STARTING SCHOOL WITH SWIFT # MILLINGTON,TN on April 11th

I'm starting on April 11th. I was going on April 4th, but took my CDL permit test yesterday and didnt pass the combination part of the test, so have to retake next tuesday. It kinda suxs cause I studied that one the most, but had some questions I didnt remember reading in the book or on the course. but only missed by one. Are you still startin millington on the 11th?

 

Well ran into a set back, I took my cdl permit test and failed the combination part of the test by 1. that stinks, but I have a retake on the 5th. So if you havent taken the test yet, read combination and driver safety real good, and the last 3 chapters on inpections. I aced the knowledge and missed two on airbrakes, but the combination test is over basically everything from 2-14. So take care, will send updates. those of you starting on the 11th, guess I will see you there. Lilbit

 

awesome, yeah i'm going on Monday to take it had to wait until my fianci got paid to do it. Thanks for giving me a heads up, are you in Florida? Yeah I will be starting on the 11th to answer your question....

 

I'm going to Millington on March 12, 2012. I'm out of St. Augustine, FL...Anybody else??

 

OK, I did a Thread about my journey so far through Millington and up to this point..its called ready or not here I come.. Basically everything youve been told is just the bare bones of it, when you get to Millington your first 2 weeks is pretty much on the range backing, the instructors will show you how to do it once and then let you have at it with bare bones instruction from there on out, Pray you get Lynn and Dee, and NOT Doug and Kenny..as they like to move cones around during your tests. There are 2 days of classroom besides the first day, and a pretty hard map test on the very last day, make sure you study and do all the home work as this makes it much easier to pass. What they dont tell you in the brochure is that the second week of range is 3rd shift, you go in at 6pm and get done around 6am, and you will be testing out in the dark..if you fail in the dark you have a retest on friday afternoon in the light..Once your finished and passed through the On range stuff and classroom at millington, unless you live close by you will be going back to your home terminal or a close by terminal to do one week of on the road training, In one week you will need to learn the shift pattern, gear recovery speeds and how to double cluth, as well as how to drive down the road without hitting stuff, as well as more range practice and backing practice, once finished with the week they will take you to your home state where you will take the DMV test, out of 37 people in my class around 23 of them failed this the first time, Also remember what the tell you in milling about your DMV may not be the way it really is, they will swear that its the most current up to date version of the DMV skills test, but they are not, They had a bunch of us practicing pre trips and backing skills that were not even on my states skills test, plus they will tell you that there is automatic fails or 10 point infractions, most of that is BS as well, there is one state where encroachment out of the bumper box is an auto fail, but most its just 1 point, My advice is to do what I did and call a local 3rd party tester in your home state and ask exactally what is on the Skills test and the rules. Once you finish that and you have your CDL, you will then go to your home terminal for 3 days of boring repetitive videos that you will have already watched in Millington, ( the one where the guys goes over donner pass is fun to see, youtube it) and do a drug test and physical etc.etc.,,they will then get you your driver code and a assign you to a mentor..Thats where the real fun starts, pray you get a good one and not an ####### douchbag screamer who treats you like an idiot and expects you to do all the night driving and ask 0 questions..And Hope that Frieght picks up or something so you dont spend the 1st 15 days out and only get 53 hours..as a school Swift is an OK school, I did learn how to drive a truck again after being away for 10 years, and I made some good friends, its more like a bootcamp then a school though where they are testing you to see how much you can handle before you snap and quit..they were not very friendly towards some of the female trainee's but thats the industry for you, got to be tough I guess..as for the company, I have nothing bad to say about them except that some of thier mentors should NOT be mentors and there should be some kind of thourough review of them after every student and a rating system based on how many of thier students pass/fail quit..get off truck..etc etc..and remember that 99% of everything the recruiter promised you..is ######## and dont beleive it..lol

 

Thanks a lot big bus man. I just read your thred on millington too...very insitful. Headed for permit test in St. Augustine FL next week. What do people say about FL's DMV??

 

The FL dmv sucks plain and simple, its always busy and the ppl working there dont know anything.
What Big Bus Man said is almost 100% accurate. Just be ready for tons and tons of paperwork. As for the trainers while your there, I had Kenny and Dee. Dee is cool but she changes her mind alot, what was right yesterday might not be right today. And Kenny does move the cones while you test. While your practicing, try moving the cones closer together and practicing that so it dont throw you off when he does it. For FL your required to do the 45 alley dock, straight line backing, right turn forward stop box, and jacknife parallel. Illinois is the state that fails you for encroachment so you dont have to worry about that, you will only lose points for doing it. If you pass everything up there you will be shipped back here for training. Its basically throw everything out the window and learn over again. Im not sure if Jacksonville has a terminal, if not then you'll probably be going to Ocala. There you'll meet Wade. Wade is not a nice guy, very opinionated and verbally abusive. You'll drive around the Ocala- Gainesville area for 3 days and practice more backing skills for 2 days. If you can get through all of it and pass you will go to Orientation for 3 days. Orientation is more paper work a whole lot of sitting and listening and a couple of videos. They do provide lunch though. Just cus you get through orientation doesnt mean you'll get a mentor right away tho. 1 of my roommates got a mentor the last day of orientation, the other didnt get one until 3 weeks later. I personally never got one. They would send me somewhere to meet the mentor but on 3 occasions they never showed up. A month later I got a notice of termination in the mail. Out of the 30 ppl in orientation only 3 went out that day, 10 were called up later, and most just went somewhere else. Oh and while your up in Millington, make friends with someone with a car. If u need anything, Walmart is a pretty good walk.

 

Thanks apksumorider...As far as finding someone with a car, mine will be the one with florida tags, haha. At least that part wont be a problem...I will be out of Ocala, but I live in St. Augustine. I really hope I will be getting hooked up with a motel room(free). Im over 50 miles, and i think i read somewhere over 50 miles is a free room...Thanks again

 

Yeah wal mart is a bit of a Hike, but the Greds right next dooe is pretty usefull, got most of what I needed in there and only had to hike to wal mart once..lol

 

Yea once you get down there, you'll be staying in a Howard Johnson about 10 miles away from the terminal, thats where your road trainer will pick you up every morning. Swift does pay for it. Its a real nice hotel, queen sized beds, mini fridge and microwave in the room. There is a little restaurant in the lobby of the hotel. After you pass the license test on a Friday, you'll have the option to take the weekend off and start orientation on that Monday. Or take a week off and return the following Monday, During orientation they will put you in another hotel that they again will pay for. Just be prepared not to sleep at all during those 3 days, unless your lucky enough to get a room with A/C. This place will make Millington look like the Hilton.