Swift Sucks

Swift gave me the opportunity to get a couple of years experience. For that I'm glad. Outside of that, there are few that fit in with Swift. If you conduct yourself as a professional, take pride in what you do, expect 100% out of yourself and those you work with; you may get frustrated with this company. They talk a good game about safety, being professional and taking care of the customers and drivers. Reality? It's just talk. The only thing that is important there is getting Jerry as much $ as possible at ALL costs. Their training program is in shambles, they let over 1,000 people (office staff) go two weeks ago without any warning and they make a habit of making promises they don't or can't deliver on. Drivers are held to a standard of being 100% error free, yet no other section of the company seem to be held accountable for much of anything. Every system that is designed to measure drivers (ie: Qualcomm, log scanning etc.) is so poor that errors, violations and problems that directly affect your pay are almost a weekly event. It's your money they play with, and nothing ever changes. I'm so glad to be done with them. On a positive note? I did get two years experience. There are some that have been with Swift (Stop Whining It's ########## Irritating) for a long time, but I'm sure, if they're honest, they would have a long laundry list of problems they have to deal with on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Most of the problems could be fixed by having some accountability of the office personnel. Some problems are just normal "it's a big company and stuff happens" kind of stuff. They are a good opportunity for a person with zero experience to get into trucking. I came with 16 years of commercial flying experience in Alaska. I have very high standards for how I work and conduct myself, yet this seemed to be a quality I found in 3 or 4 people with this company in 2 years.

 

Hay guys I just got done with SWIFT acadamy in Millington TN and I was very pleased with the training they gave me It was like boot-camp but it was good I had a good attitude and my main abjective was to learn and get my CDL A and I just passed my DMV test and my CDL A on hand. I for one think that if you go to learn and listen you will reache your goal and that was my attitude and got my CDL A you only get what you put into it. Now I'm going to orientation in a week and of with a mentor. Thank's to all the people that incouraged me to do the acadamy and I achiaved my goal.

 

I'm glad that you finished you CDL training. I remember how good I felt after that. Keep this in mind, though! You are now going to learn how to drive a truck and do everything else that is required. I say the following as a friend, so don't think I'm picking on you: DO NOT LET YOUR MENTOR ###### YOU OVER! You are on that truck to learn, and if he/she isn't teaching you, GET A NEW ONE! You will have such an easier time when you go solo if you just make sure that you have a decent trainer. If they are not teaching you, call your home terminal. I have seen so many students be used as an "extra log book" that it isn't even a joke anymore. If you would like to contact me directly, I will be happy to speak with you and answer any questions you have. I am not sure if we're allowed to post a means of contact on here, but if you're interested in speaking, I'm happy to help you out. That combined with this site will really assist you in being successful in your new career. Just post a reply to this asking to speak with me. If you don't want to, it won't hurt my feelings, just trying to be a friend to another trucker.

 

Thank you for the offer scuba guy, I need all the help I can get. I have a mentor linedup he is a friend of my sister inlaw and he seems like a pretty good guy he told me he will take me and he is only 15 miles from my house so that will make it easy for when he wants to go home in the 6 weeks. I'm I wrong to think that Swift is run like military. Just looked that way in training camp. Let me know any thing you can, thanks for the help.

 

The whole premise behind the "training camp" is to get you to be able to pass your CDL exam, both written and practical. They do that fine. You will see that you are not ready to drive a truck, though. The learning starts with getting on your mentor's truck. Don't let the learning end when you're off of it. I flew commercially for 16 years in Bush Alaska and kept learning the whole time. Like the guy I worked for said, "When you stop learning and think you know it all, please just fly into a mountain and get it over with, because you'll kill yourself &/or others when you stop learning." He had 58 years of flying experience at that time. I thought it was a good idea to listen to him. It sounds like you have a good opportunity to train with somebody that has something in common with you. That's a big help. Be sure to have him get you on the QualComm from day one. Also, and just a little suggestion here: Even if you went to sleep an hour before, have him wake you to do backings at every opportunity you can get. Don't just do the minimum. You'll be glad for that when you're on your own. Get out and look keeps you from getting fired. Really. Nobody has ever been fired for getting out and looking too much. One little backing accident can finish you, although it is rare, it happens, so don't be afraid to get out and look. If it doesn't feel right, pull off and set up again. Don't try to force the trailer into anyplace you're not 110% sure of. It will go there, but the trick is to do it and still be able to use the trailer again. I'm not trying to sound like a know-it-all, but I'm sharing some information that should help you. I was lucky: I had a mentor that had been driving for 22 years, was my age and it turns out we knew some of the same people. The other people in my class weren't as lucky, except for one other. He is still with Swift and drives teams with his wife. Anyway, just be sure to take it easy, learn as much as you can, don't be in a hurry to get off the truck, no matter how comfortable you are with it. When you're in a tight spot and you're not uptight, it's time to worry. I wish you all the best, and am happy to speak with you anytime.

 

Thank you Scuba guy. I agree with you the date you know it all you learn something new. Don't worry I will be getting out and look everytime I'm backing its better to spend 1 minute looking than 1-2 hour reporting. Hay do you dive I was certified back in 1979 in NJ on Nov in a outdoor pool. Thank you for all your help.

 

Yeah. Been diving for a bit. Got certified in Queensland, Australia. (Wife is from there. Lived there for 6 years). I really miss it. Haven't been diving since 2006 (DEC) when we came back to the states. I need to get wet!
Hey! Just noticed that you're from Merritt Island, FL! I lived in Titusville, FL for a year flying charters out of Space Coast Executive for Flight Dynamics. They're closed now, but I had a blast. I used to go to Rio Bravo in Daytona almost every night. Fly up, get the car from the Jet Center go around the corner for dinner and fly back. Was nice.
If you write to me on the hotmail account, I can give you my direct email as well as a phone number if you'd like. When you write, just to make sure it's you, just put in your email what AFB is closest to your town.

 

I can't email in here don't have 250 post jet I'll try to see how we can hook up. Yes is nice here but getting cramped a little now.

 

you can a mod send pm's to him and vice verse. macho, does your trainer park in port Canaveral?

KH

 

No he lives in Titusville. I'm trying to get him as my mentor cus I know him and if he wants to take a day or two off he wil drop me at home and pick me up when his ready. Better that being in a hotel somewhere.