Question:
hi all. First time poster but I have been reading alot over the past two days. I am really thinking of going OTR for a year. I figure sign up with swift go to school and do a year then come back to something local, maybe Bowman. My situation I think is perfect for OTR. I am single, no kids. I have nothing here at home to hold me back (cept paying those bills). I dont care when I get home, in fact I dont want to be home. I am 21 and I live with my parents and a full house of brothers and sister. I figure I have to put in my year OTR to get any decent job so I might as well run around the country, see the sights and experience everything good and bad. I love trucks and love to drive. Right now I am driving a 26ft straight truck non-CDL, spending 60 hours lumping freight through the malls. I've been driving for 7 months and I have a clean record, well kindof. I go to court monday for my first speeding ticket ever. I was doing 73 in a 55 but the cop gave me a break and wrote 64 in a 55 (he was pacing me). I take it when I go in there I should do everything I can to not get a point? maybe pay the fine and do some community services or something? I'd like to hear from Swift drivers about first getting connected with swift and hear about the training. I am Located in Baltimore, MD so I am guessing richmond is the closest terminal. Does anyone know where I will have to go to school? any details about training (what do I bring) and getting started would be most appreciated. Thanks for your help in advance, this site is a great source of info.

Answer:
Well for starters the last time I checked Swift does not hire anyone under 23 years of age. Very few companies out there hire 21 y/o. FFE and possibly Central Refridgerated are a few that have been known to hire that young.
Answer:
(40 pages)Past Posts About SWIFT.
I see that, According to they DO hire 21 yr olds.

Answer:
Go to school for something else besides trucking!
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Don't be suckered in to the great life of being a tourist and making money at the same time by going OTR. If you have any brains in your head you should get the real story of trucking OTR and the crap job it really is before you pay to get a CDL. You are only 21 years old, that is your first problem with going OTR and the best reason not to.
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If you like working 30 hours a week for free and another 60 hours paid and never seeing a penny of overtime wages then trucking is the place. If you like being couped up in a 10 by 10 ft box with no bathroom then trucking is the place. If you like to get a fat belly due to inactivity, then trucking is the place. If you like being given very little respect in your profession, then trucking is the place.
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You would be better off joining the circus than trucking at 21 yrs old.
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Answer:
Lots of things have changed at Swift in the last year. Best bet is to call them and get the latest info....
PP
Answer:

I am sure there are plenty of times when your sitting there doing nothing that you could be outside the truck, exercising. I am 21, its to late for more school. I want to get my CDLs get 1 year OTR exp, and come back to run my own business. I need the experience before they will insure me at my age (at least at a reasonable price). I have already looked into this, started setting my business up. I will put it on hold for 1 year. If I have to drive a truck for a year I want it to be OTR. I realized that you arent getting paid for the time you are actually out there. But if i can make at least 450-500 dollars cleared every week, sign me up. Right now I am being screwed totally at 12/hr no overtime 60 hrs a week min. Starting sept. we will be working saturdays. I am tried of lumping freight everyday and making no money. Like i said I am already set up, I cant just dump everything and run back to school, I have to many bills. You dont have to worry about me "throwing my life away" driving a truck. I like driving trucks and I dont expect to be a "tourist".

Answer:

Imagine the suprise of all of those people in their 30', 40's, and even their 80's who have went back to school and earned a degree. It is never too late to continue your education and if you think you are too old to learn anything then you had better give up any thought of trucking because it is a learning experience to beat all learning expereinces that will continue until the day you toss the keys into a lake.
Answer:
So I think we can all agree that you are not to young for school. Yes some people are not right for school. Such as myself. I tired the college thing for 3 years and then i got hooked on driving. Have you even tired school. If you havent try that first and then if you dont like it then try driving trucks. You can do a lot better than swift. What kind of stores are you delivering to at the malls. I did the limited stores for over two years. That was a kick A** job.
CRAZYCRACKER

Answer:

I guess thats why they call you CRAZYCRACKER, if you like the limited stores you can have em. I couldnt wait to get out of highschool there's no way I am going back to college. I asked for people's opinions on swift, not to be talked out of this. Nothing is going to stop me from driving OTR, I just need to decided with whom I will drive. If swift sucks so bad who should I go with? From the posts I have read swift isnt to bad but I am willing to look at others, I just dont know any. The few that I have heard of I know nothing about. If trucking is so bad and "anyone" can go back to school whenever they want, why dont you guys that have such a negative opinion of your own profession, go back to school? Just an observation.

Answer:
Redjackt97 :
If you want some info on Swift, pm me and I'll try to answer your questions.
I drive for Swift and I won't pound sand you know where. On this forum and others there is an abundance of Swift-haters and Swift bashers with the majority of them 1- never have driven 2- never have driven for Swift and 3- the "somebody told me crowd".
Codger"Stop holding me back. I'm going to clown college." Homer Simpson

Answer:
Just go with Swift,they all suck,it doesn't matter.
Answer:
I urge you to go back and read Uturn2001's reply to your being "too old for school". Read it twice a day, everyday until you leave home for orientation somewhere. That man cares and is giving you the start of an attitude you MUST pocess to be safe and succesful.
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Trucking is a "thinking" job.....not a job driving.
In your school days, you brought your thinking cap with you, don't forget to take this with you to orientation, and always use it.
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Final thoughts for you: Read RABELMAN's reply twice a day as well..........and when it comes to trucking, no one should wish you "good luck." (think about that)
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Good day Sir, and be safe...........................Cheapshot

Answer:
I see you are in Glen Burnout. I'm near annapolis.
If the swift thing doesn't work out, i know an OTR and local outfit in columbia that does hire 21 year olds.
You would probably wan't to stay away from Gunther's(near the airport). I say probably because they might have changed.
Need more info.

Answer:
IF things were different I would have finished school and then started driving. That piece of paper (a degree) they can never take that away from you. Go over the road and see what it is like.
crazycracker
Look at the limited stores
Victory secret
Express
Bath and body works
Lerner
You will not find ladies like them driving otr

Answer:

If you're going to some type of 'boarding' school away from home, I'd say the most important thing to bring is transportation. With that, you can always pick up other items as you need them (gloves, sturdy clothes, better shoes/boots, whatever).
The school should provide the info needed as to what to bring and expect once you're assigned a trainer. In this case, the watch word will be to 'pack light'.
And yes, minimize that speeding ticket to the maximum extent allowed by your local jurisdiction, even it if means postponing your entry into CDL school somewhat. Ask the courthouse clerks what your options are before going into the courtroom, and lay it out for the judge if he/she gives you time (want to move out of the house and make it on your own, all that good 'rot' ). Write down and prepare your statement in advance if you think you might have a chance to plead for mercy -- memorize it and keep it short.
Sounds like you've got a plan, and that's the most important aspect of this business IMHO. You'll take some heat out on the road just for driving a Swift truck, but I have talked to more than one driver that is doing okay with them.