Headed to Swift

[yoopr]

Congrats
But Laredo? :wink:
How fun lol

[street_95]

Congrats
But Laredo? :wink:
How fun lol

thats just a hop, skip, & jump from where he lives :wink:

[honestashol]

Thanks for the play-by-play! Please keep up the good work!

I'm getting things in order before applying to either Swift or Schneider for training so your posts have been invaluable to me.

One question though. Most states publish their CDL manuals online, but is there any information out there that would help with the other tests?

BOL

[HEADED4HOME]

Ok guys and gals,

Its SHOWTIME !!!!!!!!!

Im headed out and leaving for orienietation,Ill keep everyone posted
As far as things go...................................

Thanx to all !!!!!!!!!

Hone,Good luck at school..........Take ALL the practice tests that you can find online...............

Wish me luck,Robert,Hope all is well at Lisa........

Pete
San Antonio,Tx

[HEADED4HOME]

Ok guys and gals...........Update.

Orientation went well,Just alot of paperwork and more paperwork.........
Also did alot of video watching on Homeland Security,Safety,
Winter Driving,Quallcom and other topics.............................
All in all,Very informative...................

Heres what was interesting
Started Orientation with 13 people and get this !!!!!!!!!!!!

On days 2 and three,We lost people to the following reasons.

2 Background Check(Didnt Check)
1 Wee Wee Test (Studied too Hard)
1 Excessive Tickets on MVR
1 Trainer didnt take Student (Too many Tatts)
Overheard trainer say he didnt take CONVICTS on his truck.
Dont blame him(lol)
1 Quit

So 7 got placed on trucks including myself.My trainer is on Hometime in San Antonio and we leave for Missisippi on Sun............

Please note ALL the above PRE-HIRES were from a Truckdriving School
in The Rio Grande Valley.I just wondered how they got that far with all these items not having been CLEAR before they got to Orientation.

ALL THE SWIFT GRADUATES GOT ON TRUCKS !!!!!!

Till later guys and gals,Stay SAFE............

Pete Guerrero

A Wee Wee test? haha too funny

[dieselgrl]

Congrats...

Swift is notorious for not completing the background checks until you're in Orientation. I never did understand why they do that since it's just a wasteful business practice, but then, quite a bit of my time with Swift was spent wondering why they did things the way they did :wink:

[HEADED4HOME]

Ok everyone.................
Here is how week 1 went,I met my mentor on a Sun afternoon and we left for Mississippi,He let me drive comming out of San Antonio and let me back at a truck stop to see how Id do.................

I was only supposed to drive for 3-4 hrs but he asked how I felt.
I told him no sweatty hands lol.So he let me drive a total of 6 hrs or so with him in the jump seat the whole time,It was nice knowing he was right there for support and questions,Hes been great the whole week.
Weve not encountered any problems,Im learning alot from a great mentor

Here are the states weve covered since last Sunday...............

Texas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia
South Carolina
North Carolina
Tennesee
Kentucky
Indiana
Illinois
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
Kansas
Oklahoma

So as everyone can see,Weve been busy covering some territory.
Ive averaged 450-500 miles daily and Im getting alot of exoerience
doing everything I need to go solo in 5 weeks.We get breaks and my mentor tells me Im doing great and hes very supportive.

Ive even driven in Alot of rain combined with some mountain driving.
Small mountains (lol) The Smokey Mountains and the lower Appalacian
Mountains.Its been a great week and right this Min Im sitting in OK.
Heading to Texas in the Morn to drop a load in Lubbock,Hopefully well get something going further South,Like San Antonio.....................
Any way guys and gals ALL is well.One thing I forgot to mention.
My mentor is taking GOOD care of me and has been paying for meals.
Etc.

Ohhhh By the way he is an Owner Operator.And I love driving the big
KW W900L 8 speed.................
Ill post more later when we get a break.................
Im looking forward to week 2,Did I mention Im in the SWIFT program.

LMAOFL All Swift mentors are not Idiots...............

Thanks Pete
STAY SAFE OUT THERE YAALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Useless]

BOL2U!!

[Silver85327]

Guys and gals
It went well the last few days and I tested out with a 84 at DPS.
I travel to Laredo for orientation next week Ill keep everyone posted
as I travel the Staes..........................

Thanx to everyone for their Input Etc

Pete
San Antonio,TX

living in San Antonio why didn't they send you to the Lancaster terminal??

[dirtclod]

Hey Headedforhome,

I just finished training in KC (Swift)...and am going for Orientation this week in Edwardsville Kansas...I am glad to hear that things are going well for you and wish you the best....I only hope I can fair as well as you with a mentor...anyway just wanted to thank you for the positive , because I have heard alot of not so positive..It gives me hope...


Thanks again

Dirtclod

[HEADED4HOME]

Good luck at orientation and hope u get a good mentor...............

Right now were sitting in Springfield Mo and headed for Ohio in the AM.....

Thats all for now and Ill keep everyone posted.

Thanx Pete

PS Everyone North of Austin goes to Lancaster and everyone South of Austin goes to Laredo...............................

[HEADED4HOME]

After being on the road for nearly three weeks ,We drove in a couple of days ago And well be home for nearly 5 days,My mentor had a death in the family. And were shut down.I was given the opportunity to jump on another Truck and get a new Mentor but I refused,Id rather wait and go back out with my mentor of three weeks............................
I figure I know him and he knows me pretty well,Its the little things that help know a person,Like I know that he uses Sweet and Low with no cream in his coffee,He hates pickles in a Burger (LOL).....................
He also knows my limitations as a driver and my weakneses,That were working on(BACKING),So I decided to wait till hes ready....................
Ill stay in touch !!!!!
Hope ALL the newbies and Rookies are doing well.............................

Pete

[devildice]

I figure I know him and he knows me pretty well,Its the little things that help know a person,Like I know that he uses Sweet and Low with no cream in his coffee,He hates pickles in a Burger (LOL).....................

Hey Pete, so your training as a waiter/driver?

J/K.....

[KATMANN]

As a rookie....newbie.......a person contemplating the trucking career....whatever...LMAO

I have enjoyed reading your thread!!!

Lots of variables and to much to go into..In short, I will be paying my own way for the CDL.....and Swift is a trucking company I have been looking at as such with Werner.....

Live in the PHX area....so I guess I can leave my options open....

Anyway, not meaning to hijack your thread....Hope all works out for you...BOL to you friend.....

[syl77dar]

goodluck

[Toothpick]

hey swift drivers! your wisconsin safety man Ron came over to CRST he's a great guy and shares many scary swift stories with us! Swift has something like 11,000 empty trucks!

It?s easy to see that you are a real intelligent genius and will believe anything no matter how preposterous it is. 11,000 trucks you say. Hmm?that means that out of the 18,000 plus trucks that Swift currently operates with, only 7000 are currently in operation and available for the 22,000 drivers that currently work for Swift. No wonder Swift?s stock has been on the rise so much this year.

Even my four year old is smart enough to figure out that one is impossible, but hell?don?t let that slow you down, go right ahead and continue to believe that idiot and former disgruntled employee who got fired because obviously he?s more than a little incompetent. He?ll probably fit right in at CRST too, judging by the content of your post!

[HEADED4HOME]

Hey Devil ......Who do you drive for ????I just noticed youre from San Antonio,PM if youd like.............................

Pete

[HEADED4HOME]

Trainer just called and were headed out again...........................
When I return Ill likely be SOLO or close to it.

Hope everyone is having a good one !

STAY SAFE OUT THERE

Peter
San Antonio,Tx