Diary of a New Swift Driver

How much do they cost to buy?

 

I'd like to know exactly what is the background check that is being done and how extensive is it? Who does the check? What do they do to check it? I had a security clearance in the Air Force for 20+ years and that was a background check.

 

For your CPAP machine buy an inverter that plugs into a cigarette lighter ($60 or less for a 375w that will also charge your phone or your laptop.) or buy a 12v adapter available for most machines which will give you complete portability. Swift will allow an inverter but you must buy/supply it and it must be installed by a Swift shop. They will not install an APU.

Bear in mind when you go solo you may get a truck on the tail end of its life with the company and you may be moved to another truck within a few months. Swift leases their company trucks and when the mileage or age clock clicks down far enough it will be taken out of service. Also, if you need to take more than 3 days home time for some reason you will have to turn in your truck and get a replacement when you come back.

A plug-in inverter or 12v adapter will eliminate the chance of having to wait days for the shop to get around to installing your inverter in your new/old truck. Remember we get paid by the mile and never by the day sitting still.

 

I have one that plugs into the lighter for my laptop, and I assume it would work for my cpap machine, I wasnt sure if swift has any problems with those, Ive read that some companies dont like them/ consider them fire hazards. I sure wouldnt want to spend the money to have an inverter installed just to have them switch my truck out and not get it back..I will look into the 12v adapter for my machine.

 

They do their own background checks per FMCSA regulations. If you had one in the AF and haven't had any "bad" since, you should have no issue. Just don't lie. They aren't looking for security candidates, just people with what they consider to be a "good" background, whatever that means to them at the time.

 

Thanks DenaliDad. I don't have anything "bad" in my background. Never used drugs, have never been arrested, etc. What do applicants lie about that gets them booted from orientation?

 

Accidents, prior arrests, failures drug tests, previous employment, etc

 

Like that temporary job you left after only 2 months two years ago...it wasn't career-building and was only designed to give you some rent money for a while, so you left it off the application. They found out about it - and they will find out about it - so you're outta class, packing up your stuff, and back on da bus back home that day. Lies of omission are as bad as lies of commission.