New soon to be swift trainee!

Great attitude! You're going to be just fine- bright and willing to learn. Your enthusiasm and descriptive posts makes me excited for you. Keep us posted.

 

Newtrucker48-Thanks for your posts I am 47 and changing careers after being a Real Estate Appraiser for the last 18 years. Been 20+ years from last driving job and that was just a 32' straight truck hauling furniture. I was very nervous but your posts, the replies and your enthusiasm has made me feel great about my decision. Put in application at Swift today hope to hear from them after the holiday. I live in Montana so thought i would train in AZ for the weather and my Dad lives in Scottsdale. May make AZ my home base. Keep us posted i look forward to and appreciate all the good info from everybody.

 

Good posts man, keep up the thread as to how you are doing! Gives a pretty good insight to other new guys as to what to expect.

As for the orientation losses, that's pretty standard. Out of a class of 30 usually 18 continue on, 15 graduate, 13 go with trainers, 10 finish with their trainers, 7 make it past the first month, 5 make it past three months and usually 2 make it to the six month mark. Now you can see why there is a demand for drivers!

Good luck man!

 

Keep up the motivation! You can do it brother. You will be out there soon enough swinging those big ole' 53's into places you never thought you could! Keep us posted.

 

Also most have their eyes shut instead of having them wide open, and they don't realize just how little money they make at first. How many newbies get 3000+ a week staight from being with a trainer. Not many I would think. But if you do the time and stick it out it can be a cool ride. I am closing in on two years and wow what a trip it has been. Is there things I would do different oh ya but that is how one gains experience.

 

@K2bruce Thanks for posting and good luck! Also make sure you have every single piece of paper work that, when the recruiter responds with the email, it states. I'm sure you know that you don't want to travel all the way to the academy only to have them turn you around and say you don't have what you need. Pay attention to the recruiter, but also read what's on the forums so you can make sure you have ALL the correct information needed. Bombard the recruiter with questions and make sure you know the facts. Some in my class are still talking about what the recruiter did and did not say before they got here. Arizona is very strict, so I hear, but seeing where they are the headquarters I understand why. Bring extra money and make sure you study the cdl permit test, Arizona does not recognize out of state permits. By the way, do you still have your cdl? Or will you have to start all the way over? If you're starting over make sure you study again, it'll make things less stressful. If you would like to add anything please feel free. Thanks again and good luck!

 

Happy Independence day everyone! Yesterday was interesting, we are off today for the holiday, we studied logging, mapping, and trip planning. The logging portion, was a great lesson! Our instructor did a great job letting us know how to fill one out legally, legibly, and correct. He gave us a booklet of several logs and we had the chance to fill our first one out. The lesson I learned, make sure you do it correct the first time and use white out very sparingly. Dot looks for any discrepancies and the fines can be huge. He showed us one slide on the projection that was so full of errors, we had no idea how the guy/gal could even operate a big rig down the road in a straight line. It was so bad. I need to get better at flagging and making sure my writing is readable for a dot officer. I'm glad they are on computer systems now, because my writing, I never want to cause myself to get a ticket. I understand why they do the paper logs though for a just in case. Smart idea to still train this way in school.

Secondly we had the opportunity to read over an atlas. Being from a gps spoiled generation I need some practice on reading a map. He tested us, gave us 30 seconds on 2-3 questions each, to find a city or how many miles between points. I didn't do so well, but he says I'll learn better from my mentor. I think it was just his deciding which place to look up and how many miles between this or that place that made me not do so good starting out. Once I buy my own atlas and trip plan with my mentor I'll be way better, because I'll be just looking for routes, which bridges to avoid, and which streets are not legal for an 18 wheeler and it's size. All in all it was very fun to look over the map. I had no idea that atlases had such a wealth of information for drivers. That amazed me. I can't wait to get my own so I can learn how to find a route and when I get there see how far I've come from struggling in class. Of course I'll have a gps system but I plan on using both.

Tomorrow we start our first day on the range! Can't wait I'm excited. Right now I'm doing homework. Have to read 3 chapters and answer 10 questions each. Then read 3 more chapters. I have until Saturday but the book he gave us to read is a pretty good read. He has this saying, "are you studying to pass a test or are you studying to know the material?" I was studying to pass the test, now I can study to know the material. I can tell already that I've made a good move coming here. It is well worth it! Thanks everyone for your help and advice, now it's back to studying and relaxing for tomorrow!

.S the older lady passed her test! She is still here. Unfortunately, the guy passed one test and failed the other. He had to go home, since we didn't have any more time for physicals and cdl permit tests. The older lady said she talked him into coming back eventually since he has so much invested already instead of giving up. I hope he doesn't give up. Just shows you, have all you need to have before coming. They are serious about having all you need.

 

I am gonna be starting over from the start fresh. My CDL was so long ago they were not even called CDL i think they were chauffeurs been 20+ years. Not even gonna mention past driving i want to start fresh. Im glad it is going so well for ya. Your posts are getting me excited to start now just finding the $$$$ then on my way. Been studying the state CDL book and taking the online tests for practice at least while i try to find a loan or financing I can get some studying done ahead of time. Cant wait to hear how range goes for ya. Thanks for the posts they are a big big big big help.

 

Don't get to use to the paperlogs. Swift uses e-logs. Don't worry though its much more easy and fool proof. Pretty much does everything for you.

Newtrucker I highly advise you get an atlas ASAP and familiarize yourself as best you can with it. You are going to be using that atlas everyday and it will only behoove you to learn it as quick as possible. Besides all the nitty gritty I would also get yourself familiar with all the major highways, cities and time zones are. Most people (that aren't truckers) don't even know where most states are located.

Make sure when you buy one it is a Motor Carrier Road Atlas. If you go on Amazon you can get last years issue really cheap. Spend the extra few bucks and get the laminated one so you can write in it with a dry erase marker.

Make that a priority!

 

Chompi, the "wet erase" markers work better on the laminated maps. They don't smudge, you erase them with a damp tissue.