Start training tomorrow (Swift)

Texas, I got my CDL through a private school, but Swift was the first company to offer me a seat. Not a lot of options here in Albuquerque. I drove for them for 13 months, ran 3,000/week, they were low pay to start but went up pretty well. Good bonus program if you're careful. IMHO, a good start company. They pay well, but you gotta stay there for a while to get that number.

 

Good luck i got my start at swift now 5 years later i drive a 8 axle heavy haul and make decent money just stick it out a couple years and keep your record clean.

 

Congrats Texas. My road training is delayed a week. I passed all the skills testing and pretrip with no issues and the classroom testing about HOS and the Trip planning no problem. I only took 3 points on the skills testing. I surprised myself there. A note to those going to the Memphis Terminal to train. Right now there is some rooms in the hotel with no fridge or microwave. I was told by the hotel staff that they are on order. We do have a conferance room with a microwave in there if needed. Also the holiday inn is not real close to much within walking distance. About a 10 minute walk to the nearest gasstation and family dollar.

For those wondering who the instructors are in Memphis, there is Tony Wisner, Doug, Kevin and Brian. all who were awesome. We started with 42 in class but only 26 made it to road training. Some had dropped for personal reasons and will be back. Others stayed on for the AP week.

 

sounds good

 

When I went to Swift school (Fort Scott Ks) in like 2000 lol it was another guy 4 women and I in the class. We were 1 instructors first class after a stroke, guy was a card. Another was an old bull hauler and was awsome... The 3rd guy ran the backing course and um well I didnt think to much of his teaching. He had us watch (well ok the others) watch the very front of the trailer to back up straight (no I am not kidding).. After the 3rd day of watching everyone struggle I then told the other guy to watch the back of the trailer and the side marker lights at the end of it and steer towards danger. After he got the hang of it we watched the girls fight the instructors way for a couple days for a good laugh..lol...... All in all not a bad experience.. That was saved for AFTER I started driving for swift..

My trainer (when I finally got one) was a cool guy.. Owner op in a nice o/o spec freightliner classic... Told me he stayed up the first week with new trainee but after I took him down cabbage the first night he crawled in the sleeper and went to sleep (yes I drove many cow trucks and grain buggies before getting my license).. He had a scheduled vacation during my 3rd week and I went to his house... He stayed at his gf's and I stayed at his place.. Cool enuff to give me the keys to his vette so I could go out and check out the chicks in the liquer barns there in Tx.

First week off the trainer truck I had load to the Bronx... In and out no problem.. The 3 stop pickup, 1 in Manhatten, 1 in queens and the last in Long island was totally different.. I will never return to NYC in a truck again. lol.

Icing on the cake for me were Swift is concerned is I went through their school, trainer truck including his vacation and then on my own for 14 weeks total before I went home.. My sister was getting married and I got in the morning of her wedding having to drive all the way from PA with no sleep... So Im like oh well I have a lot of home time built up right?.. Wrong.. Called the very next day to go pick up a load 48 miles from my house and was told to drop it in Pueblo yard (I live in sw ks mind you). Didnt want to do it but I did... kinda mad I cleaned my truck out.. Pickup the load and start heading towards Pueblo.. Now I did dispatch I was not leaving my house until it showed drop load in Pueblo then pick up something else I could sit on a couple days at home on my qualcom... I am less then 3 blocks from Pueblo term when it goes off and at a red light I see he took the load going back by the house off me... Needless to say their truck got left at Pueblo yard.. Pueblo dispatch told me I had to turn it in my home terminal which was Edwardsville Ks.. I was like nahhhhh its in a swift yard good enough for me..

The truck the WAS going to have me drive was horrid.. Not a straight corner on it.. I took the permit book back inside and informed them no way in hell I was driving it because everyone would think I done all that.. After threatining to walk they did give me a truck they were holding for a guy with 6 months experience..

Anyways I do hope you have a much better experience then I...

 

Any updates?

I'm in Lancaster now waiting for mentor.

 

Is their any good comments about how swift works in the border area? My husband got and email for orientation (texas) but we have been reading horrible posts from previous employers from Swift. How bad is it? Or does it depend what area are you in?

 

Depends on whether or not your husband is capable of thinking for himself ...