Question:
I’m writing this thread to enlighten and educate about Swift’s training program. I myself thought long and hard about which Company and where to go for training. I based my decision on my: 1. My financial need for employment; 2. Where my home is located (who will hire me based on where I live, big factor I found out later); 3. My level of experience (Zero); 4. The amount of the loan to pay back (about $3200 with Swift if you stay with them for two years you pay back nothing, if not they will prorate the amount owed by how long you were employed with them.); 5. The amount of money new graduates make. 6. My driving history, I have 3 tickets; Speeding under 10 mph’s in the last three years and they will all go away in Dec 04, but I can’t wait that long. 7. Career progression, I don’t switch companies, I like the security of employment (Retried from my last employer or I’d still be there.)
For me the decision was simple after factoring all the choices I had based on the factors it only really came down to Swift, CR England, Werner, Covenant Transport, US Xpress, USA Truck, TransAM, Stevens Transport. Out of these my first choice was Covenant Transport, tied closely with US Xpress. My last choice was Swift. My driving record crippled me and the fact that I couldn’t get anybody on the phone from Covenant (they just transferred me to this recruiter who still hasn’t called, I called and left 5 messages for her and asked if there was anyone else I could call, nope.) The rest of the companies I didn’t get any favorable responses, so that’s why I went with Swift.
The Swift adventure began with a recruiter (remaining nameless to protect the both of us). I asked him to please skip the pleasantries of the recruiting line and just give me the facts. He admitted that he was never a Trucker and that what he could tell me was feedback from his recruits. All what he told me and what I’ll convey to you was truth. The school in Millington, TN is where I went so I’ll keep my comments strictly about the school in Millington, TN; Swift does operate another school in San Antonio, TX.
He said that the conditions will seem like they are overcrowded and they did 4 to a hotel room kitchen and small living room included, are class started out with 185 students we graduated 62 (roughly 34%). Quickly let me clarify, this attrition rate was based on I believe the recruits and the recruiters (I don’t know the mindset of the recruiting department) not the instructors of the school. We lost people based on their driving records, criminal history, health issues, work history (this is big in the trucking industry), lack of the nonrefundable $150 that must be paid prior to classes beginning (why you ask and we did, we never got a straight answer), failure of the DOT Physical, failure of the drug and alcohol screening, or failure of Swift’s Work Well job related physical (should be called Well Worked, series of lifting bending, carrying, climbing exercises; some of the exercises included weights from 15 lbs. to 85 lbs. Now this screening consists of your first 2 days; to include a trip to the DMV to turn-in your state’s license and be issued a TN state license. After those 2 days we lost roughly a 100 people. The rest we lost along the way for failure of tests.
The program runs for 21 days 7 days a week and averages 10-12 hours a day. It’s not as grueling as you think nor is it run like the military either. The Phase I training is divided into 3 parts General Knowledge – Classroom week (information you need to know to pass all parts of the CDL written examination; General knowledge, Air Brakes, Combinations Vehicles, Hazardous Material), Skills – Range week (parallel parking, 45 degree backing and California Straight backing). Driving Week (actually driving the tractor and trailer, mostly in downtown Memphis, TN.), city driving is emphasized; you’ll get enough highway driving moving freight during school. Yes that’s right we actually moved freight.
I had thought about a diary when I began to write this but that’s already been done and so well done it needs no duplicating, “Diary of a Swift Driver” I think; so that’s why this is an overview instead of a day to day. We were asked to critique the School Phase of the training. For me I got what I paid for a CDL and the opportunity for a job, I begin Phase II, six weeks with a trainer on the road next week. When I survive that and pass a driving test, then it’s on to the final Phase III, of solo 6 months probation. I would not recommend this program to anyone that has difficulty with a self-taught independent study environment because the instructors will say it more than once, 90% you 10% us. If you need help they will, they will first ask if you have studied the information. They have an extremely high ratio of student to instructor and it varied week to week until Drive week where it is 4 students to one instructor. The answer to the obvious is no, you will not be even proficient enough to operate a tractor/trailer alone in the yard. I think each student will get close to 10 hours of actual behind the wheel time, and that’s just about enough to get yourself or some else killed. You’ll have a working knowledge to be able to go out on the road with a trainer, thus Phase II six weeks with a trainer. I’ll say this if you can handle independent study and a fast pace then come on over to Swift. There must be a reason why so many veterans are there, because as they said to us time and time again 2 years accident free OTR experience you can just about write your ticket anywhere.
Lastly in the last two weeks Swift has increased tractor speed to 65 mph (which means you still get to see the right side of every trailer in America, but look out all you old ladies that only drive on Sunday because I might be able to pass you going downhill); increased training pay for Phase II from $350 a week for 8 weeks to $350 week one and two, $400 weeks three and four, $500 weeks five and six. The last two weeks have been dropped which used to be two trainees on the road together for two weeks (the lost leading the blind.) I did noticed that people come to Swift from all walks of life and for every reason in the world Swift just happened to meet my need. We’ll see you out there on the road."if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything"

