[T * Storm]

I'm getting my CDL through a Swift sponsored school and the recruiters there are very attentive, though somewhat lacking in the consistency of their info,due to their lack of communication with Swift.

When I called Swift for clarification on some points, I called the #800 number and it rang and rang and rang and rang and..., well, you get the picture. So, like I've learned in the past, to bypass the auto directed phone call and get to an operator I pressed "0". To make a long story simplified I finally get to someone in recruiting. I leave a message. Later that day I get a rather abrupt message, from a recruiter no less, telling me to call her back. I do and am greeting with curt answers, not a bit of friendliness in her voice at all. Maybe she had a bad day and it was an off day, ok, no problem except that everyone I've subsequently talked to was quite brusk as well.

Anyway, I called Schneider after being suggested to do so on a few of the posts I've read here and was quite well received. Friendly, courteous and accommodating to someone that more than likely asked some really "rookie" questions. I didn't feel as if I were intruding on their day. Problem is they have a 4 week wait to get into their school and I already put my 2 week notice in with my present job and don't want to wait that long.

My second observation concerning Swift worried me a bit more. With Swift, there is no policy regarding how o deal with a trainer that is not honoring his responsibilities. The lady I talked to today, the first somewhat pleasant person I've talked to a Swift said that they are working on a policy. At Schneider the lady told me that there is a law in effect as to what the trainers responsibility is and if the trainer pulls a back bunk sleeping position while training - the trainer gets fired.

My third observation is that Swift basically says "good luck" when you want to find a team mate. Find one on your own. Schneider on the other hand tries to help you find a team mate and actually has "get together" to help you find one.

My greatest fear in going with Swift is that if they treat their prospective trainees that rude, how would it be once I actually got on with them?

My only concerns with Schenider are 1) Their OTR training only consists of 2 - 3 weeks as opposed to Swifts, 6 weeks. 2) Their solo drivers on the west coast only run the 11 western states and I want to go coast to coast.

So, to make a long story short, I asked the recruiter at Schneider what their policy is if I went through the Swift school and switched over to Schneider after I got my certificate. They told me no problem. Still, since I agreed with Swift to go to their school on their dime, it feels a little underhanded for me to go behind their backs, while I'm in school to leave them when I graduate from their school. I'm an honest guy and I HATE being sneaky, but on the other hand. After reading this forum and contacting both companies directly I feel much more at ease with Schneider than with Swift.

Yes, I'm a bit confused at this point so PLEASE help me sort this out by giving me your perspective and other points to ponder. I appreciate your input. BTW, Yes I can afford to wait but I really don't want to. I want o get this ball rolling.

I know at this point I am still a rookie. But for anyone considering driving for a living. DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!! I've been researching for a few months and relied on the Internet and the CDL school and thought all was ok. My choices in the beginning were Swift and CRST. CRST blew themselves out of the water when they requested my wife's w-2s and pay-stubs to show how I could have afforded to be a stay at home dad for the past 3 years. I told them they could check with the CA State personnel board and that I would have no problem supplying them with 2 award letters concerning her 25 years with the California Department of Justice, one from Governor Schwarzenegger and the other from the Ca State Attorney General himself. The recruiter told me it don't matter, he wanted to see my wife's W-2s and pay-stubs (Shes an analyst for the state and makes more than enough to run a household while I'm not working.) I told CRST to shove it up their F**king A**. - So CRST disqualified themselves almost from day 1. And, as I get into this a bit further, Swift seems like it could be highly problematic, but the balls already rolling...I got the pre-hire confirmation in the mail today. I've been out of work for 3 years and am itching to do something like NOW.


I thought all the Swift "bad mouthers" were just disgruntled employees and all the happy campers were blissfully ignorant. I figured somewhere in the middle of the 2 extremes was where the truth was (there's always 2 sides to a story) However; due to my not so pleasant communications with Swift I'm starting to feel that Swift does seem to swing towards the negative side of the spectrum, at least for me.

[classicxl]

maybe you just got some bad people to talk with. If you go to SWIFT training school dont you have to give them one year? If you are that interested in driving for the big pumpkin then hold off and attend there school

[brian]

and you say you wanna go coast to coast but the western states are alot better then being stuck in traffic in jersey or new york.

