Driver With Multiple Preventables In First Few Months But Clean Record Recently

You don't have to stand up every time you change lanes to the right, but in heavy traffic, it would be wise to take an extra couple of seconds or so to check all mirrors AGAIN and to raise up a few inches in case that front mirror doesn't catch a passenger vehicle in that front corner. Something to consider is possibly raising your seat to give yourself a better view of all the areas around your truck. Without being able to see you in your seat and its position, I don't know if you are in the optimal position, but raising the seat is something you may need to consider.

I sit on the floor and have done so in almost every truck I’ve ever driven and the only accident I’ve ever had was a little parking lot ding when I was brand new to driving and had nothing to do with my sitting position. All my trucks except my current truck all had hood mirrors as well. If you have hood mirrors and have all your mirrors adjusted properly you shouldn’t really have any blind spots except behind your trailer. Just make sure you’re checking the mirrors before moving over and take it slowly to make sure you didn’t miss anything because we’re all human and miss things sometimes.

If the six mirrors are adjusted correctly, the only "blind spots are directly behind the trailer and five feet from the front bumper. After four Preventable's with Schneider, it's no surprise you were fired. With that on your record, you were incredibly fortunate to be given a chance with W.E. Only once you accept complete responsibility for each of these accidents you were involved in will you show progress. You still don't after reading your latest response, though.

I take full responsibility for not having the adequate experience yet that led me to getting into all 4 of the rookie preventables that occurred in month 2 and month 9 and month 10 of being a brand new CDL driver. Being put in situations where I was rushed and didn’t have adequate time or adequate training had nothing to do with my 4 preventables. Because no brand new driver ever has made a mistake. There I have stated it. Does that make all of you feel better? Did I learn anything from those 4 preventables? Absolutely! My most 12 months of a clean record shows that I have in my opinion but since it was mentioned that I didn’t state what adjustments I made after each preventable, I will state them now. Preventable #1. Never chase after a mule jockey and always be aware of your surroundings and objects that you might hit and always drive slow in a dist. yard. Preventable #2. Park that empty trailer you were supposed to take away in one of the unoccupied docks so it would not be in the way of backing the loaded trailer and get out and look more often, especially if you are doing a blind side alley dock back into a tight receiving area. Also take it very slow when backing into a tight spot even if the clutch keeps over heating causing you to shut down your engine to wait 7 minutes for it to cool. Don’t care about BoJangle customers being made to wait because mentioning them just makes you sound silly to a safety director. Incedent #3. Don’t take your navigation device literally. When it says “stay left” that often just means proceed straight and don’t get off at the approaching exit on the right. Also when possible just always stay in the right lane and then you won’t have a blind spot issue. Also take 10 full seconds counting slowly 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi before even proceeding to start changing lanes and also take the extra time to double check all your mirrors before starting to slowly transition to your right lane. Also adjust all your right mirrors to point as far right as possible and downward to catch someone sitting low and next to your steer wheel on the right. Take the whole full 10 seconds to transition to the right lane will give anyone around the time to not be in your way just in case you don’t see them. Also newer trucks unlike the one Schneider gave you now are equipped with lane change accident avoidance warnings sensors. Preventable #4. If ever a client rejects a delivery at the last minute asking you to redo a drop and hook that you just completed then call your dispatch and tell them to send someone else to complete that task even if you are stuck with no time left on your clock having to overnight at that customer and no pay because the client just rejected your delivery because one of their employees overlooked some remaining merchandise still left in the trailer that was supposed to be empty. Above and beyond everything, looking back is 20/20 and now you should understand that a truck drivers MVR is their worth in this industry so bend over backwards if you have to, to protect your MVR and NOT get into any preventables period otherwise your peers in this group will make sure you feel like a dumbazz for doing so LOL.

If the six mirrors are adjusted correctly, the only "blind spots are directly behind the trailer and five feet from the front bumper. After four Preventable's with Schneider, it's no surprise you were fired. With that on your record, you were incredibly fortunate to be given a chance with W.E. Only once you accept complete responsibility for each of these accidents you were involved in will you show progress. You still don't after reading your latest response, though.

Aside from your impertinent comments. Yes, do protect your CDL. Your record in this industry determines your value.

Why do so many here keep mentioning taking personal responsibility? Think about this for a minute, if you see your friend about to drive off the proverbial cliff, you say something to him before he does. It may seem like people raking you over the coals, but in reality, it's experienced people trying to give you successful methods.

The truth isn't always comfortable to hear, but when you consider the amount of experience here, many of which are top teir professional drivers, why not accept that truth and better your life.

We donate our time here and give freely, not because we think we're superior but because we genuinely want to help. It's totally up to you, just as your success or failure is, if you want to accept that help.

I’m not going to beat a dead horse here because others have Said what needs to be said very well.

It’s probably to your long term advantage to stay with Western. However, if you want a possible alternative, you can try the company I drive for, JS Helwig out of Terrell, TX. They are still hiring and seem to be very reasonable about previous preventable accidents and require at minimum 6 months experience.

I started out with Schneider and also had 4 preventable incidents. I didn’t get fired but your experience and mine are remarkably similar.

Oh, I might add that nobody should have to be told to go slow during an alley dock maneuver or any other backing procedure. That is just common sense and self preservation.

Done with this one.

As you discovered accidents happen when you rush things. Everyone elses comments were spot on. One thing that sticks out to me though is that you say

I can say the one thing Schneider did NOT teach me in driving academy was that it’s extremely important to take your time when you are doing an alley dock back and do it as slow as possible.

Why wouldn't you take it slow? I'm coming up on 6 years of driving. I'll take my time and go slow even doing a straight back. What's the rush? When you have a busy day, driving is NOT where you can make up "lost" time. You make up that lost time by being more efficient in everything you're doing. If youre doing store deliveries grab your drinks/bathroom breaks there so you dont need to on the road. Fuel up at the end of your day if possible so you dont waste time with it the next day while rushing. Try backing into the door you're going to need to be in. If you need to G.O.A.L. use that time to open your doors. Sliding tandems? Do that while you're out there doing another task. When you rush you start to make stupid mistakes, make unsafe decisions and ultimately cost more time because you forget to do something now you need to go behind yourself to do it again.

Just stick it out with W.E. for now. Keep your head down and get more experience behind the wheel to minimize how those accidents are viewed. Good luck.

I am not going to belabor the point on personal accountability, but I am going to call you out on your snark.

Every single person who commented on this post do so, because they want people to be successful, and more importantly SAFE drivers. Each and every one of us has a duty to not add extra risks to the motoring public, and our fellow CMV drivers.

You may feel like we are raking you over the coals, but that is not the intent. Yes, their statements are for you, but they are ALSO intended to teach someone else, who is researching this industry, and compulsively reading post after post. Look at the whole of the response, not just what you are reading as personal attacks.

In a perfect world, training would be longer. Those of us who went through Prime got more than most. The reality is, once you are through training, you are exceptionally dangerous. You know enough to get yourself up 💩 creek without a paddle. You did a damn fine job of it too. Everybody knows that as a rookie, you will screw up. Those who make it through have owned up to the mistake, taken ownership of their choices that put them into that position, and learned what NOT to do next time.

This industry is constantly about learning, improving, bettering yourself. It's one of the few ways to get ahead. The second you think you know it all in trucking, is the second that you are a danger to yourself and every other person on that road, and you need to hang up the keys.

Stick with WE, as the only thing that will help you, is the industry getting un-flushed, and getting clean record time between your preventables. It truly is that simple.