Since i'm a Swift OTR solo driver, whos been thru their academy, almost 2 yrs ago...i can only tell you what i've been thru, and what i know you can and cannot do. First off, when it comes to people giving you crap about who you drive for...you just ignore them. Like just tonight, i made 2-3 laps around the truck stop parking lot, and everyone was hollering at me giving me chit. I just turned the radio off, and did my thing. so as far as your questions.....here we go....
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Originally Posted by TNVOL01
Can you get it financed without having to pay up front?
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I went thru the school in Lewiston, ID. My recruiter told me what i needed to take with me, after doing a backround check on me and checking out my driving record. you were to take with you a $150 "sitting fee", that comes off your total of $3,900. (keep in mind this was back in Aug. of 2008 so little things might have changed by now) After you get off your mentor's truck and go solo, and start bringing in your own check, that is when you'll start paying back your tuition at a rate of $75 a week. for 52 weeks. Now at the same time, they reimburse you half that for 104 weeks. AS LONG AS YOU STAY A COMPANY DRIVER. the moment you become a lease operator, you lose your half they repay you, and you then owe the full ammount. stay with them for a year, and you dont owe a dime. Stay with them 2 yrs, and your schooling was free.
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Originally Posted by TNVOL01
The site says you need to have the permit before showing up...How do I get the actual permit...study the handbook and go to a local dmv and take a computer test?
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I didnt go to the school with anything. In Lewiston, we first had to surrender our orig. state license, and become residents of idaho....getting your basic drivers license. Then spent 4-5 days studying for your permit. go back and test for the CDL permit. Fail one of the 3 sections, and you gotta go back a couple days later and retest it. Then after you complete all the mandatory hours, and pass the state test, you go back to get your official Class A CDL.
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Originally Posted by TNVOL01
How much does room and board cost while living there during training and is there a way to pay for that? Chances are if I needed to get the training financed..that should be a clue that I don't have money falling out of my behind...and can't afford a 2 week hotel vacation.
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when i attended lewiston, ID., the hotel was paid for, but you paid for your meals. However i do think that has changed, but you get a reduced rate....again atleast in lewiston. training was for 3 weeks....1 week each in the classroom, range and road. Your recruiter (if they're good) should tell you exactly what you need, and how much rooms cost. if not...you can ask for the phone number for the academy so u can get the ph. #'s for the motels they put you up at to get room rates.
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Originally Posted by TNVOL01
Do the DOT physical and drug test need to be acomplished before going there?
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i think everything is done there at the school. DOT physical and drug tests are done on day 1. paid for by the academy
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Originally Posted by TNVOL01
I had spotty job history for a while humping lousy full time but flexible schedule jobs in order to go to school..I got a 2 year degree in computer repair and networking. My last one I was at after getting my degree lasted almost 2 years though. But in rural east Tennessee the computer jobs are nonexistent. So will that early part of my job history effect getting hired? We're talking about 3 to 4 years ago.?
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doubt it. unless you were fired for stabbing your supervisor in the face because he kept asking you to go out and buy toner, you should be fine. be up front with your recruiter. any felonys, arrests, DUIs, whatever. fess up to it. cause if you DON'T, they'll look at that like you're ready to start hiding information....whats to say you run over a curb and take out a mailbox and telephone pole and drive off like nothing happened? Just be honest. Showing you're not, will keep you from being accepted/hired faster than having a DUI 20 yrs ago.
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Originally Posted by TNVOL01
I read that inverters aren't allowed in the truck...how do you guys keep from burning up in the summer and freezing your nuggets off in the winter?
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I was told in class that the inverters that you have to hard-wire onto your truck batteries are illegal, and if found in your truck is automatic termination. What i was told we COULD have, were any that plugged into your cigarette outlet. I've got 1-100w inverter and a 400w. both plug into my cigarette outlet. When it comes down to it...if the weather prevents me from getting quality sleep, i idle the truck. last night, it was in the low 70s...low humidity, so i popped in my window screens, set up my two fans to circulate the air, and i was happy as a clam. Tonight..i'm sitting in Altoona, IA where its 85 deg. and about 1000% humidity. I'm not even thinking about whether to idle or not...i've been idling for the past 2 hrs....HAHAHA. It comes down to safety. If they're going to tell me i cannot idle in this condition, i'll simply tell them i wont have the proper rest, and will be an unsafe driver on the road cause i had to wake up every hour and wipe the sweat from myself along with having to sleep in my own sweat. so its not even an issue. they'll raise a fit about it, but guess what....its not their butt in that drivers seat. i've never had an issue. some weeks ill have 3% idle...and others ill have 30%. In the winter, i seldom ever go over 5% cause i have a bunk heater.
hope this helps.