Answer:
First, let me say congrats to you on getting through the school and receiving your CDL.
I went to a drivers school here in central Texas through the TAA program, so I don't have a school debt.
On this forum and others you can read a lot of negative posts on Swift, and other large carriers, but every one has to seperate the BS from reality. Swift is a carrier that excepts student grads, old men, youngsters, and people in between. They have there problems, as do all super trucklines, but they have the trucks, the freight, and the customers, so new drivers can try to see trucking as it really is, at least during the training cycle.
I am penciled in to go to Laredo (this will be my home terminal) for orientation on the 12th, and if its a go, head to Phoenix for the 2 1/2 day flatbed and load securement training.
Since you have just completed the "work well " deal, could you elaborate a little more on the lifting requirements and anything else an Old Codger needs to think about or work on??
Thanks
Codger "Stop holding me back. I'm going to clown college." Homer Simpson

Answer:
OldCodger and others:
Swift uses the Work Well System to check for any pre-existing problems and problems that a Trucker might have doing the job on what most veterans (of Swift) consider a rough day that are few and far between. Let me explain, to give you an idea our ages were from 21 to 60 both men and women and by the end of the session all of us were sweating. It’s not that difficult the reason for all the exertion on our part is the lack of use of these muscles on a day to day basis. They begin by checking your heart-rate and blood pressure; they will have you wear monitoring devices usually worn by trainers or people in athletic training.
They begin by having you lift an empty crate from the ground to the height of a desk, keeping your back straight and using your legs to lift. You’ll do this five times (considered 1 set), starting with 0lbs and ending up with 85 lbs increasing with 15-25lbs increments (each different weight amounts and 5 reps). Then you’ll start back at 0 with the same crate and now lift this from the floor to the height of about 55”-60” (the height of the flatbed trailer) again increasing weight with each new set. After all those sets then you’ll move the same basket from the floor to the desk to the height of the flatbed trailer, increasing weight with each new set.
They will check your monitor after each set and rest you accordingly (your pulse and blood pressure); that’s probably the most difficult part of the session. The rest consists of you carrying the basket with different weights at waist height the distance of 15 yards. Agility exercises; bending and squatting, ladder climbing, to see if you can climb in and out of the tractor. The total time about 20 minutes, you will be asked to sign a waiver and if you can’t lift the 85lbs up to the height of the simulated trailer floor then Swift will not allow you into the flatbed division.
What I and my fellow students would have like to known is that it was coming. The best way that anyone can prepare for it, is do allot of stretching exercises now and allot of squats with and without weights (most of us were sore for three days afterwards.) Just don’t refuse to do it (barring any known health issues) which is an automatic failure, some people thought they weren’t going to be able to do it until they tried. Hope that answers your questions."if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything"

Answer:
JediKnight
Thank you very much for the information. I am putting together a basket of weights and will do some serious practice.
Thanks again and BOL to you.
Codger