[Windwalker]

All I needed to hear was that Swift trainers (mentors) sleep while the trainee is driving to have them come up "SNAKE EYES". They're only interested in $$$. Equipment is a "required evil", but people are easily replaceable. Look at a companies "TURN-OVER RATE". I have not seen any figures, but I'll bet almost any amount that Schneider's rate is much lower than Swift's. I would expect to have Swift screw you over at the slightest oppurtunity, while Schneider has put programs into place about 10 years ago to promote driver retention. In your shoes, I'd tell Swift to take a hike and go with Schneider. Inconsistancies between recuiters was something I saw at M S Carriers too. They and Swift were "kindred spirits" back then. I don't expect anything more from them now.

[T * Storm]

Originally Posted by classicxl

maybe you just got some bad people to talk with. If you go to SWIFT training school dont you have to give them one year? If you are that interested in driving for the big pumpkin then hold off and attend there school

Yes, I fully understand and will be responsible for the loan of $3900 , whether I work for them or not. The caveat is if i work for them for 1 year they will take a payroll deduction out of my check in order to satisfy my obligation with them.

I'm interested in driving for a quality outfit. Plain and simple. If that happens to be Swift, fine, if not, then anyone that is. As stated, if you read the whole post, my experience communicating with them direct was not the best.

My main goal at this point is to get the best training possible, without any upfront out of pocket expenses, or at least the very minimal. After I receive quality training and the beginning of great habits are formed and ingrained, my next goal will be to find the best paying companies within my personally preferred parameters. (Money NOT being the only consideration.)

Thank you for the additional perspective you've given me to ponder.

[Toothpick]

Almost sounds to me like you are some sort of hypersensitive prima donna. I mean you are going to make a decision on the basis of one phone call to a faceless individual who probably is not even an actual recruiter, but instead a person on staff assigned to verify apps that was just probably trying to help out because the recruiters were all out the office doing what they are hired and paid to do, which is to recruit. You think they are going to sit around by a phone all day and wait for you to call or something? If they do, they want last very long in the business, not to mention make any money.

If you are that overly sensitive, then you won?t make it very long in the trucking business with any company you go to work for and you?ll wind up just throwing your money away. Piece of advice to you, learn to chill out a bit and go with the flow.

Obviously, you got hold of someone who wasn?t a recruiter and who wasn?t qualified to answer your questions. Had you spoken with a real recruiter they would have worked you over, gave you more information than you could possibly digest, and basically blown a lot of smoke up your butt.

As for as Swift?s policy for dealing with mentors is concerned, if for any reason you don?t feel comfortable with a particular mentor or if you don?t feel like he or she is doing an adequate job training you. Just get off their truck and request a new mentor, no questions asked.

Swift wants to find and weed out the program the bad mentors or the ones that don?t care about Swift, that don?t care if the student learns to drive or not, and that only cares about the miles they can roll and the money that they can make.

How do I know? I graduated from a Swift Driving Academy, went through their training program, and then worked for them for seventeen months before falling into the job I have now. My commitment was for 10 months. After 10 months my school was paid for and then they started paying me back what it cost me to go through the school as an incentive for me to stay with the company.

Basically, the only difference between paying for your own schooling or going through a company paid training program like Swift?s, is the cost is usually considerably cheaper overall if you go through a company paid training program vs. paying for your own schooling simply due to the volume and the inherent cost efficiencies those companies enjoy.

Sure, you are obligated to stay with the company that trains you for a particular length of time, mind was 10 months, but in actuality, you can quit anytime you want and go to work for someone else. You?ll just have to pay them back that?s all. Just like you?d have to pay any school that you attended back. However, the main difference would be the overall cost to you usually would end up being cheaper. Moreover, if you stay with Swift, after you pay off your obligation, they?ll usually pay you the cost right back as an incentive for you to stay with the company.

Now as for as working for Swift was concerned, I had absolutely no issues with them, and as for as my experience with them goes, I experienced none of the bad things whatsoever that are plastered all over the Internet. The only reason I left them was because I got lucky and sort of fell into a better job that I would have been stupid to refuse, otherwise I would still be there.

You can look at this way, Swift has about 22 thousand drivers that work for them, give or take a thousand or two. If Swift was half as bad as is advertised all over the Internet, do you really think they could recruit and keep 22 thousand drivers on a consistent basis?

I?m not saying that they are better than everyone, perfect, or any worse. Just that they are about the same. All companies have their good and bad points. However, with big companies like Swift, you have many more opportunities to find a comfortable niche, whether it be running dedicated and being off on weekends, running regional, or running all 48. Swift will find you a spot that you are comfortable with and then run you hard.

There, for what it?s worth, that?s my two cents!

