Swift sets up new drivers for failure!!!!!

Yes they sure did.... that why I'm still out here six years later.... (not with Swift anymore tho)

 

We all have to start somewhere.My first company was Werner.They're far from perfect.But if pple want to succeed in this industry you have to suck it up and do it.Companies are not going to kiss your ###.They could care less if you fail or not.You have to be the bigger person and don't let companies,trainers and instructors get the best of you.This industry has no room for babies.

 

IMO there are much better ways to get started than the gauntlet of self-insured, mega starter carriers, who see the ongoing new crops out of CDL mills as their primary labor pool. In fact, I think it's a terrible mistake.

Much better to get the CDL, grab almost ANY job local that gets you home every night, preferably paid hourly, yard hostler, straight truck, dock worker, etc. But get someplace where the door CAN and WILL open to well-compensated heavy duty driving, just not necessarily immediately.

Working 40-50 hours local @ $10-$12/hr that leads to $16-$24/hr driving heavy duty will still beat the pants off rookie pay at the mega carriers' $400 to $600 or less for 80-100 hrs/week, 'earning' 1 day off for each day out.

If more new CDL drivers did this, said no to the mega carriers out of CDL school, the mega carriers would eventually up their ante.

I let my CDL go for many years, then bought a couple large pieces of heavy equipment, a Cat D6 dozer and a Cat 977 track loader. Wanted to move my toys myself so wanted to get my CDL back. First, I signed up with a school district that had great training for the 'B'. To get the 'A' I took a 3-day refresher at Vincennes University. The 3rd day the trainer had me take the skills and I passed. Cost me $450 total.

All I had to do for the school district was substitute drive occasionally. Then I took a straight truck position schlepping 60# propane tanks. Most of these 'customers' had both straight trucks and a small tractor-trailer fleet.

In less than a year total, I got on with Mid-States Express (now out of business) doing short line and local PU & Del. $16 plus/hr.

My next trucking job was running mail between Bloomington, IN to Cincy @ $23.67/hr, tractor-trailer, home every night.

It worked.

 

So many think learning to drive trk should be like A day in the park. Yet after they FINALLY get their shoes on the right feet then trip over their shoe laces its still EVERYONES elses FAULT they fail

 

######!!! They told me I'd be a millionaire, riding a gold plated Harley, and have my very own lot lizard harem!!!

Seriously, there does need to be a standard for training, and for the trainers themselves. That and some kind of oversight and certification for driving schools, or at least get rid of these "cdl mills" that crank out poorly trained road fatalities waiting to happen.

 

recruiter lied?????? no, way they would be fired must of been a misunderstanding lmao

 

If you don't feel ready after training, you should say so. I did and I got the extra I needed and I'm glad I did. Now I'm confident in my abilities with no wrecked trucks to show for it.

 

It's is always the same type of people that come here complaining and never return. They aren't cut out for this work and when they fail it is ALWAYS someone else's fault. Grow the ###### up people!

 

They usually start out with "I am leaving for orientation tomorrow with XYZ Trucking, what can you tell me about them?"

 

Its swift. what do u expect