Swift in Sumner For Orientation and Base

Discussion in 'Swift' started by KingpinR, May 4, 2014.

  1. KingpinR

    KingpinR Light Load Member

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    Jun 28, 2013
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    I have read some past threads on Swift in Sumner but want some more recent experiences.

    Can someone give me an idea about what to expect with orientation with a bit more detail than the email my recruiter sent and QOL being based in Sumner. I will be starting later this month.

    I have been told that I will have a schedule option for 4 out 3 home or something like 7 out 3 home or 7-10 out with 2 days home, the latter the truck is all mine the other I have to move out at the end of each trip. What do recommend. With the period the mentor is with you, how much driving time will I have each day or do they do this period on a tag team bases. Where can I expect to go during my road training.

    Also how often is pay day and is it a week behind also ride along policy for a family member.

    Let me know if there is anything else I should know that would be of benefit.
     
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  3. Rex012

    Rex012 Light Load Member

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    10-2. With the 2 days being near the weekend so you can take an extra day off if you want. Say "Thursday and Friday" and sat being the free day. It worked for me
     
  4. KingpinR

    KingpinR Light Load Member

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    Also what model of trucks are they issuing these days and average age/mileage.
     
  5. Rex012

    Rex012 Light Load Member

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    Cascadia pro star or vn760. DEPENDS ALOT if you have prior experience. If you have no experience expect a 2010 truck with 400+ miles
     
  6. Broccelli

    Broccelli Medium Load Member

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    Not necessarily true. 2 weeks after I went solo my '11 prostar broke down and they put me in a '14 cascadia with 50k miles. It's luck of the draw when it comes to truck assignment. You could get an old beater or a brand new truck. When my cascadia had a check engine light come on they put me in a '15 prostar with 16k miles.

    Pay day is Tuesday for company drivers and it is weekly. Rider policy: must be at least 12 years old and if it is a kid they can only ride during school holidays I.e. summer break, spring break etc. and I believe they can't ride during winter months. You will have to pay for rider insurance. I don't know how much it is but it isn't very expensive from what I've heard.

    Depending on your mentor you will probably get around 10 hours of drive time a day. After 50 hrs you will drive team if you are ready. The first 50 hrs the mentor will be awake and sitting in the passenger seat on duty. Depending on the loads you get and when they deliver your daily hours will vary, you still have a job to do and that job is to deliver freight. Nevertheless your training is important and if you are not receiving enough instruction you can talk about it with your mentor and if it still doesn't change you can request another mentor without negative repercussions.
     
    Moosetek13 Thanks this.
  7. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    The rider insurance is about $30 per month.

    As Broc mentioned, paydays are each Tuesday for company drivers.
    The cutoff is Wednesday at midnight the week before. So, yes, about a week behind.
    If you have all your BOL's scanned in by Wed midnight (or on accelerated pay), you will be paid for those loads the next Tuesday. Sooner if it is a holiday weekend.

    I'm OTR, so I can't really speak about the scheduling options you were told about.
    But being out 4 with 3 off doesn't sound like you would make much money. It takes me at least 2 weeks to get back, financially, from any home time. And they are 4-5 weeks in between.
    And anytime you have to clean out your truck is hours wasted on both ends. It's not like you can just throw in your stuff and get rolling on tight schedules.
    Just cleaning out the truck is a major undertaking, if you want to leave it clean for the next driver.
    At least for me.
     
  8. DocWatson

    DocWatson Road Train Member

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    Yes, what Moose said above...


    And I agree, I don't know how you can make money being out for 4 and home for 3. Like Moose said, hometimes kill your paychecks and not only do you not get paid when you are home but your paycheck for the following week will suffer.

    There seems to be a lot of Prostars going out lately. I know Phoenix has (had) a bunch of them but you will most likely get whatever is available at the terminal you finish your OTR training. If they don't have a truck there they may bus you, like they did to me, to a nearby terminal to get your truck. I wouldn't count on something new or newer although I've heard of it happening.

    I picked my truck up with 370,000 miles and I still have it at almost 500,000.

    I don't remember a lot of orientation. Not sure what they told you. I know you get another drug test, you go over Qualcomm, safety will talk to your group, I think you may fill something out to match you with a trainer. Check out my thread and I may have a lot more info on orientation there as I"ve documented almost the whole process from start until current.

    I had my orientation in Sumner, by the way.
     
  9. Rick)Rox

    Rick)Rox Light Load Member

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    I had my orientation in sumner as well. Im not sure what kind of schedule youre talking about maybe if you were doing one of the dedicated accounts out if there. As for me I got lucky my first truck was a 2013 cascadia with 40k miles.
     
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