I am having trouble on decided between scheneider and swift. I have my class a cdl, no school, no experience just took the test. Schneider wants to send me through school and have me sign a contract, they pay 2 more cents per mile to start. Their training with TE is 4 weeks where swift's is not, swift on the other hand is not going to force me into truck driving school, no contract and NO HAZMAT. I do not want to haul hazmat and do not have hazmat endorsement. Schneieder wants hazmat although only 2% of their freight is haz. Also in the pot is schneider will not let me bank time off for example swift will let me run 4 weeks and then take 4 days off. I would prefer to run a month then have 4 days off. I have read every story about both companies i can find. I have come to the conculsion a lot of problems drivers are complaining about are because they didnt like their dispatcher. I am sure there are other problems too but most seem to be with dispatchers, and i have heard the stories from both. I have talked to drivers of both companies personally and have been recommended both. I do not have an attidute problem, I just want to make money. That is my goal. Any additional help or information would be greatly appreciated. You may also email me at [email protected]

also note i have been prehired to both, but i do not turn 21 till 5/3

cbehrens........It's time for a reality check.....pay close attention, your about too learn about the REAL world.....not this fantasy world your living in. I'm not trying to be mean or harsh, I'm just trying to help you in your quest to drive OTR.

#1: You have a Class-A CDL, NO EXPERIENCE, NO SCHOOL TRAINING.....First let me commend you on getting your CDL-A without paying a lot of $$$'s.....very smart on your part.

Now for reality.....if you analyze what you just stated and thought it out, you'd realize that NO individual, much less a large company is going to let anyone, much less a 21 year old individual behind an 80,000 lb. 18-wheel rig with your credentials.....

Swift WILL require you to go too their truck driver training school.....they just haven't told you YET.......they wait until you are excited about going on-board with them. I personally have over 425,000 verifiable accident free OTR miles behind me and when I got back in trucking Swift was going to require me to go too their school.......In addition, their school is a bigger money maker than their freight is. Of course, I told them I have driven long enough to know that I'm NOT going to pay someone with less experience than me to TEACH me how to drive a truck.....PERIOD!!!!

#2: Most major companies are going to require a Hazmat endorsement from what I understand..........

#3: If you want to make $$$'s, what the hell are you getting into the trucking industry for?????? At most, all your ever going to do is make a living......nothing more, nothing less.......I guess it all depends on from what prospective your looking at it from......$30,000-$35,000 annually is NOT a lot of $$$'s.

#4: Pre-hires are sent out by most companies to get your attention.....it really means NOTHING.......you are hired after you finish orientation and everything has checked out........your not even given a background check until you first attend orientation......FACT!!!! Do really put much credence in pre-hire forms.......just another marketing ploy by trucking companies.....I guarantee, you could put your dogs name on an application via Internet and your dog would get a pre-hire form.

#4A: Your AGE, NO EXPERIENCE and NO TRAINING are going to be your biggest obstacles in getting hired by a reputable company.......

DO NOT lose hope.........I suggest you consider going with Schneider's school.......they will train you in a PROFESSIONAL manner, teach you a trade where you can get a job anywhere in the US, after one-years experience........a one-year commitment is NOT a large price to pay for that training........

Best of luck to you.........your young, use that to your advantage..........see you on the road, soon.

Saw a swift team today. Sitting in a small parking lot of the local EZ-Mart. And No truck signs all over the lot also. Does that say anything about there training. :roll:

I'm sure everyone here can tell you plenty of similar stories about those Swift trucks. I see it every single day. Hell it was probably trainer and trainee.

well i have it in writing from swift if i pass their road test NO SCHOOL. Both companies have prehired me, not by sending me a letter. I applied to both and they called back went through the app and both told me that i was prehired just needed to turn 21.

charles

Cool..................go for it!!!

I'd seriously consider Schneider before Swift................just my opinion...

Also, you say that you are a prehire..........Do they know that you have ZERO experience and NO miles behind you...........something is strange here.............I personally think you are being set-up, I may be wrong though, I just don't think so.......................like I said, I have over 425,000 VERIFIABLE accident free miles, Class-A CDL with a Hazmat endorsement and they said just the opposite...............GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

The receiver where I delivered today started a new policy. They now have us sign a form stating our time out from their dock, seems as though a Swift driver reported 15 min. of detention but they were billed for 1 hour. They're pretty upset of course, stating it usually takes a Swift driver at least 30 minutes to back up to the door......go figure!

LOL