[Toothpick]

Originally Posted by T * Storm

my next goal will be to find the best paying companies within my personally preferred parameters. (Money NOT being the only consideration.)

Don?t try to shortcut it! Your next goal ought to be to stick around long enough to learn how drive a truck without hitting anything or killing or maiming anyone and to always deliver on time every time. After you?ve done that successfully for a couple of years, then the best paying companies might be willing to give you a shot, but please at least pay your dues first, or else you?ll go wreck one of their trucks, get yourself fired, and lose your career.

[Toothpick]

Originally Posted by brian

and you say you wanna go coast to coast but the western states are alot better then being stuck in traffic in jersey or new york.

You forgot to mention the tolls, the low bridges, and the sharp corners in the inner cities, but that's all wonderful experience.

[Toothpick]

Originally Posted by Windwalker

All I needed to hear was that Swift trainers (mentors) sleep while the trainee is driving to have them come up "SNAKE EYES". They're only interested in $$$. Equipment is a "required evil", but people are easily replaceable. Look at a companies "TURN-OVER RATE". I have not seen any figures, but I'll bet almost any amount that Schneider's rate is much lower than Swift's. I would expect to have Swift screw you over at the slightest oppurtunity, while Schneider has put programs into place about 10 years ago to promote driver retention. In your shoes, I'd tell Swift to take a hike and go with Schneider. Inconsistancies between recuiters was something I saw at M S Carriers too. They and Swift were "kindred spirits" back then. I don't expect anything more from them now.

Swift's current policy is to fire on the spot any mentor that goes to sleep in the bunk while a trainee is driving during the first two weeks. In fact, today all trainees are instructed to immediately report it to management if it occurs even before being assigned a mentor.

As for as turnover rate is concerned, both companies turnover rates are about the same.

When I worked for Swift there were tons of ex Schneider drivers working over there and they all told me that Swift was a much easier and more laid back company to work for. When I asked them what they missed most about working for Schneider, they told be the Schneider terminals are much better but not enough to make up for the headache of working for them.

Swift has a new CEO and has undergone a lot of changes and made a lots of improvements over the past couple of years. They're not the same company with all the growing pains they used to be anymore and they do things much better now and that includes driver retention and being friendly to drivers. They also take care of their equipment real good and a lot better than some of the other companies that I have observed. Are they perfect? Hell no, not by a long shot, but then again who is?

[T * Storm]

Originally Posted by Toothpick

Almost sounds to me like you are some sort of hypersensitive prima donna. I mean you are going to make a decision on the basis of one phone call to a faceless individual who probably is not even an actual recruiter, but instead a person on staff assigned to verify apps that was just probably trying to help out because the recruiters were all out the office doing what they are hired and paid to do, which is to recruit.

You almost lost me with the: "Almost sounds to me like you are some sort of hypersensitive prima donna." until I read the rest of your reply. You gave good advice after the insult but that's cool. An anonymous poster can't hurt my feelings so...

In any event, I am not relying on ONE phone call. If you read the complete post as I did yours, you would have noticed 1 was a call back from a recruiter whom I had left a vm for. It was more than one conversation I had direct with Swift, that made me wonder.

I agree that if I were so sensitive that even a solitary brusque phone call with a recruiter put me off, then you would be right about me being a prima donna. My confusion is more concerning the negative press some Swift trainers have on this forum. As (quoting) Swift said, they are working on a policy concerning trainers that don't train vs. what Schneider said (quoting again) that if their trainers are not doing their jobs, they are fired. (There is a difference between a whiner and a legitimate complaint. I also give both Swift and Schneider the credit of being able to know the difference, as do I.)

So, the question remains, should I get out there solo, having only a very basic clue? Or would you rather me have thorough training and add to those drivers that keep the roads safe. BEFORE you tell me that not all Swifts trainers are like that, I already know sh*tty training is not necessarily the norm with Swift trainers. I have read positive comments here concerning them. I also realize Schneider's trainers do not literally (or figuratively) walk on water.

As I stated earlier, my main focus at this point is to get the very best training possible for my particular circumstances. Then find the best paying job after I've paid my dues that have earned me the right to do so.

Thank you for your excellent insight. Most of your reply was right on the money. However, in reference to the "prima donna" thing: All I can say is that some of us in this world are forced, due to our personal circumstances, to bring our own KY jelly. Others of us do have a choice to work or not to work, in whichever field (trucking or otherwise) we like and for whom. So, is it really being a prima donna or a realization that a wide variety of choices exist. Think about it.