Start wednesday
#1
02-21-2007, 04:12 PM
Start wednesday
Hello,
I'm am 23 years old and i will be starting to school on wednesday with swift at Tn.. I was wanting to know if anyone could give me some advice. I know that alot of people don't like swift but, inorder for me to get in to trucking I had to go with them, they may not be the best I don't know yet but I will find out. 1. When I'm on my own can you have any pets, other than my wife lol? 2. Will they put me with a mentor that doesn't smoke? 3. Do the trucks have a tv or do i need my own, better yet what will be in my truck? 4. Is there anywhere I can see a picture of the cab of a swift truck? 5. What are the biggest mistakes people make in school? 6. Is backing up as hard as it looks and right turns? If anyone can shed any light on this for me I would greatly appreciate it. P.S. If there are any swift mentors I would appreciat feedback from you as well
#3
02-21-2007, 04:26 PM
Re: Start wednesday
Originally Posted by JUVE917
Hello,
I'm am 23 years old and i will be starting to school on wednesday with swift at Tn.. I was wanting to know if anyone could give me some advice. I know that alot of people don't like swift but, inorder for me to get in to trucking I had to go with them, they may not be the best I don't know yet but I will find out. 1. When I'm on my own can you have any pets, other than my wife lol? I belive so. You probably will need to put down a deposit. 2. Will they put me with a mentor that doesn't smoke? If you request so, they might be able to meet your request. get a Dr's note to insure it happens :wink: 3. Do the trucks have a tv or do i need my own, better yet what will be in my truck? You will need to buy your own, or be at the mercy of the gang of truckers in the lounge at the truckstop. try turning off the game to watch American idol and see what happens! 4. Is there anywhere I can see a picture of the cab of a swift truck? They still have a few Freightshakers- check the web for the inside of a Freightliner Columbia/Century class or a Volvo. They use Volvo's now. 5. What are the biggest mistakes people make in school? Puffing doobies, sleeping in class, or stressing out while learning to back up. 6. Is backing up as hard as it looks and right turns? Yes. but its like riding a bike- you start rusty, then you gain the skill which never leaves you If anyone can shed any light on this for me I would greatly appreciate it. P.S. If there are any swift mentors I would appreciat feedback from you as well
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Mud, sweat, and gears
#4
02-21-2007, 05:31 PM
well being a swift driver the best advice I can say is RUN RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN LOL. I am just about finished with my on the job training or as Swift calls it "Mentor Program" and my mentor was the furthest thing from that. I heard all the talk on here and still decided to give it a shot. Thank God I did not get my CDL through them. 3,900 is really steep and I would hate to be obligated to a company like that. I went into it with a really positive attitude. I was very excited. I met my mentor and he seemed like a really nice guy. He was very inexperienced. He had less than a year experience. Pretty much I drove and he slept or played video games. I started to get upset when I had questions for him that he either didn't have the answer to or when he did have the answer was bull$h*t. When I called driver services I explained to them that he was a very nice guy, but he had a lack of experience and that he was unable to answer my questions, as well as he did not follow the guidlines that swift had set for training they got upset at me and told me that 10 months of experience was plenty. Well if you think about it it is really hard to get any driving job besides these big carriers without at least two years of experience. Well after about 5 minutes of going back and fourth I decided to just stick it out. The one thing that gets me is why stick me with someone when I am learning everything on my own. He says I can drive good the rest I have to learn on my own... well why not give me my own truck so I can do that? I'm not going to say that all trainers are like that but it shows a lot about a company when you explain to them that you are not learning anything from the mentor you have set up for them and they refuse to find someone "more qualified". I'm not a picky person nor do I have a bad attitude on the trucking industry at all. The way I see it is this six weeks is for me to learn something. I'm paying swift for that. Why not get what I am paying for. And when I say I am paying for the training meaning I am only receiving $300 opposed to my normal mileage pay. Best of luck to you!!!
#5
02-21-2007, 05:59 PM
And when I say I am paying for the training meaning I am only receiving $300 opposed to my normal mileage pay. Best of luck to you!!!
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It's fun living in the gray areas of a black and white world! 
