Swift Is Good

As Lilbit says below, you don't pick your trainer. Once you have completed orientation, you will get a driver code and shortly thereafter you will be assigned a mentor (could be the same day you complete orientation or up to several days later.....depends on the terminal, I think). I completed orientation last Thursday, was coded and assigned a mentor Friday. My mentor picked me up at the terminal Saturday afternoon.

I think Swift is on a mission to dump the crappy mentors as quickly as possible...too many of the mentors are seeing a student's logbook as nothing more than a $ sign.

Swift has changed the mentoring period, at least at the Memphis terminal, and now requires that a student driver complete 240 hours behind the wheel rather than completing 6 weeks. If a student can successfully complete 240 hours in the 3.5 - 4 week period you mentioned and if his/her mentor "signs off" that the student is sufficiently prepared to go it alone, then, yes, a student can spend less than 6 weeks with a mentor.
(e.g., 240 hours/28 days=about 8.5 hours driving per day....doable for sure if everything falls into place just right)

I have been on my mentor's truck, as I mentioned above, since last Saturday. I did not drive Saturday. We only went as far as Earle AR, just west of Memphis, and shut down for the night. So far, in the 5 days since then, I have driven about 33 hours...average of about 6.6 hours per day. That average should increase, I think, to over 8 hours per day before the end of my second week. So, doing the math, and assuming we don't have to reset our 70s at any time along the way, I could complete 240 hours in about 30 days. Then, if my mentor feels I'm ready to fly to coop, I go back to the Memphis terminal for written and driving tests, plus some other stuff, before I am assigned a truck.

I hope this helps!

 

Nice to see them clearing out the bad mentors around there. Sounds like a decent system they have in place. Hopefully, it works. Sounds like it is working for you, from the tidbits I have read. Having a good mentor/trainer is important to a new driver's success!

 

In my opinion, a mentor is the most important link in the chain. Every step along the way is important, from Day One at whichever school a student attends to "Hey, here's your keys!" but, a qualified, bonified TEACHER (aka Mentor) is a must in this new era of commercial driving.

 

yeah that def does help i go to Harrisburg PA for orientation on wednesday i go up tuesday.....just like say i hope i do get a decent trainer cuz i already told the recruiter if i get stuck with some ahole im getting on a bus an coming home lol...but yeah that info def does help plus i attended a 320 hour driving school that swift works with alot where i live so i dont know if that will help any or not who knows

 

Wonderful! Show them before you even start that you think YOU are calling the shots...and a great attitude too!

Harrisburg is well known for not putting up with BS...and this "potential threat" will be passed onto the Mentor so he/she will be prepared for another student with "attitude"!

BTW...the 320 hours at the school, is just that...AT THE SCHOOL...doesn't change a thing as far as time on the Mentor's truck.

 

Does Swift pay on Practicle miles(good) or Household Goods miles(not so good) ?

 

Last I heard Household miles...good luck pinpointing how they actually figure their miles...I never could...some trips they paid more than I actually drove, others were less...I heard zip code to zip code.

 

i aint got an attitude first off but i dont put up with no bull from nobody is all i was saying...

 

forgot to add...im THE easiest person you'll ever to meet to get along with until i SOMEONE pisses me off....flat out thats mainly what i was getting at....i had a friend go to work for them a few years back and he told me his mentor was royal d**k head. but once again i can be your friend just as easy as being your enemy....but as long as the person im with is cool calm and not ignorant then im completely fine

 

You will find that in this industry...oft times it is better to keep the "idle threats of gonna do something", to yourself and let things play out a bit before announcing any intentions of "action". In other words..."let it ride" for a bit, then make a decision.