Conflicting information about Swift driving academy

I am reading some conflicting information about the Swift Driving Academy I attended in Memphis several weeks ago. I originally went through Knight Transportation in hopes of obtaining my CDL and being trained by Knight in order to do so. Without realizing what was actually getting ready to happen, I ended up at the Swift Driving Academy. I know that Swift is owned by Knight, but never was Swift mentioned by my recruiter in the beginning. I was told many things by the recruiter that was an out and out lie. It was a definite "bait and switch" if there ever was one.

What I am curious about is that since graduating from there and obtaining my CDL, I have been told by a few prospective employers that they do not realize Swift as an "accredited" driving school. They say that in affect, it is a "company" school with the intention of you driving solely for Knight/Swift upon graduation. Because of various reasons - the biggest claiming they couldn't verify some of my employment, they decided to pass on hiring me at the end of school. Funny that no other potential employer had an issue with it. I think that since I questioned so much of what was told to me by my recruiter that ended up not being true and putting them on the spot to explain so, I was labeled as possibly being a trouble maker of sorts and they didn't hire me after all.

It has been brought up to me that there is the very real possibility that I may not be libel to pay for the schooling since it was training to work specifically for Knight/Swift. Since they passed on me and chose not to hire me, I'm not required to pay them anything. I don't see anything in any paperwork or documents I received or signed that addresses this.

Does anyone have any insight in to this situation? The training was for $6,000 - not including room accommodations for a month which is another approximately $1,800. This was to be paid back to them by being deducted from my weekly paycheck.

By the way, I am headed to Houston this weekend to begin training and working for Schneider as a tanker driver.

 

Is is unlikely they didn’t have you sign something that obligates you to pay back a certain amount if you don’t complete a period of work. If you did, then they opened up a loan for that amount and will want it back. If not then you got a free CDL.

The loan would show up on your credit report with the lender info and amount. You can pull a copy for free online once a year.

 

Because they forgive it if a driver fulfills the conditions, they usually don't consider it a loan, unless the driver is required to pay it back. My guess is the only time it would show on a credit report is if it is in default!

 

Tanker with Schneider will be 2 mistakes in a row. Back out if you can. No miles, no money and you run up and down 10 and 20 all the time. And boy do you sit in crappy tank yards, not truck stops.

Trust me. Been there and have the T shirt.

 

How long ago was this? I know the good and bad - just like anything, but been told their tanker training is as good as any. Said it would only be east of the Mississippi. One year is all I need with them.

 

2017. Hired right out of CDL private school. Helped pay my tuition, trucks are fine/slow and tanker training in Houston was enough to teach you what to do. But it is a waste of your time and commitment to hire on, get trained and sit. No miles (1600 a week was my most in 7 months) and long periods between dispatches.They have very limited lanes that they run and very few dedicated customers other then ECOLAB. I have talked to drivers still inside and they say the same culture continues.

Go to Superior, Atom, Indian River or Groendyke if you really want an experience with tankers. With them at least you will move. I hold no grudges with Schneider and I left on good terms; I just feel their tanker division is a poor choice for a rookie-type driver.

 

Not sure of the others, but I spoke with the terminal manager near me with Superior. They required one year of over-the-road experience, which I don't have yet, in order to work for them. That's my dilemma. I'm wanting to do tanker right off if possible, but everyone I speak with is requiring one year before they'll talk to you. Schneider was the only one that didn't and that's the reason I chose to go that route. Not for the money, not for the miles, just the tanker experience.

 

Look you are starting out the first few years will be hard they dont put rookies in anything nice you get the ####ty loads no one wants if you want tanker go to them get your year and move on in about 5 years with good history you can just about say where you want to be

 

Thanks, that's exactly why I'm doing what I'm doing with Schneider. I basically feel like I can get 90% of the jobs that I want with just one year with them.

 

Theres some that require more than 1 year but I would go ahead and get your hazmat but it's a start