Okay I Am In Utter Need Of Help!!! I Have Been Out, You Guess It 2.5 Years...ugh.

Okay so where do I start? Hmm. Well he goes everything. So I went to CDS Tractor Trailer training and got my CDL after 3 tries praise the Lord! I then after just about a month found my first trucking job with Swift Transportation of Richmond, VA. I was trained a slim 201 hours in the truck with a mentor. He was great with everything but the backing up training and the trip planning from a truck atlas. Given that I battled immensely with backing up and got better, but I had one parking lot accident that did not get me a ticket or citation but some truck damage to the aerodynamics in the rear. Then while I was backing up to a trailer I backed into it because it was not low enough to the fifth wheel. Before that I had a prehistory I had to turn in and then one in the trailer yard mishap as I was looking for my next load. That amounts to just about 5 accidents on the dac while I was driving for Swift Transportation. I place and take full responsibility for my part but do place blame on the trainer for his part in the insufficient training. Now 2.5 years down the road I had gotten a job at Lowes in Winchester, VA working as a unloader and then in September of 2018 I went to the School of Discipleship and got a diploma of completion. I got saved and I am living way more free than I did before. Now I want to get back into the trucking business and have applied to two companies but cannot get them to hire me. Where is the application that was on TruckingTruth.com? I need to apply to everything. I also think Avery Express is one I am going to apply for too. I am just so discouraged. I have a clean record ever since 2015 and I have paid careful attention to detail. Now I can write 0’s where it talks about traffic violations and accidents. But I seriously need your help. I also was not sure how to log into my account either.

Thanks, Sincerely Victor Canfield II

place and take full responsibility for my part but do place blame on the trainer for his part in the insufficient training.

That's a bit contradictory. You say you accept full responsibility but IN THE SAME SENTENCE blame the trainer. Blaming the trainer will prevent you from being hired anywhere so leave that out. Instead tell them what you learned from your accidents. If I read your post correctly you haven't driven in 2.5 years? You likely need to go back through school. I cant recall how long you drove but I highly doubt it was long enough for just a "refresher" course. Here is the link i think you're looking Apply For Truck Driving Jobs. You may want to Apply For Paid CDL Training

Well that's true, I had up to 5 months of experience. I will remember that 100% to tell them that I learned from my mistakes. But should not the trainer take responsibility too?

But should not the trainer take responsibility too?

Was he the one driving when you hit something?

If I followed your post correctly you had 5 accidents in 5 months? If so I doubt anyone will hire you, maybe try Western Express or CR England they are your best hope but do not hold your breath.

Plus it's been 2.5 years since you drove so you will need to redo school as your CDL is stable in more ways than one.

But should not the trainer take responsibility too?

No, you are responsible. Did you voice your feelings about your trainer and ask for a different one? If I remember correctly you are the driver who G-Town kept telling "it's your training. Own it". Nobody felt they were ready to be solo, or that they had enough backing practice when training was done. You hit trailers because you didnt GOAL. Had you GOALED you'd not have damaged the aerodynamics on the trailer, and you would have seen your trailer was too high. I'm not sure about Swifts school, but the private school I went to emphasized when hooking up back up until your 5th wheel is just under the trailer and GOAL to ensure your trailer is at proper height and the skid plate is present and not damaged ("bird one" didnt do that and luckily didnt damage the equipment, cant find the thread right now). What I do is before hooking to a trailer I'll back partially under it and before hooking ensure the height is good, skid plate is present and good condition, and verify I'm taking the correct trailer. I'd hate to hook up then realize I grabbed the wrong one! Old School has talked many times about how his trainer didnt teach him hardly anything. I wasnt around here when he went through training but I doubt he blamed any mishaps on his trainer. At the end of the day YOU had those accidents not your trainer. Sorry if I come across as harsh.

Welcome back by the way.

Well here is the good news, I am working with Pam Transport to do schooling through them. My contract of course is 12 months. Not bad. Roehl wants 15. I am not sure what TMC would want they have not gotten back to me yet over the live chat. I recognize in front of all you experienced drivers, that my history of driving is not exactly pristine, but I want a second chance and I will do anything to get that back. I hate to admit that I sometimes have regrets about not making them tell me no when it came down to better companies than Swift and I know some on here will resent I said that but it is true. Swift alone is great but not their trainers.

