Swift Truck Driving Academy

My first post! (yay)

So quickly, I'm a new driver for Swift, on the road for a few months now. So far, it sounds very similar to my experience with their driving academy up to the point where you are.

My advice to you is this;

1. The week will start to feel like it is really dragging on once you get to where you start doing the book work and tests, but be sure to get plenty of sleep and READ THE HANDBOOK THAT THEY GIVE YOU. All of the answers to the tests you will be taking are in there. I cannot stress this enough. We had people failing and retaking the tests simply because they did not read the books, only went through the practice tests and looked up the answers. READ it, learn it, know it. Pay particularly close attention to the Air Brakes and Combination Vehicle sections.

There is a feedback form for the instructor for the class room. Be sure to fill it out and be honest. This is the information that they use to improve their instructors.

2. After you complete the tests and get your shiny new license, the range can be very very intimidating at first. There are 4 exercises that they will run you through which are; (or were when I did it) Also, every morning, you will practice your pre-trips. Some instructors may even drill you on them.

A. Straight Line Backing
B. Blind-Side Parallel Parking
C. Reverse Serpentine
D. 45 degree Alley Dock Backing

How you are taught these depends on the instructor entirely.

Some instructors will teach you the system for doing them exactly the same way every time, and they are doing this because you will have to complete these maneuvers for the state examiners to become certified. While this works, does it teach you how to operate this hugantic ginormic vehicle? Absolutely not.

I had an instructor who was a bit of a harda**. His reputation with the company was a little intimidating, they all called him "Rooster". He was what I would call the polar opposite of the above. While he showed the reference points for the serpentine and blind-side parallel, the alley dock was the one where he was completely different than the other instructors. He believed that showing someone a formula for this exercise was robbing them of a valuable experience. He simply pulled the truck up and showed us how to set up the beginning, then said "Do it".

To this day, I would say that I am better at backing because of him pushing me to learn it in this manner. I figured out a system that worked for me that I have been able to use over and over again since then and while I'm not perfect, I see many others having a much more difficult time than I do. I have even got out of my truck on a few occasions and helped them get their trucks into the places they were having difficulties getting into.

Anyways, back on topic. Range week is what I would like to think of as "Hell week". Luckily you are doing it in a nice time of year. Also, you will get to give feedback on these guys as well.


3. The third week will consist of learning to operate the truck. You will spend a week on the road with an instructor, and you will typically have about 4 other students with you. Every morning you will practice your pre-trips.

The first day you'll learn to grind the snot out of the gears (lol). I would like to say I'm kidding, but I'm not. Most people, at best, have a touchy understanding of how to downshift these things and by the end of the week it's improved, but not great. Double-clutching is required by the instructors and examiners.

The rest of the days will be just driving around, proper turning, selecting the right gear for making turns, going up and down hills (we actually took a trip up in the mountains with my instructor) and that's about it.

Then, it's on to show time. You get to do it all for the state examiners. Once they certify you, are you done.


Now you have orientation to look forward to. By the second day, you will know if you are staying, or not. Swift won't keep you around after that point if you aren't going to be working for them.

After this, you get 6 weeks of OTR training with a mentor. They will (or they are supposed to, rather) spend 2 weeks running the same miles that a solo driver would run, then 2 weeks they ramp it up, then the last 2 weeks they run full team status if desired. You can request a dedicated company driver if you want (I did) but I'm not sure if it will be offered to you or not.

During that time, you have a blue book that you and your mentor will fill out. It will have evaluations for each week of training. Also, there is a sheet that you will keep track of every time you back the truck. You are supposed to back the truck at least 28 times in the 6 weeks. The reason I mentioned a dedicated mentor is that you will typically be able to back 3, 4, or 5 times on each dispatch, as opposed to other OTR loads that may only back 1 or 2 times a week. The blue book also has a feedback form for the mentor which lets the company know how he/she does. Also note, you actually get paid for this time. Every day they give you a training salary (although I cannot remember the exact amount, I believe it's $67 the first 4 weeks and $75 the last 2)


Once you complete this stuff... you either get issued a truck right away, OR you wind up like me having to wait on a truck. I waited 3 weeks to get mine.

THEN you get to do another orientation with your interum driver manager. Sound fun yet? This is a one day class.

