Thinking of Joining Swift

haha Inkeeper you hanging around Lancaster? Ima here but could not take the heat and decided to get a room. Been in that truck for 8 weeks straight now time to go home for a little while.

 

Yep, off the shuttle, did a local and waiting. Couldn't do a heavy beer load to Houston because I have too much fuel. Things are back to normal!

 

We have someone in our academy class at Phoenix who has a CDL but has no driving experience, so Swift told him he has to go to their academy.

I do not know anything except for the week and a half I have been here in Phoenix and I am LOVING it. The instructors are very helpful, encouraging, and best of all, they are passionate about their job. If you come here wanting to learn, you WILL be challenged.

Some people can't handle the grueling pace and I cannot speak for other schools, but I'm learning quite a bit and there's no attitude of taking shortcuts or teaching the answers they want to see on the CDL test just for the sake of passing it and not learning how to drive the truck.

I know that the pay is small at 25CPM to start (1 cent extra for flatbed loads) and goes up to 34CPM. Most people at Swift or other starter companies realize their drivers won't be with them for longer than 5 years and are just driving to gain experience to move to better companies.

Most trucking companies that start new drivers will be that low. If you go with Swift, you need to consider everything else you're getting instead of just the CPM.

You're getting 3 weeks of schooling plus transportation to said school and hotel. You pay for half of the cost of the loan over the first year, then Swift forgives the second half. That means your financial obligation to them is over in only a year, while some schools take 2 or even 3 years before you get to that point.

After the first year, you get the $1950 you paid for school back on each paycheck spread out over the next year. So in 2 years, you'll have experience to get hired almost anywhere if you have a clean driving record, AND your schooling is absolutely FREE.

If you're looking at Swift to MAKE MONEY and that's your bottom line, you may be disappointed with Swift. If you're going to GAIN EXPERIENCE to move on to a higher paying job, it's a great opportunity.

I've been very happy hear so far, and am thoroughly enjoying the knowledge I'm learning about how to drive this truck. I know for many people here it's nothing, but not a day out there goes by when my mind just doesn't get blown at least once that they're teaching me to drive something nearly 80 feet long and 80,000 lbs.

Just my two cents - if you're going to look for information from the forum, look for people who are currently employed by Swift (They'll tell you how it really is and be honest) or people that HAVE been employed by Swift and moved on to other companies. The pictures aren't always rosy, but they won't BS you. Many of the people who bash on Swift aren't from or never have been from the company, so take everything with a grain of salt.

 

If you go to the Swift Acadamy it will be for the kitten as well as the kaboodle.

That's a good thing, though. It'll give you time to remember everything you have forgotten, and it will probably teach you some new good habits.

 

Swift starts you out at 25cpm and you get raises every three months until you hit 34cpm. Do not believe me, call recruiting.

KH

 

Wow a year without a job i'm asuming you spent a few dollars on your CDL i'd be spitting chips if i didn't have a job after a year i suppose with so much unemployment out there the companies can afford to be fussy.

 

You can ask me anything I work for Swift and I always tell the truth even when I lie. Great attitude there bud your going to need it on your journey.. keep positive and you will do just fine!

 

I went to the Millington academy and now have been solo for a month. So far my experience with Swift has been positive. If you manage your hours well and keep the truck rolling they will get you miles. About 80% of the time I have a preplan before I'm even empty and when I don't I either get one 20 minutes after my empty call or take my 10 and one is there when I wake up. I'm clearing over $400 every week after loans and taxes and everything is taken out. While thats not a whole lot I have no bills and thats at $.25 so it will only go up.

 

i was wondering if i had a chance at a job im a southern state tda grd with no exsp and i have a felony thats over 5 years old