Swift orientation questions?

Depends on who you are training with. What company?

 

Seeing you have 9 posts i am assuming you know there are many posts on here about your new carrier. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do some reading and you will have all your questions explained.

 

Well.... I left Swift in February. My hubby just left last week. The "word" about town is that you better take any mentor you can get. I have heard that there are students that have been waiting for weeks just to finish their training that have actually take other jobs to keep a paycheck coming in. At this stage in the game, I'd advise you to tolerate the smoking if at all possible. You'd be surprised how many don't really smoke. Heed my advice. DO NOT let your mentor make you drive a full night time shift until you feel totally comfortable in doing so. The "norm" is this... They see what ya got. If you can keep it in a straight line, then you drive at night, even though you're not geared up to do so, and they crawl in the bunk and sleep. If they are fortunate, they wake up the next day. Many students have been killed in this scenario. I was fortunate because I, by nature am a night person, and enjoy driving at night. I did have difficulties in handling this big rig for 11 straight hours through the night at first but you can do it in time. If you get tired, day or night, get out of that drivers seat! It's not something you can do overnight. It is hard! Pull over and take a power nap. Pull over and get 2 hours sleep. Just pull over! You are nothing more than a log book to those mentors with Swift because they can't get enough miles as a solo driver to make a living, so they get paid for your miles too. You get paid as a student. I saw a truck come into the lancaster tx terminal in a dumpster. Student driving at night. 2 week driver. Mentor asleep. Student falls asleep at the wheel, hits a bull hauler head on, killing him and himself. Mentor permanently damaged, but still alive. Another recent incident in Washington State on the I-5. Do your homework! Get your education, don't let your mentor bully you, and most of all, good luck to you. Been in your shoes. I know what you're about to go through.

 

Hello All,
After years of driving farm tractors, heavy equipment and working a stint as a Zamboni driver I decided to get my Class A license with all the endorsements. I just graduated from a trucking school and got a pre-hire with Swift. Does anyone know how soon I can finish the training? My recruiter is telling me that Swift will try to put my truck school buddy and I together as a team after 4 to 6 weeks of training - is this realistic? I have an orientation coming up soon and want to hear from other Swift drivers - any info or advise on Swift will be appreciated Thanks

 

I got my cdl and went to orientation for swift in syracuse ny on Sep 15th. If you have no expierence you have to be with a mentor for 42 days. aftyer that you test out and get your own truck. I have been out for 2 1/2 weeks now and it is going by fast.

 

Hey thanks for the input Bill. I have my CDL and all endorsements except passenger. They are telling me that I'll be in training with a mentor for 4 to 6 weeks. I got 3 weeks and a couple hundred intensive miles experience driving Freightliners, Kenworths and Peterbilt while in school, so hopefully I'll get through training in a reasonable amount of time. I have a friend from the school who will be my team driver (at some point - thats what they told us) and we are both good drivers and comfortable riding/driving with each other - not the case with several other student drivers who scared the crap out of me while we were in school.

 

how is that training goin Bill? still running around New England?

 

still staying in new england and new york. a little bit of new jersey. the bronx is a trip. you just count the idiots that aree driving and hope none of them hit you. going to long island you get to go right thru the city. traffic is unbeliveable. but my mentor has all kinds of patieince and tells me just to do what has to be done. i am a little shakey in that traffic with 53 ft behind me. it is fun though.