But there is a reason they have other names use for their company...
See What I F*cked up Today,,,, Sure Wish I had a Fast Truck...
But to be fair, not all SWIFT drivers are bad, it's just that they have a lot of new drivers- like Werner...
And THIS is why experienced drivers never like to back up onto their blind side:
This is how a good driver does it. That GOAL on the bottom of his mirror is reminding him to Get Out And Look- so he doesn't end up like our friend right above this.
It used to be JB Hunt that caught all the hell. Some years back, some of us ran into a couple of Swift drivers in a bar, and they told us about their training, or lack thereof. They never actually bumped a dock, all they had to do was park the trailer in a lined out box on wide open pavement, and then park the tractor in a smaller box - but without regard to where the trailer was. No wonder they have no clue when the real world strikes.
ReplyDeletePersonally, if I can't see the rear wheels of a trailer, backing is an iffy proposition for me. Oversize loads usually block your view of where the trailer wheels are, and the only thing you can use to judge is how the front of the trailer is reacting. So, when I'm backing sixteen wide loads, I always use my pilot car to direct me on the radio. Otherwise no telling where the trailer will end up. I also do not park in tight places with an oversize - I always take two anyways.
I salute you, good sir. You oversize drivers have one helluva job. I hear it pay well, though! :D
DeleteI never had a problem with walking back to see exactly where my trailer was going.
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving me nightmares!
ReplyDeleteA few observations:
Why be a dick and laugh at a poor slob who is fucking up? Help him. Teach him. Mentor him.
I was lucky to have OJT from a patient and experienced driver who cared. I didn't feel I was ready to safely solo for months. I had a lot of questions, and I wasn't afraid to ask them.
I was also fortunate that the company I worked for at the time of the OJT gave me all the time I needed. (I think they knew if I remained a warehouse worker I was gonna go postal!)
Luxuries I will always be thankful for...
I love me some blind-siding. I do it two or three times a day (only because I must)...and I'm pretty good at it...but I drive a daycab/48' box. Blind-siding a condo/53' is another story sometimes.
Recon like a MFer. Gotta eyeball the area and know what you're seeing, what it means, and what could happen. Dude who did the 180 and harshed the conventional cab plumb run outta talent. Trailer tandems were too far forward also. That rear end will swing into another county with that setup.
GOAL- Yes. I do it. I don't care who is inconvenienced. I deliver auto parts to high-end foreign dealers. Parking lots full of Jags, Audis, BMWs, Porsches, etc. Homie ain't gonna scratch one of them for anybody.
Yes there are ignorant and incompetent steering wheel holders. It ain't just Swift/JB/Werner/England.