Next, you have to take a log book class, which is short and sweet, usually takes a few hours.

Last, you have the simulator. I have yet to do this, as it has been broken every time I've gone by it. Basically, you sit in this truck ####pit, and drive your "truck" down the road. Cars will move like they are going to back out and such, and they want to see what your reaction is. If you're good at racing or driving games, you probably won't have much of a problem. If you are susceptable to vertigo though... you're in for some fun.


What they won't tell you... (and what you are expected to have learned from your mentor)
- How to use Comchecks (this information is also available on the kiosk or online driver portal page)
- How to use the Qualcomm outside of the basic macros (Mac 1 - 10, 11, 27)
- How to properly trip plan
- How to/where to slide tandems and fifth wheel to balance loads
- Where to find regulations for length/height/weight for the states (get a laminated motor carrier atlas from the swift store, or one of the truck stops)
- If the route sent to you contains a portion that is not a truck route, it's up to you to know this using your atlas

That's about all I can think of currently, but if you have any questions feel free to PM me.

 

Can you tell me if they use automatic transmissions like USA?

 

On the simulator, yes. Otherwise, no. All of our trucks that I have seen have been Eaton Fuller 8 speeds or 10 speeds. Some others are floating around out there, but I've yet to see one personally.

 

I drove for Swift for a yr,it wasn't all that bad then went local. You will read and hear all kinds of bad stuff about them. But keep your head up, and don't pay any attention to the negative. Take what you learn seriously, and ask plenty of questions if you don't know something. Remember there is no such thing as a stupid question.

 

This is very true, and like I said before, if you have any questions about anything, feel free to PM me. I can't promise I'll be able to respond immediately, but definitely at first opportunity.

Off topic I guess, but, isn't it ironic how many people go into that class with full knowledge that they are going to be taking a drug test, then they fail it? LOL. I just don't get it... I mean, if I smoked a fat one a week before, I think I would probably move my class date out far enough and head to the drug store, but that's just me. *shrug*

 

Wonder if you already have your CDL permit?? Do you still take those tests or do you put in a class that already have their cdl permits?

KH

 

They use 9spd and 10spd transmissions made by eaton fuller. I believe they are set # 1650ft of torque or 1550 ft of torque. Also, the 9spd are convertible to 13spd after swift sells them.

KH

 

Great post by Darkschneidr it is the same experience I had with Swift in Tenn ... let me add a few things tho:

Some states require different skill sets for testing. I know one guy testing for Wisconsin and he is only required to test 2 skill sets ... Missouri requires 3 skill sets (2 are set in stone and 1 is selected at random) and then a road test ... they are as follows:

> Straight Line Backing
> Reverse Serpentine or Offset backing
* 90 degree Alley Dock Backing
* Blind-Side Parallel Parking
* Driver-Side Parallel Parking

* - random

Tests

You need at least 80% on your tests before you can go out on the range ... at least that is the way it is set up in Tenn.

Training in Tenn

The format is a little different in Tenn but they cover the same material. The instructor will spend 20% of his time with his first week students ... he will spend 80% of his time with his second week students.

They had trouble getting people in trucks to practice shifting and double clutching ... I got a little nervous because of the delay in training but I was able to pass ... I was taught how to shift the Friday before final exam ... once I got to my home terminal and sat behind the wheel for a few days my shifting and double clutching improved. It also helped that I am not easily rattled ... some people got more time behind the wheel but mentally checked out ... they had to stay another week.

I don't blame the instructors for the tight training schedule ... the student to instructor ratio seemed a little off (like one instructor to teach shifting for a group of 46) and plus there were other students that failed the week before adding to our class size.

I heard one instructor say that Swift only expects 5-8 drivers out of 50 students to last one year.

My Experience in Tenn and Edwardsville

My experience was a positive one. A lot of people struggled with the format and tight training schedule but I considered it a mental test. It was not uncommon to hear that someone wanted to quit.

My instructors have been honest and open ... answering any question I might have. I appreciated it.

You have to be mentally strong and have a positive attitude ... because you will be challenged. My biggest challenges were the tight training schedule (left you little room for mistakes) and the Cold/Flu I fought in Tenn (it kicked my butt)


gl bud