good luck guys it get better after the 5th day .not as much bs after that .the yard is a blast and the class is not bad just try to keep up and team up with roommates .its easyer to study in the room that way.swift is a great place to work they treat me very good and keep me running

Sorry to be the one to potentially burst your bubble, however, before you get much further down the line, talk to driver services at Swift. Ask them what the process is once you have completed all the requirements to obtain your CDL. (once you have the actual license). Will you be going right out with a mentor? NO waiting period?? Ask about recent history. Then, continue the questions. Once the 6 weeks with the mentor is completed, will you be going right out in your own truck? DO NOT accept a patronizing "oh, you bet!" response. Ask them for recent history. Let them know you would like to speak with your transitional DM (driver manager). In Phoenix, it's Kevin Sanders. In fact, you might want to give him a call directly.

Why am I mentioning all this?? When I completed my mentor period this past Winter, I was as excited as you can imagine! I met with driver services, got my driver code and was sent over to Kevin's office. I was with him about five minutes when he told me I was # 87 on the list and "it would probably be months before I see a truck". I thought he was joking. He was not. I was completely caught off guard and furious with the entire process. That anger became deeper when I went back to see Kevin the next day and asked him how long this had been going on. He told me months. SO, with that I correctly concluded that Swift Academy, my recruiter and Driver Services all knew that before I even began my education that I wouldn't be driving a Swift truck for a long time.

I called my recruiter to express my anger with her, flat out accusing her of knowing all this and how she had lied to me letting me believe, all along, that I would be getting into a truck immediately following my mentor period. When I was going through the application process, I specifically asked her: "there won't be any laspe in time?". Her answer was "no". I told her that was important to me as I couldn't afford any break in income. She said: "no problem". HA! The next phone call I received was from the supervisor (Jason) of Driver Services who, very clearly suggested I not speak with my recruiter again. Hmmmm, I thought that was pretty interesting and I suggested to him that I will speak with whomever I wanted, particularly when it was involving my money and my time.

With what Sanders had said, doumenting this practice had been going on for months, those in recruiting certainly knew students were not getting into trucks.

But, the GOOD news is that if it happens to you, you won't be having to pay back your Swift Academy student loan right off!

Now, with that, Swift might try to tell you they guaranteed you nothing with regard to getting a job when you complete the course. But I challenge that as in MY contract with them regarding the student loan payback, it specifically states the payback shall be through payroll decuction which one might "decuct" from that, that payroll deduction would be through your payroll with Swift....with payroll meaning you have a job with them. Not Knight....not Central....not JB Hunt.

Also, please check out the other threads here. The most concerning about Swift's idle policy and what you will be reading from Swift drivers. Then, make the decision as to Swift caring about their drivers and taking good care of them. Add to that, there are a LOT of Swift drivers wating for a load, as I type.

With that, I truly do hope things work out for you. With any luck for you, perhaps things are different there today though. I might see that as unlikely as they have taken a huge amount of trucks of the road and word has it they did not get that California contract leaving hundreds of brand new day cabs sitting in the yard. Can't personally document that, but that's the word. They also cut back cpm (cents per mile), cut out certain perks, miles per week were being reduced and non-driver personnel were required to take unpaid leaves. Too many drivers, not enough freight.

ME?......just yesterday I passed my written passenger endorsement for my CDL and will be driving tour coaches this fall. Nice clean clothes, motel rooms with air conditioning and heat, decent meals and showers (all paid for....imagine that!) and FAR more money and hometime and a company who really does care!

With all the statements here, it would be quite easy for Swift mgmt to trace this back to me, thus my care and certainty in making those statements.

Bottom line, Swift Driving Academy, did what they advertised. They got me my CDL.

Bronco are you driving for Swift now? How long have you been with them? How many miles are you getting?

Got my CDL, July 2007 w/basic 3 endorsements. I asked to go to Swifts school since it's been 2 years since I drove (I felt it prudent to review all of my driving skills). Even though I did fantastic and passed my written and driving tests first time out (was told I was a natural & have great spacial relationships), it has been a while since I've been behind the wheel - Swift does not offer a refresher course, which is quite short-sighted on their part, I'm sure there are many other people in the same position?

Okay, first off Windjammer2 I'm happy you're finally happy.

Secondly, the waiting list is nothing like it was last winter.

Thirdly, my husband was issued his truck the day after coming off his mentor's truck.

Fourthly, he was assigned his mentor the last day of orientation and went out the next day.

He attended a class that ended in mid Jan.

I attended class that early April and have been on the truck since one week later as I waited for my husband to get back to Phx.

Now, Kevin Sanders is no longer the transitional DM.

We run as a team and depending upon how much time we wish off we run 4-6 thousand miles a week.

There is a wide variety of experiences with Swift obviously. I do not fault anyone for telling their version and what their experience is. However just as mine is not the only one........neither is Windjammer2's.

Please do ask your questions of Swift and I strongly suggest you don't ask them of the recruiters.

I asked them of other drivers here on the forum and of a terminal manager at another terminal. The only thing I can say that I was told incorrectly was that it would be easy to get home time. LOL Okay I was silly to believe that one. You will get your home time at home IF there is a load that gets you back home at that time. They want to get you home, they try to get you home......but Swift is like every trucking co..........they're in business to move freight.

