is a lack of communication with recruiters normal?

Also to number 4. If you were/are collecting unemployment benifits, bring a copy of your awards letter and copies of all your check stubs for the period.

 

I have a friend who recently went through Millington and Ocala. How it went for him:-
1+ days mostly on Greyhound travelling to Millington "boot camp."
13 days in Millington academy. No days off on that first weekend. Second week in Millington is night shift. Training was classroom and backing with trailer, no on the road.
1 week hometime in Florida waiting for a trainer to become available in Ocala.
1 week in Ocala on the road training. Weekend off, 2 more days on the road training, 1 day to take CDL test. They have recently switched to a third party tester who tests (for Swift) only on Wednesdays.
Several days home including going to the DMV with the pass papers to get the actual CDL plastic card.
Orientation starts following Tuesday the next week for Swift academy graduates (Monday for everyone else).
Orientation ends Wednesday, HR paperwork Thurs, Fri, Actually "coded" on Saturday.
Depart with mentor and start actually earning money, Monday.

All in all 37 days from stepping on the Greyhound to earning the first dollar.

The first two weeks are tough. Drop out rate from start to end at Millington was around 50% in my friend's class. Including one person who simply missed the early morning bus and could not get a taxi in time. You will hear some really tragic stories.

 

No guarantees, that is what happened to my friend earlier this year (2012).

Yes on bus. Home to Millington and back, and home to Ocala and back if you live more than 50 miles from Ocala (for on the road training) 60 miles (for orientation).
You sign a contract to repay $500 for accommodation. That includes four way shared hotel suite in Millington (horrible). And also solo or (infrequently) two shared in Ocala for on the road and for orientation (reportedly, usual decent Motel chain with pool and gym).

If you do this you must resolve to WORK HARD in Millington, it is no summer camp. Including doing the set homework before (not when) it is due. Listen intently, learn fast, be forthright about hunting down a trainer and demanding help if struggling with the backing.

You may not have to wait a week for a trainer in Ocala, maybe my friend was unlucky. Note my typo fix, 37 days for him; maybe 30 is more usual if there is no wait for trainer to be available. There are no guarantees.

 

My understanding, I could be wrong.
Millington, suite with mini kitchen and two bedrooms each with two small beds shared by four would-be Swifties.

$500 covers both Millington and Ocala, but stay one night and quit or go the full month and you owe them $500 either way.

All orienteers, Swift academics or not get paid hotel and food but no pay.
No food for Millington (except a sandwich and coffee on the first day) nor for on the road training (which is driving an empty trailer on the streets around Ocala).

A fullly loaded trailer in the real world is a "bit" different.

 

My friend tells me I still can't do arithmetic. His experience, your mileage will vary

Sat/Sun Travel to Millington 2 days
Mon/Sat noon Training at Millington 13 days
Sat evening/Sun Travel to Florida 1 day
Mon/Sun At home waiting for Ocala trainer to be available. Travel to Ocala Sunday evening. 7 days.
Mon/Fri On the road and in the yard training in Ocala 5 days.
Sat/Sun At home weekend free. Travel to Ocala Sunday evening. 2 days.
Mon/Tue On the road and in the yard training in Ocala 2 days.
Wed Take CDL test. Do HR paperwork. 1 day.
Thu Complate HR paperwork travel home. 1 day
Fri Go to DMV in home town, get plastic CDL. 1 day.
Sat/Mon. Long weekend off. 3 days
Tue/Wed Orientation in Ocala. 2 days
Thu/Sun At home waiting for HR to complete, receive word by telephone that now "coded". 4 days
Mon on the road with mentor and earning that first dollar.

By my revised count, 42 days

 

I am also awaiting unanswered questions from my recruiter. I've just done the online test and was told to contact him after I had obtained my CDL A Permit. However, I had some lingering questions, such as things about the school, what the status was with my application, etc.

3 emails sent over the course of a week, no reply. *sigh* Not very reassuring if this is how things are handled with this company. I wasn't sure if going to a different recruiter was possible or not.

So we have to share a bed with a complete stranger for weeks on end...? If so, I'm bringin' a sleeping bag and takin' the floor...