A Question about the The DOT Physical?

[MrDarryk]

We were told some really horrible story's about the physical we will have to take when hired by a trucking company. I have orientation next week with Swift, now I already have my CDL from IITR which is a Driving Acadamy, where we had to take the DOT physical in order to attended the school, I was wondering if they will be different, basically checked my blood pressure, eyes, heart, and made me piss in a cup so is there a suprise I should be aware?

[repete]

some co. will make you do a few squats or climb some steps then check blood press. other than that no biggie. One bit of advice, Don't eat pancakes or waffles for breakfast the morning of the physical, it threw my blood suger level off and I only got a 6 mo DOT card!

[GMAN]

I seem to recall that Swift requires you to be able to lift a certain amount of weight during orientation. There are some on here who work for Swift who can tell you for sure.

[dieselgrl]

Just got off the phone with a Swift recruiter since I was contemplating going back. They have done away with the WorkWell exam it seems (woot!)

I seem to recall that Swift requires you to be able to lift a certain amount of weight during orientation. There are some on here who work for Swift who can tell you for sure.

[GMAN]

Just got off the phone with a Swift recruiter since I was contemplating going back. They have done away with the WorkWell exam it seems (woot!)

Personally, I don't see the need to have a new driver lift 100 pounds of weight unless they will be throwing tarps or doing other types of manual labor along with driving.

[GMAN]

By the way, it is good to see you are still around dieselgrl. How have you been doing?

[dieselgrl]

That seemed to be the general rule of thought at Swift from what my understanding is now that they are the "new" Swift. Funny to me because there's not even a lift test for flatbed anymore it seems - but I so rarely have to move my own tarps anyway I've not done it much myself. *point at forklift, point at tarps, point at top of load* ;-)

I float in and out Gman, you know that. Spent a few months in a dispatch office and find myself looking to go back on the road yet again. Once you get on one of these damn trucks it seems it's true you'll never fully escape it.

[GMAN]

This business does get in your blood, dieselgrl. I still enjoy driving some. I am not driving as much as I used to a few years ago. My wife would like for me to put drivers back in the trucks and get back to dispatching. I think that I will stick to driving for now.

How have you been getting along?

[geeshock]

hope they did away with it, they made you step up on a ladder, multiple times, skiping the first step. walk 50 - 85 feet with so much weight, do a static push and pull, lift 75 lbs for dryvan, 85 for flatbed, then the usual, sight, hearing, bp

[dieselgrl]

This business does get in your blood, dieselgrl. I still enjoy driving some. I am not driving as much as I used to a few years ago. My wife would like for me to put drivers back in the trucks and get back to dispatching. I think that I will stick to driving for now.

How have you been getting along?

Oh I hear you. I found I wasn't dispatch material in the past few months. I'm great at the job, but as I've heard more than once, I "sympathize too much with the drivers" and that's part of the reason they let me go. Ha! Ahh well, I hear the fleet misses me through the grapevine but I'm glad to be getting back on the road. I either need to be in training or behind the wheel I think. I go stir crazy otherwise!

geeshock - I agree with you. Crete also does the workwell, though at least they do one that was more fair than Swift's old program and adjust it to the size of the driver. But it seems Swift is changing for the better - they're consolidating recruiting operations to Phoenix, which means that mess in Memphis is no more. Bad for me since I'd have been able to see my daughter while in orientation, but instead I have to go to Phoenix...but I'd rather be in Phoenix instead of that crappy terminal.

[GMAN]

Oh I hear you. I found I wasn't dispatch material in the past few months. I'm great at the job, but as I've heard more than once, I "sympathize too much with the drivers" and that's part of the reason they let me go. Ha! Ahh well, I hear the fleet misses me through the grapevine but I'm glad to be getting back on the road. I either need to be in training or behind the wheel I think. I go stir crazy otherwise!

Unless someone has been involved in dispatching they don't have any idea how time consuming and demanding it can be for the dispatcher. You can literally be glued to a computer and telephone all day long. I am glad that you decided to get back to what you enjoy. I don't see anything wrong with being sympathetic toward your drivers. It can help build confidence and trust which in turn can make drivers want to be more productive.