Swift is cutting corners and cutting them hard just as many businesses do. I hate the idle policy, I understand it but I hate it. I want a bigger cab, that's not happening. LOL They’ve cut back the size of classes due to the reduction in driver turnover. That means fewer drivers are leaving Swift. Fewer drivers are leaving most companies. Freight shortages and the change in driver turnover is industry wide. And yes, all non driving personnel took furloughs including Administration and drivers took a penny a mile cut. However, other companies have had lay offs. I know drivers at Stevens who told me last week they've been on furlough for 2 months.

Is Swift perfect? No. I haven't found anyone who thinks their company is. Swift is a training company. This means they school, train and hire people with no experience. The pay is less because of no experience. The conditions a bit less. But again.......they hire you with no experience and give you the opportunity to get that experience to be a driver.

Driving isn't for everyone. If you can deal with the time away from home, not showering in your own shower, public restrooms, a bunk instead of a perfect sleeper, variance in miles, hot freight, low freight, just in time loads, slow customers, rude customers, and paying your dues to get experience then trucking is for you. If you can't.......then it's not.

I'm a driver, I move freight and I move it for Swift Transportation.

Talk to Otherhalf and he'll give you an honest view of the goods and bads of Swift. I'll try to but hey...........I'm a newbie too
.

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Thanks Nana - I appreciate your take however it changes nothing from my end. As I mentioned, they could firgure out who I am as I have discussed all of this with Richard Stocking. Facts are facts. Lies are lies.
Cutting back (re idling is one thing. Cutting it back to the point of abuse is something different.
Hope things continue to go well for you and your husband.
Perhaps I'll pass you in the coach someday or see you from inside my motel room as you sweat and are unable to sleep.
End of discussion

ROFL

Why thank you Windjammer2 for that lovely ending to your post. My post wasn't intended to change anything from your end. Your experiences and your views are yours and you're certainly entitled to them. My post was to show that there are many different experiences. I do hope that I meet you someday, although instead of wishing you ill as you have me.......I hope to buy you a cup of coffee or a diet pepsi. As for my sweating and being unable to sleep: I sleep just fine.....either we're rolling and the ac is running or else I buy idle aire. Take care and be safe out there.

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Nana is correct in her statement that the waiting list is not like it was in the winter. Today we talked to the school manager and he gave us current statistics. Spring and Summer are busier that winter and Fall. Today the Western Fleet was operating at 97%, meaning that 97% of the trucks that went available today would pick up a load today.

I have heard many gripes from former Swifties, and everyone has a different experience. As Nana said, trucking is not for everyone. If you go into this expecting the worst, you should be satisfied.

Swift wants new students that they can train the way they want. They do not want experienced drivers, nor do the experienced drivers want to work for Swift. There are many long time Swifties that are very happy.

Ask the questions now, and ask the drivers and recent graduates. The recruiters lie to make a quota. The instructors at this school have been very helpful and have answered everything honestly.

Many of the students in my class came in expecting $45,000 a year and unlimited miles right out of the gate. They are now learning that this is not reality.

Well today was a very long day of class! We spent ALL morning in a Defensive Driving Course, which was a lot of reading from a book, powerpoint, and videos.

Today was the best day so far, as we did not lose any students today.

We received the pre-trip information and all the papers we need for the driving range this afternoon. In the morning we will observe the instructors as they complete the pre-trip. Then we will break off into 5 groups and start backing into a 100' dock and offset backing.

That's it for today.

Ford, with all due respect, PLEASE get to different people with your questions. First, the driving academy personnel know very little about who's getting hired, what the process is and what the operating level is. Again, with all due respect.......97%?????? Please.....I don't believe you'd find a carrier out there running anywhere near that level. Here's a suggestion. Take a walk through the bobtail parking lot and talk to drivers there. Ask about loads. Ask about miles. Ask about idling and conditions. Then walk into the lounge and do the same. Read through OOIDA.com. If you can come up with anything close to 97% it's time for a news story....a very BIG news story.

You, yourself, stated it. Recruiters lie. Yes, they do and I was pleased to hear you agree. But you must ask yourself "why?". If they are lying, they are lying because things are not 97%. Perhaps not even 50%. They have taken thousands of trucks off the road. Just before I left, and frankly one of the big factors leading me to my departure, was the western fleet manager telling me they were at 35%. That was only back in May.

Again, please get to the right people....if you can. Instructors really don't care whether you get a job with Swift. All they are paid to do is to see to it that you get your CDL. The Driving Academy is simply a cash cow for Swift keeping in mind the Government handouts they receive for it.

RE the comment about going into it expecting the worst. With me it was 180 degrees from that. There wasn't anyone more enthusiastic than I and I think you'd hear that from the class and range instructors. What my big problem was was the deception involved and in my opinion is still in existance. I was a good driver for them. Never late for a pickup or delivery. Never an accident and always represented the company well.
With that, I averaged, during my time there, 1200 miles a week. You can do the math. Then came the reductions and elimination of everyday things to make it a humane job.....such as showers and a livable environment. I won't forget damaging my finger, on the job, and being out of service for the better part of a week.Anyone care about the pain and loss of pay? Nope, three times, I was remonded by my DM that I cost the company dollars and it was written up in my file.

Believe what you must, to get through, but do your due dilligence. You'll be doing yourself a favor Ford. I honestly would love to hear things are what you are stating. I would not want to see you be as disappointed as much as I.