been pretty tough. Just the same, you were charged with criminally negligent homicide.I guess you were convicted of it too since you served probation for it.

That's some pretty heavy stuff.Real heavy.Most trucking companies are going to avoid taking on a driver who was convicted of negligence,who's negligence caused the death of another person.You can't really blame them.

To their way of thinking, you have a track record (no matter how far in the distant past) that raises all kinds of red flags.It's all about money and they see you as potentially costing them millions of dollars.They ain't gonna touch you.

You can keep looking,and good luck with that.But I have a feeling you are in for a long hard road, full of obstacles you may be unlikely to overcome..

Good luck just the same. It's a shame you didn't run that by a trucking company before you dropped all that money on a school.

 

My question is how can somebody be charged with neglgent homicide due to a tire blow out. Was he driving on defective tires? You would think that a tire blowing out waqs not something that could be predicted.

Was there something else involved, Maybe excessive speed or reckless driving.

 

Stay off the brake and accelerate until you have it under control.The flat tire is causing drag and that is what is pulling you to that side.speeding(a little) will over come the drag and allow you control of the truck until you cab stop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIkNi9lqTLU