But should not the trainer take responsibility too?

Was he the one driving when you hit something?

If I followed your post correctly you had 5 accidents in 5 months? If so I doubt anyone will hire you, maybe try Western Express or CR England they are your best hope but do not hold your breath.

Plus it's been 2.5 years since you drove so you will need to redo school as your CDL is stable in more ways than one.

Rob, why are you sorry for telling me the truth? I am grateful that people like you exist. But yes I had those damages and it was my fault. Although I did get out and goal many times throughout the five months that was one that I had not really gotten out much. My bad. But who would you suggest I go get a job with? More schooling? Thanks for the help! and thanks I did miss the comradery here!

But should not the trainer take responsibility too?

No, you are responsible. Did you voice your feelings about your trainer and ask for a different one? If I remember correctly you are the driver who G-Town kept telling "it's your training. Own it". Nobody felt they were ready to be solo, or that they had enough backing practice when training was done. You hit trailers because you didnt GOAL. Had you GOALED you'd not have damaged the aerodynamics on the trailer, and you would have seen your trailer was too high. I'm not sure about Swifts school, but the private school I went to emphasized when hooking up back up until your 5th wheel is just under the trailer and GOAL to ensure your trailer is at proper height and the skid plate is present and not damaged ("bird one" didnt do that and luckily didnt damage the equipment, cant find the thread right now). What I do is before hooking to a trailer I'll back partially under it and before hooking ensure the height is good, skid plate is present and good condition, and verify I'm taking the correct trailer. I'd hate to hook up then realize I grabbed the wrong one! Old School has talked many times about how his trainer didnt teach him hardly anything. I wasnt around here when he went through training but I doubt he blamed any mishaps on his trainer. At the end of the day YOU had those accidents not your trainer. Sorry if I come across as harsh.

Welcome back by the way.

Well here is the good news, I am working with Pam Transport to do schooling through them. My contract of course is 12 months. Not bad. Roehl wants 15. I am not sure what TMC would want they have not gotten back to me yet over the live chat. I recognize in front of all you experienced drivers, that my history of driving is not exactly pristine, but I want a second chance and I will do anything to get that back. I hate to admit that I sometimes have regrets about not making them tell me no when it came down to better companies than Swift and I know some on here will resent I said that but it is true. Swift alone is great but not their trainers.

But should not the trainer take responsibility too?

Was he the one driving when you hit something?

If I followed your post correctly you had 5 accidents in 5 months? If so I doubt anyone will hire you, maybe try Western Express or CR England they are your best hope but do not hold your breath.

Plus it's been 2.5 years since you drove so you will need to redo school as your CDL is stable in more ways than one.

I'd be willing to bet that TMC and Roehl will say no. As for Swift trainers, you need to stop going on about that. A company of that size doesn't get there by cutting corners and being mediocre. Maybe you had a bad trainer, it happens. But it's up to you to either fix it or make the best of it. You had those accidents because you made lazy choices. It's that simple. And if I understand you right, you quit. It's a miracle Swift didn't can you. It's a testament to their investment in you. Now, you expect a company with nothing vested in you to give you a shot when they have no skin in the game?

I don't think you'll have much success any where you go because you refuse to acknowledge that these preventables were your fault. The best trainers in the world can't replace a GOAL.

I hate to admit that I sometimes have regrets about not making them tell me no when it came down to better companies than Swift and I know some on here will resent I said that but it is true. Swift alone is great but not their trainers.

There are bad trainers, and great trainers for every company out there. We happen to have an excellent trainer for Swift on the board (Big T). Unfortunately unless the company receives several complaints about a trainer they're unaware of how he/she treats their students. That is why it's important to be honest when you're asked by driver development, or whatever swift calls it, about your experiences.

But who would you suggest I go get a job with? More schooling?

short answer? Anybody that will take you. Apply to companies that typically hire recent grads or have their own school. I dont think your previous driving experience will give you more companies to choose from. As I said before I'd be willing to bet you will need to redo school given the time away from the truck as well as the accidents. I dont think 5 months experience is long enough to qualify for a refresher instead of the whole schooling. Were you terminated from Swift or did you quit?

There you go again, blaming the trainer for your shortcomings. If you refuse to accept responsibility for your prior poor decisions, you will again fail.