Profile For G-Town

OMG.

Mik, the reason that function was disabled is because the information exchanged between two forum members is likely to benefit others.

My suggestion is email Brett to see if he can help you with this.

Cool beans! Congratulations Grumpy.

Rob D has read...

At the same time, you have mentioned several times how much you enjoy what you do.

Absolutely true...

Rob D wrote...

G-town and Bruce,

Didn't mean to start a fire storm.

Just reiterating Bruce's anecdotal point that people like to dislike the "big guys."

using the internet

Rob...you did not create a firestorm. Not even close...

Of everything I said, here is the "newbie driver" takeaway:

All that said; I am a far better truck driver and "grew-up" faster as a result of driving on the WalMart Dedicated account than I would have otherwise. I would not trade it for anything. Same holds true for the nucleolus of drivers I work with. Indeed its an unappealing churn to most. Like I said as it applies to all of the WM vendors and service providers (like Swift and their drivers), adjust quickly, perform or fail fast.

Today marks my 6th year anniversary as a Swift driver. End of May will be my 6th year on the Walmart Dedicated account. I have never felt like I had a "double-whammy" on me, as you put it. The overwhelming majority of the information you read about Swift and the other so-called starter companies is pure fiction, written by former employees who for a variety of reasons failed, ducking all accountability and responsibility. They blame the company for their failure. My very first question to someone spewing venom like that; "do you currently work for Swift?" Most of the time the answer is no. I thank them saying; "that's what I thought" and I walk away. I do my job...that's what most Swift drivers do. There are close to 17,000 of us, so there is bound to be highly visible mistakes that others will use as evidence in support of their "Swift Stories". Here are a couple of blog links that address NOT using the general internet for researching trucking industry topics and dispelling the myth that Swift is a bottom-feeder starter company.

Web of Lies and Misinformation

Working For Your Starter Company Beyond the 1st Year

Take a look.

Thanks, GT, you hit the nail with your head. I’m still learning every time I back up and have a long ways to go, but I’m trying to pay close attention and improve on my set ups, as you say. Sometimes I will nail a back up perfectly then the next time I struggle, so the consistency is not there yet but is gradually improving.

Can you give more detail about the illumated ground markers. That sounds like something I should be using. Are you talking about flashlights?

A small flashlight will do. It will really help you at night.

GT, sorry for posting something offensive to you. I have the utmost respect for you and do not like to or want to butt heads with you.

Sorry, I was heavy-handed, but definitely not offended. There are many Mom & Pop stores that were put ot of business because of HD, WalMart, etc. but "we", the consumer set the stage for that to occur, and the brilliance of WalMart took full advantage of it, redefining how a generation of consumers buy goods and services. Besides as you know, I like a good scrum once in a while...

No need to apologize and not butting heads with you. I was merely trying to set the record straight based on ALL of the facts and also request we try and stick to trucking. It's not just "us" reading this stuff...hundreds of newbies every day that want to learn about trucking and how to effectively enter the industry.

Read the book, you might enjoy it.

Bruce wrote:

My issues mainly have to do with low light situations, like dusk and when it’s overcast.

I think all of us more senor drivers deal with this. I wear corrective glasses (to 20/10) with a non-glare coating to enhance my night vision. Very effective. I use to wear contacts for driving, and switched to glasses for the very points you mentioned. I agree, err on the side of safety "always".

But I strongly believe your backing challenges will be resolved once you gain the experience necessary so this type of skill becomes intuitive requiring less thought. When I started, my backing was barely average...and then there was "WalMart, a significant wake-up call that shifted my focus to the set-up more so than the backing. This was discovered by watching the WMPF drivers perfect and efficient execution of backing scenarios I struggled with. Now most of my backs are much simpler because I have learned how-to set-up for an infinite number of angles and spaces. This is what will occur over time, possibly years, after thousands of repetitions. Yes, I said thousands.

Try to be patient and consider using an illuminated ground marker to help with night maneuvering on a dark dock or lot.

Good luck with the eye exam and have them check you for cataracts. I've got the start of one, but not ready for surgery just yet.

Bruce why do you insist on escalating non-trucking type exchanges, sprinkling them with anecdotal truth as if it were fact?

Rob, don’t be so quick to heap praise on WalMart . They don’t just have good business practices, they have ruthless business practices. Do some research and get a balanced viewpoint. I have some dear friends that were put out of business because WalMart came to town. Vlasic Pickles was bankrupted by WalMart. I’m not trying to start a debate here, but I know WalMart is a love/ hate type of company.

"Yesterday's Newspaper", decades old "Brick and Mortar" media headlines. Get real here...

