Just Got Signed Up For School - Swift Transportation

I just got signed up with Swift Transportation for trucking school. I took my time and did my homework and research on what I wanted to do about obtaining my CDL. I looked at Knight Transportation, Werner, Western Express, Swift, and CR England. I looked at sites like Glassdoor, Indeed, and even this site for reviews about those companies. It seems like every company or trucking school has pitfalls and downsides. I'm not looking for a "perfect" situation. I know I'm going to have to eat crap and learn to love the taste of it for at least a year. Luckily (or at least what I've been told is luck), I'm 22 with no kids, and my girlfriend has grown up in a family of truckers and is understanding of the schedule and what is expected of me. Not only that but I live 45 minutes away from the terminal. Even the recruiter at Swift told me I couldn't be in a better situation for becoming a trucker. My best friend's uncle is an owner operator at Swift, and I've known him for a number of years. He told me that as long as I can put up with a little B.S. and politics that I would love working for Swift, and he advised me that every big company is good and bad for different reasons. He said Swift is very much a "by the book" and "red tape" company, but that I'd never be asked to run illegal and that the training program is pretty good. So I called my recruiter and got signed up. I have some questions, and my source at Swift is a very busy man so I try not to bother him much. I'll just list them here, and if anyone could give me some additional advice and stuff, it'd be greatly appreciated. I'm sure every company's training program varies, but I'm under the assumption that there are people on here who have either gone through Swift or can provide me some insight. Again, it's greatly appreciated.

1. I've read through the Arizona CDL Manual a little that Swift gave me. Are they going to go over this stuff in class, or am I going to be tested on this right out of the gate? I've never ridden in driven a big rig and have a shaky mastery of manual transmission vehicles.

2. How much practice can I expect to get behind the wheel? I know Swift classes usually run 60-70 people. Am I going to spend a good amount of time behind the wheel, or am I supposed to master this stuff with minimal practice?

3. My recruiter signed me up for class and then told me I didn't have anything else to do except show up for class on the 9th of June with my social security card, ID and birth certificate. Is this true? I've read that people have had to take the CDL Permit test before class starts. I've heard about people getting sent home due to being misinformed by their recruiters.

4. How strenuous is the DOT Physical? My blood pressure, blood sugars, and cholesterol are all solid. But I am overweight. Physically, that's really the only thing wrong with me. Would that keep me from passing?

5. I've heard that the trucks Swift uses don't drive like traditional manual vehicles. I also heard that they teach double clutching in accordance with Government regulations. Am I going to be expected to accelerate out of first gear like I would with a manual transmission car? Because I've been told that the torque of the engine on these trucks keeps them from rolling back and that accelerating is much more simple.

I'll probably think of more questions to ask. I know some of these questions might seem like really dumb questions. I just would like to have an idea of what I'm in for and what to expect. I'm really excited (and also very nervous) about starting my new career and I'm ready to put my nose to the grindstone and get to work. I'd just like to have all of my ducks in a row so I put myself in the best position to succeed.

Thanks again for any advice and information you guys can offer me! I appreciate it greatly.

 

I appreciate the information. The pre-trip stuff seems pretty extensive. I'll just need to keep reading my CDL Manual and doing practice tests. I'm not too worried about the physical portion of it. I mean, I am overweight. But I still remain at least semi-active. Especially with the job I'm currently in. I'm not going to go sprinting up and down flights of stairs. But I can carry heavy things over and over again without issue.

 

If for whatever reason I fail the CDL Permit test, will that have any bearing on my training with Swift? Like, will they make me wait 30 days before retesting or anything?