my swift experience so far from the start

I've put a bunch of info into several threads and thought I would pack it all together in here so if anyone is considering swift (or "mill" schools) they might look to this thread.

Anyway, quick background I was doing sales jobs for the last half decade and could not find a way OUT. I had a friend go into trucking a few years back with Schneider and he loved it. I never thought it would be good for me, away from home? Hell no. Not for me. Long story short, I spent more and more time by myself and frankly didn't mind it, hell after being in sales NOT having to talk to someone is a bonus.

Couple months ago lost my sales job because all of our phone calls are monitored and they listen to all, I didn't offer one specific thing two times and that was the end of that job. Fired. That was the end of sales for me.

I started looking into trucking as I had a pretty good driving record and never looked into it, found out swift is right here in Phoenix and they're the biggest one out there. Good and bad I knew already, biggest, yuck, just a number already. I got into the recruiting dept. and they interviewed me over the phone (just a pre-interview thing) for driver manager as I had that kind of managerial experience in the past. I said what about driving as I wanted to drive, she gave me to a different recruiter. She was very straightforward with me. You hear about recruiters lying and I guess maybe they do, mine did not at all. Actually she told me I could be disqualified because of a decade old driving violation long before we even started. Anyway, it turned out to be ok. so I was scheduled for academy on 10-11.

Started academy and met some really down to earth people. Day one was meeting people I knew I would know long after any class, we did two days of class stuff then out to the range for one full day of straight backing, the next morning we were tested on it and if we failed they would test use once more that afternoon. I passed mine first try, used a pull up just because it started off angle. After that it was offset backing which made no sense until doing it, right, pie, etc.. Parallel a couple days after that, no testing on any of this new stuff though.

Third week, split into groups and off we went into the world. Just a bunch of driving, shifting, stops, etc. third day we drove to Flagstaff and over a couple mountain passes, jake brakes are pretty nice. Almost had a fight in my truck while I was doing a practice test, fun stuff like that. Test day. Day 23. I passed my pre-trip, no sweat. Did it the last 20 days. Got in the truck and told to drive around, ok, backing, half way down, #### this is going to go over the line, pulled up backed it like a pro. offset next, I was SO far off I could read IFT in the trailer bringing it back over, but I got it. Lastly parallel I parked out of the box and passed with one point to spare. Next part was road test and after I found I made it past that parallel mess up I was on point, calling out hazards, watching white lines around turns, even seeing a car come around me on a left turn (one lane) to cut me off and get in front.

Passed.

Orientation. to be continued soon.

 

Thanks for the support all, glad you like it, moving on.

Orientation was the very next Monday, wow a whole weekend off, mind you will not get one during academy. You can request to do it (orientation) a week later apparently if you want time off. Anyway, gave us the FMCR books (federal motor carrier regulation) and hazmat (hazardous material) books but not given anything to read at this point. Got our real log sheets and a two hour log class on how to not be dumb with these. Showed us a bunch of videos of how driving 40 tons is a bit different than your chevy. Guest speakers in order were, security department should we go into the theft areas, wells fargo should we want a bank account, shop foreman on if we want repairs done, flatbed instructor, driver manager, mentor manager and on charity donations. This consisted of three days, at the end of day three we were supposed to get driver codes but most did not due to a large orientation class coming in behind us.

Orientation was three days, M-W or W-F depending, if you went flatbed you got all week and that's what I did. That part is next.

 

So flatbed, I gotta say my first thought coming in was exercise, some climbing, little more work than regular van stuff. Well that was true and just a little more, I won't detail it but it's more than I accounted for and there was a split second where I asked myself if putting six chains and a couple straps on one coil was going to be what I wanted, especially with someone behind you hurrying along waiting to get his coil. Not to mention this practice was in perfect 80 degree no wind conditions.

That split second passed by and I knew it was what I wanted to do.

 

That brings it to current date, waiting for flatbed mentor. My goal is to go at least two years with swift then see if there is some outfit who would better suit my needs.

 

Thank you, as for the flatbed details schmud on here would be a better resource

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...diary-of-current-swift-flatbed-driver-17.html

I know it is all 48 however