Question:
I'm looking at starting schooling for Swift in Sept. in Tennesse or I hear they are opening a new training center in Richmond Va. What could I expect in school and what would I need extra (if needed). Also would i need my permit before I go or wait till I get there. Any information would help like study material sleeping gear food and how much money would be ideal to have to survive while in the 3 weeks of class. Thanks Jerry

Answer:
The best thing is to have about $100 cash, or travelers checks. Also contact the terminal where you will be attending school, all have their little differences. They should give you a list of essentials you will need. I am sure you will have a drug screen. They usually feed you lunch, if you have special dietary needs, let the school know ahead of time. They will try to accomate you as much as reasonably possible. My diet restriction of Black Angus Steak diet restriction didn't go over too well. Personal note, get dietary insructions from someone other that Dr. McCoy. If they don't feed you lunch, be sure to have enough money for lunch. In my case, I bought bread and lunch meat from the store and made sandwhiches.
If you are going to be there for more than a week, keep in mind you will need soap to wash your laundry. If you can get some of your fellow students together, it would be cheaper to buy a jug of soap, than pay $1.00 per box per load.
Small bills and coins for the soda machine would also help. I took a roll of quarters with me.
Remember you are there to learn, keep focused on that. And have fun.
Good luck and welcome to Swift.
-JHappy Dwellers Society
Company Driver Division

Answer:
Wouldn't a call to the source yield the best results?

Answer:
I thought I said that?Happy Dwellers Society
Company Driver Division

Answer:
1. A good pair of running shoes so you can beat feet away from them as fast as you can.....
If you don't believe me, just head up to Willows, CA and look at the half-dead foul-mouthed alkies they have as instructors and the crap equipment you "learn" in....
Just my two cents-there are other (and better) alternatives that a Swift Driving Academy......

Answer:

The 'source' has already spoken.
Answer:
They should...they usally, sure sounds like recruiter talk to me!
Take 100.00 to Walmart, if you don't like it, walk out with all your money.
Like i said before, recruitng must be getting tough.
The drivers that feel the pain seem to want to share their misery.
Just wash your laundry in the road ditch and save that dollar cause that is what it is coming to.
Big

Answer:

did you ever work/drive for Swift???

Answer:

Yes.

Answer:
It figures. I asked a questions a I get mostly negitive replies. Thanks to those for the advise. I understand some of you hat some companies. I just wonder if you care anything about newbies. It would be great to come on here and read helpful ideas. Even if you don't care for newbies or the job try giving some things that may be helpful. If you have the expierences pass it on. Why is it some of you have to bash or degrade some people on here. As I said and alot of others We have to start somewhere when we can not afford to pay for the class. One year is not that long to be committed to one company. thanks Jerry

Answer:

Loose translation..."Abandon all hope ye who enter here."

These guys do care.
They don't want to see you make a mistake you might regret down the road. Sure, it might just be a year spent in shackles aboard the good ship Swift languishing away in steerage class. But why spend a year of your life working for a company that's at the bottom of a very deep and dark barrel known as the trucking industry?
You can do better than that, and these guys want you to do better. Alot of folks get pissed because they tell it like it is - stripped of all the lies and recruiter BS.
But the truth IS out there. Just not on the HighPay Highway is all.
Answer:

Hmmmm....helpful idea.....hmmmmm...
try another vocation,one with a future as compared to one
that continues to be less than desirable. A course in the Spanish language
could result if future "driver' management positons.
Answer:

depends on what question is asked,the following would also get negitive replies
?? should I lease purchase a Prime truck ??
?? should I buy from select freightliner ??
?? should I with no experiance start off as an o/o ??
you can do better than swift
Answer:
Hey Jerry,
Those that *are* successful will pass on the tools of their success to their subordinates
Those that have failed, have nothing more to pass on, then the hatred for what they failed at.
I've been with Swift for over 3 years, I have no intentions of going anywhere else.
-JHappy Dwellers Society
Company Driver Division

Answer:

Oooh...that's deep, Master Po. I see you are well-versed in the ancient, mysterious, Shaolin art of bullshitting people. But Confucious say, he who work for newbie mega carrier for 3 years has brain of Won-Ton noodle.
Wal-Mart and alot of private fleets like Crown, Cork, and Seal, General Electric, etc will hire you after 3 years. Good-paying local union and non-union gigs like Yellow, USF, Saia, FedEx Freight, etc open up after 2 years. Then there's specialized companies paying alot better and smaller fleets that pay hub plus hourly pay at the dock and much better hometime.
And why don't you tell the new drivers about all the freebies you do for Swift?
1) drive 7-10% of all your miles unpaid
2) give 2 hours of your time unpaid at every dock you bump
3) scale the load for free, verify the freight count for free when there's no SLC on the bill of lading, work that truck into tricky docks for free, fuel the truck for free, get lost in a big city for free, slide stuck tandems for free, sit in traffic for free, check in and out of customers for free, DOT inspections for free, PTI every morning and night for free, sweep the trailer for free, drop and hook trailers for free...and that's just for starters.
4) No MT trailer or you need to red-tag a trailer? You'll be driving around town hunting for another one for free.
5) Steer tire blowout? Trailer tire goes flat? You'll be sitting there in the breakdown lane with your 4-ways on and your triangles out for free. Truck must be down for 24-hours for you to collect any breakdown pay.
6) You'll wait around for the Qualcomm to beep with your next load for free. Same deal with layover...24 hours of glorious free time from the time you send in your empty call.
Why don't you tell them that Swift training trucks are dispatched like a team operation? The veteran trainer with his whopping 6-months of experience and Swift make out like bandits while the newbie runs hard for chump-change. How much training is that newbie getting with the trainer copping z's behind the sleeper curtains? Out for 6 weeks, home-time's a crapshoot, no thanks.
Swift should be at the very bottom of any list of potential companies to hire on with. I'd maybe rank them higher than England or Prime but that's not saying much.

Confucious also say he who speak fondly of company ripping him off so much sound suspiciously like recruiter.