Applied with swift...

If you haven't been in the seat since 2014 you will be taking a refresher course, or the full course over again.
No way around that because you have forgotten more than you remember.
So yes, you will get some practice.

And you will be with a mentor, just like any new driver. Get over it, and accept the fact.
Plan on at least 6 weeks out with the mentor before you can get your own truck and get home again.
Plus the time in school and orientation.

How hard is it to get something dedicated?
Before you will be offered a dedicated account you will have to prove yourself.
You will have to run good miles and be 100% on time and safe as an OTR driver for some time.
It may be 6 months or a year or more.
Some people do luck into a situation, but you can not count on that.

What you want is possible to a certain degree, but it won't be a cake walk.
And don't count on seeing the family 'pretty often', at least for a year or so.
You can figure possibly 3 days per month, at best.
Because unless the family has other income, you will need to stay running as much as possible. Every home time means at least one very bad pay check.

 

I applied online and had a call from a recruiter less than 30 mins after. I have a CDL but no experience in over 12 years. She mentioned 200 hours with a mentor where I would be paid hourly. I would mention the rates, but they don't sound right to me as she mentioned being paid for off duty hours as well. There was no mention of having to do the full training school again, or any sort of time commitment that is usually associated with "free" company training. Orientation would be at the Ocala terminal.

I didn't push for more info as I am not decided on Swift just yet. I would need a lot more clarified before I head up there and find out that what I thought I was getting into isn't that at all or that they don't want me after all.

 

There is no time commitment with Swift. If someone has to take out a loan with Swift to pay for their schooling, then they sign a loan agreement with payroll deductions to pay it off over a certain time period. If that someone leaves Swift before the loan is paid, then the amount owed becomes due in full. Swift has worked with folks to get it paid off after leaving.

You are paid hourly for on duty hours, one rate for driving time and another rate for on duty not driving. I am sorry but I don't know what the current rates are, but I'm sure that someone else does.

 

I was told it was paid off duty which didn't sound right to me, thanks for clearing it up that it is ON duty, not driving. I was told $9.50 per hour on duty driving and $8.50 off duty which is obviously on duty/not driving.

 

I know you said you applied for swift because everyone else wants at least a year exp. OTR.

I wanted you to know that I sent my application into roughly 20 companies around my area, most required a class A and 1-2 years OTR. I haven't even started my CDL class yet (it starts on monday) and I have received an offer from one of these companies. The company pays hourly, has good benefits, they reimburse me for the cost of school and I'll be home most evenings. I took the job.

I've also had a few others call me in for an interview. All of these companies wanted prior experience, but called me in knowing I don't even have a CDL yet.

If you see a company you like, put your application in no matter what they are saying the requirements are. The worst they can do is ignore your application, shoot high and you might get lucky.

 

What company is this...

 

This exactly! Please listen. We did this and we are so happy that we did. The only thing we didn't get that was on our list was a pet policy. So my kid gets to babysit the family dog and we get to make tens of thousands more than the next best offer.

 

Im a rookie upgraded 2016 Thanksgiving. Trained in a 10 speed, have driven a 9 peed