My 3 days in Millington

I was so excited to get to Millington, I told everyone that would listen that I was going to be a Swift driver. Had my CDL permit in hand, DOT physical complete, my attitude was positive all I needed was instruction.

To preface this post, I am not saying everyone's experience will be like this, I just want to let others know what they might be in for when attending class in Millington.

I arrived in Tennessee, class was to begin July 25. First day was drug test and LOTS of paperwork. Second day was a class on logs and a 2 hour 'meet & greet' where the instructor learned how many spouses and children everyone had and their reasons for getting into trucking.

Now on day 3 is where they lost me. (after day 3 you start to owe them money, $1500 and $500 housing) Got out to the range, I was as excited as a kid in a candy shop. After 2 months of studying I was going to get into a truck! Here is my brief recap of the day.

4 of us got into a truck with an instructor. He demonstrated once how to back thru cones and pull up. He got out and 2 went to a different truck and 2 of us stayed in that truck. Since the other guy had trucking experience I let him go first, I had no idea what I was doing. He pulled up and back a few times, didn't look that hard so it was my turn. I could get to the cones, but not thru them. Two hours later was a break. Not one time in those 2 hours did an instructor come to my truck. There were 2 instructors for 12 trucks out there, they stood under a cooling tent and watched. I did see them walk out to other trucks a few times, but not to mine.

After break, I got a little better (on my own) and one time a female instructor came to my truck, stood outside my window and said 'turn the wheel this way' and moved her hands to the left and right, then walked away. Ok, that took 30 seconds of her time. Alone again til lunchtime. After lunch, I was left alone for another 2 hours and by this time I was beyond frustrated. This is when I realized that I was not getting $4400 worth of education. In the last 2 hours on the range, I stuck it thru the cones 4 times in a row. A male instructor came out once and gave me 15 seconds of advice.

If I had stayed one more day, they would prevent me from getting my CDL if I owed them money. I could not justify owing that kind of money for 45 seconds of training. I will be a driver someday, but it looks like it won't be with Swift. I packed up and left school. I am not saying everyone will have this experience, but that is what happened to me. I am not sure of the future now, maybe look for another school, or give up the dream.

Safe travels to ya'll.

 

Thank you Duke. I was totally ready to be a reliable driver and I was left alone. What makes me so disappointed is that I gave up everything to go to Swift. I was not expecting them to hold my hand, but a few minutes of their time would have been nice. Looking back, I can't believe the instructors seriously only talked to me for less than a minute in a 10 hour day.

I talked to a reqruiter from Prime when I got back and they offer one on one training. There is a 3 to 6 month waiting list, so I guess I will get a job and wait it out. Ya'll will see me out there one day, this time prepared to be a safe driver.

After 10 hours of driving forward and back, I have much respect for the work that you do out there Time for this girl to be job~hunting.