Question:
I was terminated from Swift yesterday after a month on the road solo. I would like any suggestions on what to do next. I was terminated for accidents. 3 preventable. 2 while in training and 1 my first night out solo. They were all in parking lots at night; they sent me to retraining last Friday and terminated me yesterday. The reason was insurance hazard. I love what I'm doing and I did over 13,000 miles my first and only solo month. None of the accidents were over $1000 and I even offered to pay just stay employed. The problem was I didn't understand how to use the mirrors and was looking at other reflections at night. Well on my own practicing by myself I figured out how to park at night. Yes I know that I caused the accidents, do you have any suggestions, because they have told they will put these on my DAC."if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything"

Answer:
About all you can do is start putting in applications and be honest about all your accidents, but I would not hold out too much hope for finding work. Lets face it 3 preventable accidents in 2-3 months or so does not look good, and the excuse of "I did not know how to use my mirrors" is not going to cut it.
One thing though. It could be that driving is not a career you are really suited for. It might be in your best intrest to start thinking about a plan B.
Sorry if this sounds cold but using the force is not an option when it comes to driving a truck.
Answer:
try working for a local company. Local companies are more lenient, more desperate and usually do not pull a dac report. Your lack of experience will be what hurts you most.
Answer:
UTurn is just trying to be nice....I won't---------Give It Up!!!!
By the way; did Swift train you (their school)?It's apparent this place is never going to change....then again; why should it? It gets the clientel it deserves.
Bette Midler

Answer:
Two accidents while in training?Where was your trainer?Oh I forgot,you said you worked for Swift--he must have been in the sleeper.
You see when you train at Swift you and your trainer are supposed to run like a team.NOT.
Tip #1.GOAL(Get Out And Look) !!
Tip#2.When in doubt Get Out And Look!!
Tip#3.Get Out And Look anyway!!
Answer:
Here's more info from the Jedi in April of this year:
I’m writing this thread to enlighten and educate about Swift’s training program. I myself thought long and hard about which Company and where to go for training. I based my decision on my: 1. My financial need for employment; 2. Where my home is located (who will hire me based on where I live, big factor I found out later); 3. My level of experience (Zero); 4. The amount of the loan to pay back (about $3200 with Swift if you stay with them for two years you pay back nothing, if not they will prorate the amount owed by how long you were employed with them.); 5. The amount of money new graduates make. 6. My driving history, I have 3 tickets; Speeding under 10 mph’s in the last three years and they will all go away in Dec 04, but I can’t wait that long. 7. Career progression, I don’t switch companies, I like the security of employment (Retried from my last employer or I’d still be there.
With that record, you're probably done in the industry. If you look at the DOT stats on safety and find a bad carrier that has drivers w/o licenses and such, you'd probably be a step up and could get hired--but that is a long shot.

Answer:
JediKnight......
It looks like you will be looking for something else to do after this. When most companies look at your DAC, that all she wrote. How can you have two accidents in training and not be terminated then. Thats hard to understand, what was your trainer doing when you had these accidents? Did you tell your trainer that you didn't understand the mirrors?
The Governer said it right about Get out and look if not sure whats behind you. Nobody will say anything to you for doing it...

Answer:

That's all the MORE REASON to (G)et(O)ut (A)nd (L)ook!!!

It doesn't look like you need to even waste your time looking until AFTER December 2004.(since that's when all of those speeding tickets will drop off.)
Unfortunately, whatever they put on your DAC WILL REMAIN there indefinately.
When you do start looking, I suggest you try some of the LOCAL outfits in your area or maybe try some of the grocery warehouses or department store warehouses in your area.(these places usually have shag driver positions available.)
You can also check the TEMP AGENCIES in your area.(although, they usually require a CLEAN MVR)
You can also try dump trking or end dumping.(this is what I currently do.)

Answer:
I'd suggest looking for a job that does not require driving at all.
By your own accord you are somewhat of a menace behind
any wheel. Some folks are just not meant to be "drivers".
Answer:
You could always try C.R. England im sure your record is better than 80% of there current drivers Theres really no excuse to back into anything ..get out and look.
Charles

Answer:
Why not drive a cab? I dont ride in them, nobody i knows rides in cabs so they are safe. You have a big advantage already the fact that you can type english, i will figure that you can type as well. You should have gotten out and looked
Crazycracker

Answer:
I'm sorry to hear about your troubles, Jedi. I am in my second week of a seven week CDL school. The instructors have already informed my class that once we get a permit, we are expected to "hit the range" and practice backing skills no matter how boring it gets. If we have nothing to do in the classroom, then we are to be in the trucks. I watched students get yelled at for standing around and not doing their backing drills. I hope I can avoid a similar situation as yours by practicing until it hurts the seat of my pants.

Answer:
Jedi,
I'll give you one more piece of advice and this goes for all "noobs".
Not sure exactly how to explain it but other more experienced drivers will know what I mean and either you'll get it or you won't.
When backing, its the trailer you are driving not the power unit and the proper set-up is paramount to getting the trailer to go where you want it to.
Even though you are moving at a very slow speed ,backing accidents can cause alot of damage.But none of this matters if you don't GOAL.
Best of luck to you but more than likely your done driving tractor/trailers at least for a few years to come.
I know exactly how you feel as I started with Swift and I too backed into another drivers truck in a truck stop and the primary reason why was because I did'nt Get Out And Look.I'll NEVER make that mistake again.
Answer:
If you don’t know where every inch of that trailer and tractor are, and what is within 3 feet of it at all times, you need to be out of the truck, on the ground, and finding out what and where everything is.
As forgiving as Swift is; if you told them you don’t know how to use mirrors, I can understand why they sent you packing. (Avoiding the oblivious question: if you don’t know how to use mirrors, why are you backing in the first place?) I fought glare in the mirrors, solution is G.O.A.L. If you can’t see what you’re doing, you need out of the cab looking.
You were guessing and taking chances, and now, you’re done. Swift does report to DAC.
-JHappy Dwellers Society
Company Driver Division

Answer:
No one can blame this on Swift or even the trainer.
I started with Swift 5 years ago or so. I had a lousy trainer. In essence I was used as free labor on his Kmart dedicated run.
Since that time I have had only 1 extremely minor backing accident (hit a shut off valve that was hanging from the cieling in a garage dock even though I practiced goal on that back about 20 times.)
There is always some one to blame but more often than not the real person who needs to take the blame is the one doing the blaming.....aka the person who screwed up in the first place. .