#6
02-21-2007, 07:45 PM
Originally Posted by FORDGUY85
well being a swift driver the best advice I can say is RUN RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN LOL. I am just about finished with my on the job training or as Swift calls it "Mentor Program" and my mentor was the furthest thing from that. I heard all the talk on here and still decided to give it a shot. Thank God I did not get my CDL through them. 3,900 is really steep and I would hate to be obligated to a company like that. I went into it with a really positive attitude. I was very excited. I met my mentor and he seemed like a really nice guy. He was very inexperienced. He had less than a year experience. Pretty much I drove and he slept or played video games. I started to get upset when I had questions for him that he either didn't have the answer to or when he did have the answer was bull$h*t. When I called driver services I explained to them that he was a very nice guy, but he had a lack of experience and that he was unable to answer my questions, as well as he did not follow the guidlines that swift had set for training they got upset at me and told me that 10 months of experience was plenty. Well if you think about it it is really hard to get any driving job besides these big carriers without at least two years of experience. Well after about 5 minutes of going back and fourth I decided to just stick it out. The one thing that gets me is why stick me with someone when I am learning everything on my own. He says I can drive good the rest I have to learn on my own... well why not give me my own truck so I can do that? I'm not going to say that all trainers are like that but it shows a lot about a company when you explain to them that you are not learning anything from the mentor you have set up for them and they refuse to find someone "more qualified". I'm not a picky person nor do I have a bad attitude on the trucking industry at all. The way I see it is this six weeks is for me to learn something. I'm paying swift for that. Why not get what I am paying for. And when I say I am paying for the training meaning I am only receiving $300 opposed to my normal mileage pay. Best of luck to you!!!
Juve While in training don't worry about a tv, when you are done than you can get your own. Go to truckpaper.com look up volvo vnl670/ freightliner columbia thats what swift runs. Backing, shifting and turning are tough but it will take practice and you will get the hang of it. Oh yeah the biggest mistakes people in school make is thinking they know it all when they haven't even sat in a truck yet.
#7
02-21-2007, 11:00 PM
Originally Posted by ToxicWaste
Originally Posted by FORDGUY85
well being a swift driver the best advice I can say is RUN RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN LOL. I am just about finished with my on the job training or as Swift calls it "Mentor Program" and my mentor was the furthest thing from that. I heard all the talk on here and still decided to give it a shot. Thank God I did not get my CDL through them. 3,900 is really steep and I would hate to be obligated to a company like that. I went into it with a really positive attitude. I was very excited. I met my mentor and he seemed like a really nice guy. He was very inexperienced. He had less than a year experience. Pretty much I drove and he slept or played video games. I started to get upset when I had questions for him that he either didn't have the answer to or when he did have the answer was bull$h*t. When I called driver services I explained to them that he was a very nice guy, but he had a lack of experience and that he was unable to answer my questions, as well as he did not follow the guidlines that swift had set for training they got upset at me and told me that 10 months of experience was plenty. Well if you think about it it is really hard to get any driving job besides these big carriers without at least two years of experience. Well after about 5 minutes of going back and fourth I decided to just stick it out. The one thing that gets me is why stick me with someone when I am learning everything on my own. He says I can drive good the rest I have to learn on my own... well why not give me my own truck so I can do that? I'm not going to say that all trainers are like that but it shows a lot about a company when you explain to them that you are not learning anything from the mentor you have set up for them and they refuse to find someone "more qualified". I'm not a picky person nor do I have a bad attitude on the trucking industry at all. The way I see it is this six weeks is for me to learn something. I'm paying swift for that. Why not get what I am paying for. And when I say I am paying for the training meaning I am only receiving $300 opposed to my normal mileage pay. Best of luck to you!!!
The way I read it, they are not "TEACHING" him what he needs to know. His mentor has only been driving for 10 months, and doesn't have answers to his questions.
#9
02-22-2007, 03:56 AM
It sounds to me like the only authority that toxic waste has is on the side of a tonka truck. Tons of stuff on here is hear say, all I tryed to do is let you know about my experience so you dont pay all that money and have the same problem as I did. I wanted every one to know what type of company swift is. As for those questions you had they were all answered correctly.
#10
02-22-2007, 08:31 PM
Originally Posted by FORDGUY85
It sounds to me like the only authority that toxic waste has is on the side of a tonka truck. Tons of stuff on here is hear say, all I tryed to do is let you know about my experience so you dont pay all that money and have the same problem as I did. I wanted every one to know what type of company swift is. As for those questions you had they were all answered correctly.
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