do swift trucks have apu's

Sure it doesn't have the battery powered evolution apu system? The parksmart?

 

I could of sworn I had seen a L/O recently with an APU. One of the noisiest ones out there is the RigMaster. I have a friend who is on his second RM engine. His first one was getting weary and he got a great deal on a slightly used one.

Rumor was a few years ago Swift bought a bunch (except they were for RV's!) got a government grant to buy them. Who ever ordered them didn't know what the heck he was ordering. They were alleged to be sitting in a couple of trailers in Phoenix.

 

Swift generally keeps truck for around 525,000 miles, so 4+ years.
My current truck is a 2013 with 276,000 and I've had it for over 2 years.
I'll have it another 2 years before it gets retired.

 

Well I guess this is another case of don't believe what the recruiter tells ya

 

They may say it, but it isn't true.

And besides, trucks don't wear out that fast. It takes 150k just to break them in.
Also, I LIKE my current truck. It has been in the shop a smaller percentage of time than any truck I have been in (it's been 5 now) - as in, down time in the shop.

I got it brand new with only 2,000 miles, and I've really tried to take care of it.
If it needs something that can wait, I put it in the Inver Grove shop during my (at) home time every other month.
If it needs something done sooner, I find a shop asap regardless of the down time. I'd rather lose a day or two to prevent a major breakdown.
But it sure does not need to be retired yet, after only 2+ years.

Some of the trucks with 4-500k are beaters, because they have been thrashed and trashed by idiot drivers. I've had a few of those.
Some are just lemon's, like my old ProStar.
But my current truck is very good, and I hope to keep it that way. I'll probably be very sorry to see her go to pasture in a couple years, especially if she keeps treating me so well.

 

Coming fresh out of school I'm sure to get one of those beaters you speak of I don't think I should get a new truck but I hope what I do get is not to bad. I will be attending in Richmond where I also live 10 min from the school. Is that likely to be my home terminal?

 

As far as truck assignment goes it is luck of the draw. You could get an old beater or brand new truck. My first truck was an old international with 386,000 miles on it. But I only had it for a week before it went into the shop for repairs (bad air dryer) then they assigned me a new freightliner with 27,000 miles. Every company truck I had after that was brand new when I got it. Others I have talked to did not have the same luck I had with the brand new trucks, and some have.

As as far as your home terminal goes Richmond will be your home terminal, however, your home terminal is not tied to your home address. You can switch home terminals to anywhere if you want to. Richmond is a good terminal though, home time policy is good and they have pretty good driver leaders there. The shop there (in my experience) is also one of the quickest and best quality shops as far as swift shops go.

BTW I noticed you have plenty of questions (understandably so) and in order to get them answered efficiently and to prevent getting too far off topic on the threads you are asking them in you might consider posting them in this thread: http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...swift-academy-richmond-va-my-experience.htmlt

That is also a good thread to read if you haven't already done so. Plenty of info on the Richmond academy.

 

It's more likely that it was a cheap Harbor Freight generator with a blown out muffler. I've seen a few "redneck APUs" this summer; an A/C unit in the window and a cheap generator chained to the catwalk.

 

For me, an APU is one of those emotional things. It's a requirement..and I've driven many miles carrying an inoperative unit. For me, it's a hatred for idling. Doing that is an environmental disaster, one in which I prefer not to participate if possible. But if I'm in Cheyenne in January and the APU doesn't work? Oh, my yes. That big ol' diesel is gonna idle.

 

What if you're in California and it's hot and you can't idle?