Finished Swift Academy Phoenix

Hey all. Been gone for a while attending the Phoenix Academy but it's all good now. We started with 22 students, lost 1 the first day for reasons unknown. Then we lost 3 or 4 for the permit test. Then we lost 1 to the drug test then one guy snapped and attacked his 2 room mates outside the classroom and he was gone. So we had 9 left going into road week plus 5 recycles from other classes that joined us. Of the 14 who tested out for the road eval all but 4 passed. One of those passed the re-eval on Friday the others got recycled into the next class. 9 passed the CDL pre-trip, backing skills and road test.

I would give the Phoenix Academy 2 thumbs up. The instructors are patient and want you to succeed. We were blessed to have a small class so everyone got plenty of truck time. The class in front of us had 33 and they were 4 to 5 per truck for everything. And 9 of those failed road week because of it. 4 recycled into the next class and 4 into our class the following week. Most of the range trucks have 400k on the clock but one old girl has 987k. But she is only used on the range so no big deal. The road trucks are all Columbia's in the 400k range.

The only drawback is the motel, the Legacy Suites on McDowell and 83'rd. What a dive!! The rooms are 2 small bedrooms with a military bunk bed and then a single military bed next to it, and a small living room with a full size refer, microwave and stove. The carpet looked like someone changed their oil in there and we had 3 scorpions in 3 weeks. The motel is mostly section 8 residents. They openly sell drugs and run ###### through the place. There was 1 gal, about 50 with open oozing sores on her face and arms and only fragments of teeth that offered head for $20 in the laundromat. Speaking of the laundromat, DO NOT leave your clothes in there. The kids open the dryers and rifle through the clothes looking for freebee's. We had a classmate that got his own room at a place 15 mins drive from the academy for the same price and he said it was clean and not full of reprobates.

The academy hours for summer are 5am til 3pm with an old rough bus for transport. The bus picks up between 4-4:15 am at the end of the Swift room block. Don't be late because it will leave at 4:15 with or without you. In our room we went to bed at 6:30 and got up at 3:30. My first week there were only 2 of us in the room. The following Monday we had 6 total but 2 got moved because the bunk bed didn't have a ladder and they had to climb the sides and jump to get in/out of bed. Then we lost 2 to the permit test so it was back to 2. Then my last week there were 4 total. 4 is OK but when we had 6 it was a nightmare. If you have room problems talk to Lynn and she will set things straight.

So that's about it. I had a good time and learned a lot, even being an experienced driver going in because it had been 15 years since I last drove. Bring sun screen and a hat! There are shade areas but since the instructors have to stand out in the sun all day so do the students, except for break/lunch time. Ice water is provided in abundance so bring you own bottle. Next stop orientation on October 16 in Fontana then out with a mentor. Speaking of mentors, they academy staff kept saying to NOT take any crap from a mentor. If they suck call them on it with your DM so they can be removed and not passed onto the next victim/student. Treat your first contact with them like an interview. If they say something you don't like pass on them and interview another one. They say your only choices are male/female and smoker/non smoker but the academy staff said if you get someone saying you will run solo for a few days then will team the rest of the time pass them by. You can't learn jack while asleep or with the mentor sleeping. This is what I am going to do. When I was a trainer (now called mentor) we ran solo until the student felt they were ready to be their own boss, then we would team drive. Sometimes we never made it to team driving if they didn't feel ready. And I never had a student fail their skills test after training so I was doing something right. The mentor still makes money on every mile you drive after going solo for the first year so make them earn it by training you, not riding you like a rented donkey.

 

You can't get near a truck unless an instructor is present so you must leave the range when the group leaves. If you are staying at the Swift hotel you don't have to drive everyday to the academy but if you want to and don't feel like the 3/4 mile walk from the gate to the range you can ride the bus from the driveway. Just stand by the "days worked accident free" sign and the bus will pick you up and also drop you off in the parking lot after. The academy is exactly what you make of it, although it is geared for success. No tricks or BS, just a good education and plenty of drive time to learn the basics to pass the CDL exam. You'll learn the Swift way from your mentor (hopefully).

 

Per the paperwork I was given for orientation you need to bring: Long form Medical and card, CDL, non laminated SS card, H-6 from DMV less than 30 days old, Pen, Pad, highlighter, Birth certificate, birth dates and SS # for all dependents, SS # and legal names of 2 beneficiaries, voided check for direct deposit, be prepared for a piss test and physical, 2 month supply (minimum) of prescription meds, clothing for 2 weeks, sleeping bag and pillow, money for meals/expenses. YOU MUST BE AVAILABLE TO START WORK AT END OF ORIENTATION.

During the first 2 days of the academy you will fill in any missing information on your original application, background, work history and any other paperwork. Be prepared with the information or they will send you home to get it and you'll have to reschedule the academy. I had to get 2 notorized letters from family saying I was unemployed from this date to that date. Luckily my recruiter was on top of her game and I had them with me or I would have been sent home to get them. As your academy date approaches you SHOULD get a call from Lynn and your recruiter making sure all your ducks are in a row.

 

It all depends on how much you eat. I took a costco size jar of peanut butter, jelly, mayo and lunch meat. Since we got up at 3:30 I skipped breakfast then ate either 2 ham sandwich's or 2 pb&j's for lunch then went to costco on 99th and McDowell every evening for the $1.50 polish and soda meal. So I basically ate for $1.50 day but I had my car with me. For those who don't Walmart is about 2 miles walk to buy food. Each room has a full size fridge, micro and oven/stove but no cooking utensils unless they were left from a previous student. There is a Sam's Club across the street from the hotel that I was told will let you in for the food court without a membership and they also have the $1.50 hotdog/soda meal.

The only other money I needed was for DMV. $35 for the CDL permit test and $10 per endorsement

 

I would recommend going through the Az CDL manual. I saw a bunch of folks say they were ready for the permit test only to fail it twice and get sent home. 4 from my class, about 8 from the following class and 7 from the class after that.