Vlasic was already in serious financial trouble and operationally under-performing years before Campbell's Soup cut corporate ties with them. WalMart did NOT bankrupt them, it was inevitable. Please stop spreading superficial crap like this.

Every piece of credible documentation specifically written on this subject will support my point. Oversimplified truth; Vlasic did not consider the long-term affect on their profitability and production capacity before they decided to allow WalMart to sell gallon jars of pickles for under $3 in 2400+ retail stores. Consumer demand quickly outstripped supply. If you objectively study the Walmart model, the long term affect of providing products and services to them is a game of survival. Either adjust and aggressively adopt a continuous improvement strategy or fail. Simple. It's the essence of consumer driven economics. As a society, a dynamic we have all contributed to with little understanding of how it affects US based manufacturing production jobs and arguably the underlying roots of off-shore production. WalMart is only delivering what we, the consumer demands. Lots of stuff, readily available under one big-box roof, and dirt cheap.

And the mere mention of ruthless business practices immediately draws my focus to WalMart's #1 threat, Amazon. Amazon is to us now in 2019 what WalMart was to the retail business in the 90's. The major difference? Withouth the costly customer facing brick and mortar stores and the employees. Amazon is far scarier and potentially culturally disruptive than WalMart could ever be. If you don't believe me (which I expect Bruce won't), I encourage you to read the book entitled "The Four', the Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google". WalMart is a mere footnote in the text...a dinosaur on it's way to present-form extinction. A taste of their own medicine perhaps.

All that said; I am a far better truck driver and "grew-up" faster as a result of driving on the WalMart Dedicated account than I would have otherwise. I would not trade it for anything. Same holds true for the nucleolus of drivers I work with. Indeed its an unappealing churn to most. Like I said as it applies to all of the WM vendors and service providers (like Swift and their drivers), adjust quickly, perform or fail fast.

Bruce, I agree with OS.

It's not your eyes, otherwise you'd never have passed the eye tests administered during the DOT medical exam. Practice and repetition will cure that which ails you.

Raptor gnawing on the bone...

And definately go back to a standard tranny. If you can't drive a stick than find another line of work. Or master it. You didn't just wake up when you were learning to walk and start running. It takes practice. My only positive thing to say about autoshift is when I'm in traffic. No other positive response from me. Sorry G-town..........

Raptor

Offering an edict like “learn to shift or find another line of work”? Just plain silly considering the majority of hiring companies are taking a path in direct opposition to that train if thought and our mission here is to assist and encourage newbies.

Many things affect average MPG including the driver’s experience with auto-shift technology, weight, terrain, and wind.

With all due respect Raptor, you haven’t been using it that long, I average 7.0 and always run heavy at or above 40k in very hilly terrain, in urban NE Regional traffic.

Anyone reading this for the first time, please consider that part of our job as a professional driver is to master the tools we are given by our employers including the transmissions installed in our trucks.

G-town, is that a company supplied mounted camera or one you got yourself? Brand and model if you have that info? Thanks

Swift company issued. “Lytx” is the camera technology.

Bruce wrote:

Perhaps someone with the technical ability can post a screen shot of both sides of the cheat sheet for everyone to see and confirm that we have one.

It’s advisable to also discuss this with your driver leader/fleet manager. Each company may have a proprietary process plus the potential for different e-log technology.

Exactly why I’m glad I have a camera with a manual upload button (aka the “oh sh** switch”) to collect court admissible evidence on idiots like you described.

Hey Rick...good to see you back on the forum. G

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This was in the last update about road instruction:

That could mean shifting from Drive to Reverse, etc. I just want to confirm Manual or Auto. That does not confirm it to me.

Maybe, but I don’t think so.

“Drive to Reverse” in an autoshift is a twist of a knob. I can explain it in 10 seconds.

Why is this so important to you?

Mr Techit asked:

So a quick question. Are the training trucks Auto or manual? I know I heard somewhere they were switched to Auto, but can you confirm or deny this for me? Thanks!

This was in the last update about road instruction:

The instructor covered shifting, operating the vehicle, and several other things...

Lol Mr. Professor X started training 4 months ago and he changed his profile to experienced driver. That tells us everything about him.

Just noticed that. We’ll get Brett to change it to something more appropriate.

Third post...

Thanks for the picture and the article, but if you read my post I already know all that.

Could have fooled me...you were asking for help, information and if you “already knew that”, you would not have asked if it had anything to do with the “air” brake system. I suggest that you reread your initial post and explain how my response missed the mark.

Implied in the name...”Diesel Exhaust Fluid”; totally unrelated to the brakes. It’s not a fuel additive, stored in a separate tank and injected after initial combustion.

Got any more questions I can answer incorrectly?

God Bless and Best Wishes for a speedy recovery.